Terriers

Dog breeds in bold are not pictured.

Airedale Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Australian Terrier, Bedlington Terrier, Border Terrier, Bull Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Fox Terrier, Irish 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, Welsh Terrier, West Highland White Terrier.

The largest of the terriers, the Airedale is named for the district in Yorkshire, England from which it originates. The Airedale terrier has an excellent sense of smell and is known for its hunting and swimming abilities. The Airedale weighs 40 to 50 pounds and is the largest of the terrier class. It is wirehaired, with black crown, back, and sides and tan face, throat, and limbs. The forelegs are straight, and the general aspect is trim and powerful. Fast, sagacious, and noted for a keen sense of smell, the Airedale is also a natural swimmer and excellent hunter.

The American Staffordshire terrier was originally bred for dogfighting from a mix of terrier and bulldog. The breed is characterized by a wide head, strong jaws, stocky legs, and powerful neck. American Staffordshire Terrier, breed of dog, originally developed in England, from a mixture of bulldog and terrier, for the purpose of dogfighting. The breed's name was officially adopted in 1972 to distinguish it from the Staffordshire bullterrier. Before that it was known simply as the Staffordshire terrier, the name under which it was first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1936. The dog has a broad head, strong jaws with pronounced cheek muscles, a thick neck, forelegs set apart, and a short tail. The short, stiff-haired coat may be any color; the ears are preferably left uncropped. The dog stands 17 to 19 inches high and weighs 35 to 50 pounds.

Australian Terriers date back to the late 1860s, and probably the result of a mixture of several short-legged sporting terrier breeds. The dog, originally used to guard mines and herd sheep, is a companionable house pet and useful small-game hunter. Sturdy and long-lived, it has a good sense of smell and keen eyesight. A throat ruff and topknot protect it from snakes and vermin. Standing about 10 inches and weighing only about 12 to 14 pounds, it is one of the smallest working terriers but is endowed with courage and intelligence. The rough coat is suited for various weather conditions; the topknot is finer and lighter in color than the body coat. The dog's colors range from blue-black to silver-black with tan, sandy, or clear red markings.

Bedlington Terrier, breed of terrier, originally a fighting dog, now used in hunting foxes, badgers, otters, and other small animals, and much valued as a pet. The Bedlington terrier originated in 1825 in Bedlington, Northumberland County, England. It stands 15 to 16 inches high at the shoulder and weighs 22 to 24 pounds. It has a lean, long head; a topknot lighter in color than the other hair on the body; long, triangular ears; and small, dark eyes. The thick, linty coat is usually blue or liver in color, although sometimes it is blue and tan or liver and tan. The body is muscular but flexible. An arched loin gives the impression that the hind legs are longer than the forelegs; the forelegs are straight and have hare feet. The tail of the Bedlington ranges from 9 to 11 inches long, tapering gracefully to a point. For the show ring the fur is clipped and trimmed so that the dog looks somewhat like a tiny lamb.

Border Terrier, breed of small dog, so named because it was developed, probably by the 18th century, from terrier strains found along the border country between England and Scotland. The dog stands about 12 inches at the shoulder and weighs up to 15 pounds. The ears are folded and the relatively short tail is held erect. The body has a dense undercoat and a short, wiry outercoat from red to brownish, black or tan. Bred as a fox hunter, it is also used for herding. The breed was officially recognized in England in 1920 and by the American Kennel Club in 1950.

During the early 1800s dog breeders sought to create an extremely nimble, strong dog for sport, principally for dog-fighting. A cross between the bulldog and an early terrier created the ideal fighting dog, the bull terrier. The first appearances of bull terriers, about 1835, had colored markings on their fur; this variety, shown here, remains, but the more popular variety of bull terrier now appears all white. Bull Terriers were developed in the late 19th century by crossing the English bulldog with the now extinct white English terrier, and the resulting type with the Spanish pointer. Formerly bred for the sport of dogfighting, the bull terrier is unusually agile and courageous. The dog has a long, oval-shaped head; very small, black, oblique, close-set eyes; a broad, black nose; a broad, deep chest; a short, muscular back; big-boned legs; and a short, straight tail. The coat, generally pure white in color, is dense, with short, glossy hair. Bull terriers weigh between 12 and 60 pounds; the standard weight is about 50 pounds for the male and 45 pounds for the female.

Cairn terriers originated on the Isle of Skye, off the coast of Scotland perhaps as early as the 16th century. Skilled and courageous working dogs, old-world cairn terriers would bolt rodents and small mammals from cairns, or piles of rocks. Modern breeders of the dogs attempt to preserve the character of old-world cairn terriers. The dog has a broad, short head, with erect ears set wide apart and an alert, inquisitive gaze. The outer coat-usually gray or wheaten and darker at the ears, muzzle, feet, and tail tip-is wiry; the undercoat is soft and furry. The average male cairn weighs about 14 pounds and measures about 10 inches at the shoulders; females are slightly smaller.

