There are over 300 purebred dog breeds that are classified into several types, and Terriers are among one of them.

What is a Terrier? A Terrier is a small, long-legged dog of the type that was traditionally used in fox hunting. During the time of the hunt, they would enter into the den and kill or drive out their prey. They can be distinguished from other breeds by their robust size, swiftness, and courage.

The word ‘Terrier’ actually comes from the word ‘terre’ meaning ground or earth in French, indicating them to be underground hunters. These days working Terriers are based on farms and used for ratting (rat and vermin catching).

Overall, Terriers are very friendly and loyal to their owners and they make fantastic pets. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the most popular Terrier dog breeds that you should know about.

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10 Tenacious Terrier Dog Breeds

Jack Russell Terrier

Jack Russel Terrier is a very energetic breed. They are mostly active dogs that are great in speed and agility. They will always be ready to go out and will not wait for another moment to be healthy. Well-trained Jack Russells are very friendly with people, so you will have a lot of fun playing games with them. Also, they are true climbers and love to jump from one place to another. The classic coloring of Jack Russell Terriers is tri-color – a white terrier with white and black patches on the head, tail, and body.

Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier is known for its beautiful long silky hair, but expect that you will need to do a lot of grooming if you choose this breed. They are very playful and have a lot of energy. Also, they love playing games with children and show great interest in toys and balls. This breed is highly intelligent, so you will have a lot of fun training them and grooming them as well.

Border Terrier

The Border Terrier was bred in Great Britain and its original purpose was to kill foxes. They love water and are always ready for a swim in the lake or river. They come in different colors, ranging from sable, black and tan to white with different shades of brown or black. Like the Patterdale and Jack Russell Terrier, these dogs need a great deal of exercise and so you should only take them in if you can provide at least 2 X 45 minute walks a day.

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Patterdale Terrier

The Patterdale Terrier is a very small and compact dog. It is a terrier type that has been bred for fox hunting and ratting on farms.

They were originally bred in the Lake District (a village called Patterdale!) and need plenty of exercises like Border terriers and Jack Russells. They may dig up the lawn or garden and can’t always be trusted around small children! Give your Patterdale terrier plenty to do including licking food out of KONGs and using interactive dog toys such as the ones by Nina Ottosson.

Bedlington Terrier

One of the best terriers with a curled tail is the Bedlington Terrier. This dog breed is very small, and it can weigh around 11 to 13 pounds. They are gentle dogs and do not usually react aggressively towards people or other animals. They also have an excellent sense of smell which makes hunting easier for them.

Interestingly, they have also been used for dog racing in the past. Bedlington terriers are recognizable by their ‘dome’ shaped nose and they often are clipped in a style with tufts left on the ear tips!

Cairn Terrier

The Cairn Terrier is a great dog breed that you should not miss out on. The Cairn Terrier was made famous through ‘Toto’ in the Wizard of Oz. This dog is very small and compact, but it can be considered one of the most energetic dogs. Also, these dogs love to walk, and they really do not mind going on long walks. This makes them great as pet dogs for people who work on farms or outdoors a lot since they can accompany you all the time. Cairn terriers are usually black or dark brown in color.

Boston Terrier

The Boston Terrier is a dog breed that has been around for at least several hundred years. Its owners should make sure that they have enough space in their home because this dog breed likes to bark a lot. They are very playful as well, but they can become aggressive when someone annoys them. Also, this dog breed is very intelligent and will always be able to find something interesting to do around your house.

The Boston Terrier has also been named as the state dog of Massachusettes.

Bull Terrier

The Bull Terrier is one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. A famous Bull Terrier is ‘Bullseye’ from Oliver Twist. This dog breed was bred in England, and its original purpose was to hunt and kill vermin. Nowadays, this dog breed is a great family pet that has a lot of energy. They can be very stubborn at times so they need an owner that will not give up easily when training them.

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Staffordshire Bull Terrier

Staffordshire Bull Terrier is a dog breed that has been bred for working with bulls. They are however very different from the American Pitbull. American Pitbulls were originally bred to fight and kill other dogs, while the Staffordshire Bull Terrier is bred for working with cattle. These dogs make great family pets because they are loyal and can be very friendly with children. They are commonly known as ‘Staffies’.

West Highland Terrier

West Highland terriers or ‘Westies’ as they are more commonly known, are the cute white long-haired terriers that you often see advertising Cesar’s dog food! These fun-loving and friendly dogs were bred in Scotland. They have a distinctive white harsh coat with a softer undercoat and will need a lot of grooming because of this. The advantage is that their coat is hypoallergenic and so they are a good option for anyone wanting a terrier but is allergic to dogs with short coats.

Terriers are small dogs that were originally used to hunt fox but now they are widely used as home pets, as well as, for ratting purposes.

Bottom line:

I hope that you have enjoyed this outline of the top 10 terriers. Overall, terriers make fantastic pets as long as you can spend the time with them and give them the attention and exercise that they need.

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