Terriers were bred from their very beginnings to perform services. In Great Britain that often took the form of breeding programs to produce a dog that would hunt fox, chase badgers or kill rats. While those activities still take place, the average modern terrier’s working life has changed a great deal. In many instances, their…
Saying you have a terrier doesn’t tell a bystander much. They’re among the broadest group of breeds around. They range everywhere from a tiny toy Yorkie to the huge Airedale, from the scrappy but small Westie to the sometimes sweet, sometimes ferocious American Pit Bull Terrier. In between are a whole smorgasbord of breeds. Jack…
According to the American Kennel Club, the Yorkshire Terrier is one of the most popular breeds. It’s not hard to see why. With its playful attitude and beautiful appearance, Yorkies make the perfect companion, as pet or show dog. Among the smaller of a mostly small breed (exceptions are terriers like the Airedale), the Yorkshire…
Fox terriers are among the oldest type of a very varied breed. Once used most often for hunting fox and other game, they’re now primarily pets. And what great pets they are, too! The name actually refers to two fairly different looking terriers, the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire-Haired. There are sub-breeds, though, such…
The Scottish Terrier isn’t the only native breed of its homeland, but it is probably the most recognizable. These stalwart descendants of Scotland are a favorite of so many for good reason. They’re shorter than even the average short breed terrier, standing only about 10-11 inches (22-25 cm) high. But their proud stance makes them…
The Miniature Schnauzer is considered to be the most popular of the Schnauzer family dog breeds. This animal was created through breeding in Germany during the late 1800s. The mix came from the combination of the original Schnauzer and the Affenpinscher. By the year of 1899, the Miniature Schnauzer was exhibited as its own distinct…
The Irish Terrier is known as the world’s oldest Terrier breed. It is said to have descended from the Black and Tan Terrier, also mixed with a larger and more streamlined wheaten colored Terrier. There is no official documentation to list this ancestry, but researchers are pretty confident with this estimation. Other information leads us…
Dog fighting and bull baiting were considered to be a leading form of entertainment throughout Europe in the past. Owners of these warrior dogs were in a constant state of breeding different strains in order to produce increasingly better and stronger fighting dogs. Sometime during the early 1800s, there was a cross between the old…
Although there is a bit of confusion concerning the background and origin of the Scottish Terrier, researchers do have conclusive documentation and information that shows this dog breed thriving back to the late 1800s. What is the confusion about? For starters, we used to refer to all terrier-types that were from Scotland as “Scottish Terriers”.…
The Miniature Bull Terrier is a member of the Terrier family, the Mastiff family, and the Bull family. Its original area of origin is the country of England and the date of origin can be traced back to the 1800s. This dog’s original function was nothing more than to be a companion. Today, many Miniature…