This week’s post is all about Terriers. Like our previous posts on herding breeds and gundogs, we’ll look at what terriers were bred for, their typical behaviour and whether they make good pets. We’ll also discuss the potential downsides of living with a terrier. 

Terriers

The Terrier group consists of 33 pedigree breeds, all originally bred to hunt and kill vermin. As such, they are historically fearless, driven and lively dogs. Given their ancestry, even terriers with no training tend to be brilliant at keeping small furries like rats, mice and squirrels at bay. This makes them fantastic farm dogs. Terriers are very popular across the UK and we have many regional variations. Scotland is home to the Cairn Terrier and the West Highland Terrier, whilst the Norfolk Terrier, the Norwich Terrier and the Jack Russell Terrier all originate in England. The largest of the Terriers is the Airedale Terrier, the first breed of dog to be used by the police in the UK. 

Terriers – typical behaviours 

Terriers are typically lively, intelligent, energetic and make up for their small size with their big voices! Given their roots, they often have a high prey drive and love to chase small creatures along the ground or down holes. Like all the different types of dogs, there is huge variety between the breeds and between individuals too. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is relatively tall, stocky and muscular, whereas the Bedlington Terrier is much more agile and has a coat more similar to that of a Poodle. In my experience of Terriers, they are wonderfully bold, tenacious and full of personality. 

Do Terriers make good pets?

Terriers can make fantastic pets. The Jack Russell and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier are particularly popular in the UK and can be found in our top 10 breeds list consistently. They’re typically playful and affectionate with their people. They love a good adventure but don’t need the same amount of exercise that other breeds might. Given their history of independent work, they tend to be quite happy to be left alone for a few hours once used to it. Their compact size means they adapt to apartment living more easily than larger dogs too. Overall, terriers make wonderful companions and like most small breeds, tend to live for longer than the larger breeds. Indeed, the UK’s oldest dog is a 25 year old Jack Russell named Meg. 

The down sides

Like all the breeds we’ve discussed so far, terriers were bred to work. They are lively, energetic and intelligent and will find their own entertainment if they need to. Given their history, they are often much noisier than other types of dogs. Barking is a very good way to frighten small furries off your property but a somewhat less useful trait for the average pet owner! Many Terriers have a longer, wiry coat that needs regular grooming and maintenance too. 

What next?

• Looking for help with your dog? Contact us to arrange in person or online training.
• Read more blog posts here.
• Perfect Recall: Teaching your dog to come back when called every time. Our guide is free to download when you join our email list- sign up here.