Breeds of Terriers: 5 terrier breeds and their similarities

Most breeds of terriers are native to the British Isles. Their name, which comes from Latin, means ‘land’. These are medium to small-sized dogs that have hard, rough hair. They also are really restless and energetic. In this article, you can read everything you’ve ever wanted to know about different breeds of terriers.

How many breeds of terriers are there?

Originally bred to hunt rats and critters, the British terrier gave rise to American terriers, which have a more feisty personality. Currently, there are almost 40 breeds of terrier dogs worldwide. Here are just a few of the different breeds:

1. Jack Russell Terrier

This breed is originally from the United Kingdom. They are characterized as alert, tenacious, and independent. Despite their small size, this is a working dog and they have a lot of strength and endurance.

The Jack Russell terrier – featured above – has mostly white fur with brown, black, or tan spots. Their ears droop down and they have a short, upright tail. Their fur is thick and resistant to water, which is quite normal for most terrier breeds.

2. Bull Terrier

This is one of the most unique breeds of terriers, due to its physiognomy. They have a triangular head and triangular eyes. The Bull Terrier is famous for appearing in books, movies, and advertisements. Although they have some of the same genes as Pit Bulls, they are two different breeds.

Their bodies are strong and muscular. They also have short, white fur with some spots on their heads and they have pointy ears. In regard to their personality, these dogs are considered to be mentally balanced, obedient, somewhat stubborn, gentle, intelligent, courageous, active, and very loyal to their owners.

3. Yorkshire terrier

This breed appeared after crossbreeding terriers from Scotland and England during the Industrial Revolution. Their name come from a mixing the names of the cities of York and Lancashire. These dogs are small and have long hair. They primarily come in two colors, brown, gray, or black.

This dogs courage and tenacity are inversely proportional to their height. The Yorkshire terrier is a very active dog, loves to be the center of attention in a home, and tends to bark a lot. To prevent this from becoming a problem, it is recommended to start training from the time they are puppies.

4. West Highland White Terriers

This is another one of the smaller terrier breeds. It was created in the Scottish Highlands (hence its name). This animal is completely white with a “shaggy” coat. Initially, the ‘Westie’ was used to hunt birds, rabbits, and hares.

The West Highland White Terrier is friendly, energetic, brave, mentally balanced, and sociable. They need almost constant exercise. Also, when it comes to this breed’s size (weighing no more than  10 kilos in weight), anyone can understand that this has become a favorite pet of people who live in cities.

5. Boston Terrier

The last of the terrier breeds on this list is one that was originally bred in the United States. It initially descends from Britain. This is an internationally-beloved pet due to their small size. This breed weighs a maximum of 12 kilos.

As to their appearance, the Boston terrier has as flattened noise, large pointy ears, a compact body, and a short tail. It also has short, strong legs. Due to their short hair, this dog requires very little maintenance.

This terrier breed responds well to being trained as puppy. If they are socialized from an early age, tehy will be very be friendly. These dogs tend to be very happy and get along well with children.

Terriers are among the most famous dogs in the world. With their similar characteristics, both British and American breeds of terriers are chosen as pets due to their personality, size, and ease of training.