Dandie Dinmont Terrier, breed of dog, which originated about 1700 in the Cheviot Hills region between Scotland and England. The breed is named after a character in the novel Guy Mannering (1815) by the Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott. The Dandie Dinmont's coat is a mixture of hard and soft hairs and is either pepper- or mustard-colored. The dog has a large head, with a distinctive topknot of light-colored, silky hair; large, luminous, hazel eyes; a deep chest; short front legs and longer hind legs; and a short, heavy tail. It weighs 18 to 24 pounds, is extremely intelligent, and is a good watchdog.

Fox Terrier, breed of dog, once used for driving a fox out of its hiding place when pursued by hounds, but now chiefly a pet. Two types of fox terrier exist: the smooth and the wirehaired. Both types originated in England in the 1700s, probably stemming from different ancestors. The two types were interbred in order to give the wirehaired type the white color and more sharply defined head of the smooth type. In recent years, however, the two types have been kept separate so that each may preserve its distinctive coat, which is smooth, flat, dense, and hard in the smooth fox terrier, and hard and wiry in the wirehaired type. Otherwise their characteristics are similar. The predominant color of the coat of each is white, with markings of black or tan. The fox terrier has a fairly long, lean head, with a flat skull, a long muzzle, small, V-shaped ears, and small, dark eyes. The chest is deep but not broad, and the back is short and straight, the loins are muscular, and the tail is carried high. The male is up to 15.5 inches high at the shoulders and weighs about 18 pounds; the female is slightly smaller and weighs about 16 pounds.

Irish Terrier, breed of small dog, which reputedly originated in Ireland several centuries ago. The dog is useful for hunting woodchucks, rabbits, rats, and larger game and has been trained to act as a retriever on land and in water; it has also been employed in war as a runner or messenger. Its companionability and loyalty to its owner make it an admirable pet and watchdog. The Irish terrier has a long head with a flat skull; dark hazel eyes; small, V-shaped ears; and long, sloping shoulders. Its coat is dense and wiry, lying close to the body, and is bright or golden red in color. The Irish terrier is about 18 inches high at the shoulder and weighs about 25 to 27 pounds.

Kerry Blue Terrier, breed of dog, which originated in county Kerry, Ireland, before the beginning of the 19th century. It is used in Ireland and England for hunting birds and small game and also as a sheep and cattle herder and as a watchdog. The breed first became well known in the United States in the 1930s. A typical Kerry blue has a long head and flat skull; small to medium-sized eyes, usually hazel in color; a deep chest; a moderately long neck; and a soft, curly coat that may be any of several shades of blue. The male dog averages 18 inches high at the shoulder and weighs 33 to 38 pounds; the female is of slightly less height and weighs 32 to 36 pounds. It is an alert and intelligent dog, with unusual powers of endurance. Because of its loyalty and its gentleness toward children, the Kerry blue is an admirable pet.

Lakeland Terrier, English breed of dog, established in the 19th century for hunting purposes. The strongly built dog stands about 14 to 15 inches at the shoulder, as an adult, and weighs about 17 pounds. The tail is docked, the small ears curl forward, and the wiry coat is usually black and tan, but other colors are also permitted in dog shows.

Manchester Terrier, breed of dog, formerly called the black-and-tan terrier or rat terrier. By about 1860 the breeding of this dog, originally a cross between a whippet and a rat-killing terrier, centered in Manchester, England; similar dogs, however, were known in other parts of England. The two varieties are the standard and the toy. Until 1959 the toy was regarded as a separate breed. The only difference between them, besides size, is the shape of the ear. Standard Manchester terriers range between 12 and 22 pounds and stand 14 to 16 inches; the ears are small, erect or button-shaped, or, if cropped, long and erect. The toy variety, standing 6 to 7 inches, weighs 12 pounds or less and has moderate-sized ears, which are erect and not flaring; dog-show regulations forbid cropping. The coat of both varieties is close and glossy, jet black with well-defined tan markings above the eyes, along the lower jaw and throat, and on the legs up to the knees. The long, tapering head with its sparkling black eyes is set on a moderately long neck. The chest is narrow and deep, the tail of medium length and tapered. The dog is notably intelligent and companionable and, with its clean habits and short hair, makes an admirable house pet.

Schnauzer, a type of domestic dog, existing in three separate breeds: giant, standard, and miniature. The miniature schnauzer was developed for use as a farm dog and ratter toward the end of the 19th century. It was bred from the standard schnauzer by crossing small specimens with poodles and a small black breed of German dog known as the affenpinscher. The miniature schnauzer, about 12 to 14 inches high at the withers, is used chiefly as a pet; well suited to apartment living, it has been popular in the United States since about 1925.
The overall appearance of all schnauzers is similar. They are sturdy, compact dogs with elongated, rectangular heads; blunt, heavily whiskered muzzles; dark brown oval eyes under bristling eyebrows; small V-shaped ears (generally cropped in Germany); and docked tails 1 to 2 inches long. The dense, wiry outercoat is pepper-and-salt in color (black and white hairs intermingled), or solid black. The legs are abundantly covered with hair.

Norfolk Terrier, breed of dog, a variety of Norwich terrier, differing only in having drop ears instead of erect ears. Because of this difference, however, the dog was recognized as a separate breed in 1965 by the English Kennel Club and in 1979 by the American Kennel Club.

