BACKGROUND The Reverend Jack Russell was very interested in fox hunting and saw the need for a small terrier to be used to flush out foxes that had gone to ground. In 1814 he acquired a terrier bitch named Trump from the local milkman which became his foundation bitch – and so the breed was born.The first Jack Russells were quite tall dogs (35cm) but during the years the breed has changed, and there are now ...

BACKGROUND Proudly Australian, the breed evolved from a variety of British terriers that had been brought out to this country by settlers. Specifically bred for Australian conditions, this hard-bitten and tough little terrier was used for everything from guarding the farms and mines to hunting, and from tending the sheep to killing rats and snakes. Essentially a working terrier, the "Aussie" as they are aff ...

BACKGROUND The Airedale Terrier is the largest of the Terrier breeds. It was bred in the Aire Valley, in Yorkshire, England, from 1810 until the 1870s. The Otter hound was crossed with the now extinct Old English Black and Tan Terrier. This produced an intelligent all-round working dog, capable of hunting with the miners of the day and guarding the women and children when the men were at work. AVERAGE LIFES ...

The Bedlington Terrier originated as a killer of vermin and poacher's sidekick. Today Bedlingtons excel as companions and in the show ring. Although they still have excellent hunting instincts, a keen sense of smell, and the will to go to ground, they are rarely used in the field. Overview The Bedlington Terrier captures your attention with his unique lamblike appearance and keeps it with his entertaining, ...

Fox Terriers were originally bred to flush foxes out of their hiding places during foxhunts. Today they're primarily family companions and show dogs, although you'll occasionally find them in the hunt country of the northeastern United States, still performing their traditional role. Overview Fox Terriers are canine classics who've changed little since their emergence in the late 18th century. There are two ...

Boston Terriers have been popular since their creation a little more than a century ago. They were originally bred to be fighting dogs, but today, they're gentle, affectionate companions with tuxedo-like markings that earned them the nickname "American Gentleman." Overview The Boston Terrier may have been bred to be a ferocious pit-fighter, but you'd never know it today. The little American Gentleman, as he ...

BACKGROUND The American Staffordshire Terrier is not a new breed. Although it gained American Kennel Club registration and recognition in 1936, it has been developed since the early 1800s as a result of crosses between the bulldogs of that time and game terriers. Although the early ancestors of this breed came from England, the development of the American Staffordshire Terrier is the story of a truly Americ ...