Terriers

American Pit Bull Terrier

Terra, the Latin word for "earth," is the basis for the name "terrier," given to a group of dogs bred to tunnel into the earth, or "go to ground," to exterminate vermin. Most terriers recognized today were developed in the British Isles, some as long ago as the fifteenth century.
These were working dogs, bred for their abilities rather than for consistent looks, and the majority of them weren't recognized as purebreds until the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when The Kennel Club in Great Britain began to set breed standards for them.
Physical characteristics of terrier breeds differ based on the county in which they were developed and the attributes that were needed to capture native vermin.
The smallest, short-legged terriers--cairn, Norfolk, Norwich, West Highland white, Australian, toy fox, Manchester, and miniature schnauzer--were bred to be excellent "ratters" in fields and on farms.
The slightly leggier terriers--Border, fox, and Jack Russell--accompanied fox hunters on horseback. Vocal and alert, they also served as watchdogs.
The bulkier terriers--Kerry blue, Lakeland, Scottish, Skye, Dandie Dinmont, and Bedlington--were used to hunt badgers and otters, while the tallest of terriers--Airedale, soft-coated wheaten, and standard schnauzer--made excellent watchdogs and family guardians.
The bull and terrier dogs--American Staffordshire, American pit bull, Staffordshire bull, bull, and miniature bull--are descendants of a long-ago cross between terrier and bullbaiting breeds, and were created primarily as dog-versus-dog pit fighters.
Early terriers were bred to fight to the death, to never back down even in the face of a physically superior competitor. These traits are still evident in the scrappy, high-energy terriers of today.
As a group, terriers are the most difficult dogs to obedience train, and they require daily aerobic exercise.
Many terriers do not shed but need to be hand-stripped or clipped in order to rid them of dead hair. Often this makes them a good choice for people who have mild canine allergies.

Jack Russell Terrier

Terriers

Airedale Terrier
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Australian Terrier
Bedlington Terrier
Border Terrier
Bull Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Fox Terrier
Irish Terrier
Jack Russell Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier
Lakeland Terrier
Manchester Terrier
Miniature Bull Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Norfolk Terrier
Norwich Terrier
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Skye Terrier
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Standard Schnauzer
Terrier Mixes
Toy Fox Terrier
Welsh Terrier
West Highland White Terrier

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