Norwich Terrier, breed of small dog, popular in Britain in the last two decades of the 19th century and introduced in the United States in 1914. The dog is useful for hunting rabbits and other small game and is popular as a pet. The Norwich terrier is 10 to 12 inches high at the withers and weighs about 11 pounds. It has dark, bright eyes; a strong jaw; a short, strong neck; short and powerful legs; and a medium-size tail. The coat is hard and wiry, usually red in color, but sometimes either black and tan or grizzle. The dog is a hardy, active animal and is noted for its loyalty.

Scottish Terriers are a breed of terrier that originated in Scotland several centuries ago but was not bred in its present form until the middle of the 19th century, when it was developed in England and Scotland. The Scottish terrier is used to ferret out foxes and other small game and is also highly popular as a pet. The dog has a long skull, slightly rounded at the top; small, almond-shaped eyes, dark brown or nearly black in color and set wide apart; small, upstanding ears; a thick, muscular neck; a broad, deep chest; short legs; and a tail about 7 inches long, carried jauntily. Its coat is about 2 inches deep and consists of a dense undercoat and a hard, wiry outer coat. In color the Scottish terrier is black, iron gray or steel gray, wheaten, or sandy. The dog is about 10 inches high at the shoulder and weighs about 19 pounds.

Sealyham Terrier, dog, breed of terrier developed by the hunter and breeder Captain John Edwardes on his estate Sealyham, at Haverfordwest, Wales, between 1850 and 1891. The breeds from which the Sealyham originated are not precisely known. The dog was imported into the United States in 1911 and has become highly popular. The Sealyham, noted for its courage and endurance, is used for ferreting out of cover such animals as the fox, otter, and badger; it is also a favorite as a pet. The dog has a long head, with a wide skull slightly rounded at the top; oval-shaped dark eyes, set deep and wide apart and very alert in expression; a muscular neck; short legs; powerful hindquarters; and a docked tail carried upright. The animal has a soft, dense undercoat and a wiry outercoat that resists water and cold. It is white in color; the head and ears of some specimens have markings or streaks of tan or lemon color. The Sealyham terrier is about 10 inches high at the withers and weighs about 23 to 24 pounds.

Skye Terrier, breed of dog, that originated many centuries ago on the Isle of Skye off the northwestern coast of Scotland. The dog became a pet for the English aristocracy about the middle of the 16th century and was one of the most popular of the terriers in England and the United States until about the beginning of the 20th century. The Skye terrier has a long, massive head; ears that are either erect or hanging; hazel-colored, medium-sized, close-set eyes; short, straight legs; a low body, 10 inches high at the shoulder in the male and 9.5 inches high in the female, and with the length approximately twice the height; and a tail about 9 inches long. The dog weighs 14 to 20 pounds. It has a double coat, an undercoat of soft, woolly hairs, and an outercoat of hard, straight hairs that are about 5 inches long. The hair growing on the terrier's head falls over the forehead and eyes. In color the dog is light or dark gray, blue, or fawn with dark points.

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, breed of dog developed as a work animal in Ireland several centuries ago and named for the color of its soft, wavy, medium-length coat. The male stands up to 19 inches at the shoulders and weighs up to 45 pounds. The small ears drop forward and the tail is docked. The U.S. Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1973.

Staffordshire Bull Terrier, breed of dog, developed in England after bullbaiting was outlawed in 1835 and a smaller dog was desired for use in dogfighting. Its ancestors include the bulldog and an ancestor of the Manchester terrier. The dog stands up to 16 inches at the shoulder, has a broad skull, strong cheek muscles, half-drop ears, and a smooth, short coat that is any color mixture except black-and-tan or liver. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1974.

Welsh Terrier, breed of terrier that supposedly originated in Wales approximately two centuries ago but was not recognized as a separate breed until 1884; until that time the dog was known either by its present name or as the Old English terrier. The Welsh terrier was imported into the U.S. in 1888, and its popularity since that time has steadily increased. The dog is used for hunting otter, fox, and badger and also makes an excellent watchdog or pet. The Welsh terrier has a flat skull; a powerful jaw; V-shaped ears; small, dark hazel eyes; a moderately long and thick neck; and straight, muscular legs. It has a wiry, hard, abundant coat, which is black and tan in color; it is 15 inches high at the shoulder and weighs about 20 pounds.

West Highland White Terrier, breed of small dog, related to all the other Scottish terriers, the Dandie Dinmont terrier, and the Cairn terrier. Formerly known (from places where they were bred) as the Roseneath or the Poltalloch terrier, the breed probably dates from the 17th century. Speedy and strong, they are courageous hunters, but also are widely popular as hardy, friendly household pets. The all-white coat is very easy to groom, another reason for the dog's popularity. The outer coat is straight and stiff, about about 2 inches long, but characteristically left longer about the face. The undercoat is full and soft. "Westies" stand 10 to 11 inches high, on short, muscular legs. The chest is deep, the hindquarters powerful, the tail short and straight.

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