BACKGROUND The Tenterfield Terrier originated in England after local fox hunters developed a need for a small, agile dog that was capable of chasing vermin from their dens. The early settlers to Australia brought out the Tenterfield Terrier as a working dog that would help rid their land of rats, rabbits and foxes. Over the next hundred or so years, the breed became quite established in Australia as a worki ...

BACKGROUND The Swedish Vallhund dates back to 8th Century Sweden where the breed was utilised as farm dogs, primarily for herding cattle. The Swedish Vallhund is known in its native land as Vastgotaspets, which means Spitz of the West Goths. This dog is also known as the Swedish Shepherd. In Sweden it is believed the Vallhund travelled to Wales with the Viking raiders and went on to become the ancestor of t ...

BACKGROUND The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is thought to be the traditional Irish farm dog. It was the poorer folk's dog; large enough to enforce its presence but not so large that it was expensive to keep. It was bred as an all purpose dog to herd sheep and cattle, catch a range of vermin, keep watch around farm boundaries to repel intruders and be a family companion. They were also known to accompany thei ...

BACKGROUND The Shetland Sheep dog, or "Sheltie" as it is affectionately known, originated from the Shetland Islands where it was used by crofters as a sheep dog. Few Shelties are used today for their original purpose as sheep dogs, but those people who have worked them vouch for their incredible stamina and instinctive ability to herd. They were first introduced into Australia in 1936. Often referred to as ...

BACKGROUND In 1850, Captain John Edwardes, of Sealyham, Haverfordwest, Wales, set out to establish the breed which we know today as the Sealyham Terrier. Captain Edwardes was intent on creating a new breed which was small, robust, dead-game and not only intelligent but also of pleasing appearance. Though the combination of breeds that produced the Sealyham has always been kept secret, it is generally though ...

BACKGROUND The Schnauzer is an ancient breed. It is the original sheepdog of the Austrian Tyrol. Paintings and tapestries dating back to 1492 show dogs that are not unlike the modern Schnauzers. The Schnauzer has also been found in statuary, one on a statue in Mecklenborg, Germany. This statue is dated 1620. "Schnauzer" was the name of the first prize winning Wired-haired pinscher (the breed's previous titl ...

BACKGROUND A medium-sized white dog with the "smiling" face, the Samoyed was brought out of Siberia at the end of the last century and the early part of this century to pull sledges on Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. These valiant dogs endured terrible hardships serving man in his quest for the Poles, with only a few returning. The Samoyed was originally used to hunt, herd reindeer, and haul sledges for t ...

BACKGROUND The Scottish Terrier is one of the descendants of the old Scotch Terrier, along with the Dandie Dinmont, the Cairn, and the West Highland White Terrier. The exact origins of the breed is obscure, but a dog of its general description dates back to some of the earliest records. The low stature and wiry coat have always been important characteristics relating to the original purpose of the breed, wh ...

BACKGROUND The Schipperke is also known as the "Belgian Barge Dog", "Little Captain" and "Little Black Devil". Originating in Belgium, Schipperkes were first noted in the writings of the monk Wenceslas in the 15th Century. In the 1800s Belgian gentlemen would craft special brass collars for their Schipperkes and proudly walk their dogs through town. Schipperkes also served as watchdogs and ratters on barges ...

BACKGROUND Camel trains from Egypt carried Salukis to all parts of the ancient world along the silk roads. The Saluki is widely recognised as the first of the sighthound breeds and is still unsurpassed for its combination of speed and endurance and is still used as a food provider by some nomadic tribes from Morocco to Asia Minor. The Saluki is a beautiful connection with the past and is treasured by a rela ...