If you love small, active dogs with feisty and charismatic personalities, you might find just what you are looking for in a terrier.
Here is a list of the most popular terrier dog breeds, along with some insights into the unique personality and character of each to help you decide whether these little terrors (oops!) terriers, are right for you.
Their name comes from the Latin word ‘terra’ and means ‘earth’. But these pups weren’t named for the earth because they are Zen-like creatures who like to meditate while sitting under a tree somewhere.
Terriers were originally bred in England to dig in the earth and hunt for prey like foxes, moles, badgers, and rats. And they still love getting down and dirty in the earth to this day!
Terriers are mischievous, courageous, lots of fun to be around, playful, and highly intelligent. They make great companions for adults and kids alike.
But they have an independent and stubborn streak. So, while they are trainable, your training sessions will require patience and humor. And you should focus on keeping their training time short, and packed full of excitement and mental stimulation.
Terrier breeds vary greatly in size from just 2 lb to around 70 lb, but most tend to be in the smaller size range (after all, they were bred to dig their prey out of holes in the ground).
Their coats tend to be rough, and wiry (so, not much maintenance required), although some have a much silkier, smooth coat. Some, including the Irish Terrier, Norwich Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier and Border Terrier, have coats that don’t shed much so are great for people with allergies.
Dogs in the terrier category are tenacious and courageous. There are many stories of individual terriers, who have shown tremendous bravery and saved lives. Including:
- Smoky, a special Yorkshire Terrier who saved the lives of 250 soldiers during World War II by dragging a communications cable through a long and narrow pipe, allowing the trapped soldiers to radio for help. Smoky weighed only 4 lb.
- Dexter, the South African Bull Terrier who put himself in the line of danger and saved his owner from being bitten by a cobra.
- And Joe, another ‘Yorkie’ living in New Jersey, who chased off a 100-pound black bear that was trying to get to his food bowl.
If you love the idea of having a pup as a companion who is not only playful and fun, but ready to take on any giant with their fierce spirit, tenacity, and persistence, start digging through our list, and thinking about the fun you can have together.