Bella, our dog is a Jack Russell, and our first dog Scotty was a fox terrier. Both came from the Humane Society and were of mixed parentage i.e. they both have a mystery element in their background. Hubby and I like terriers because they’re small and intelligent with big personalities.
Thirteen Facts About Terriers
1. Most breeds of terriers were developed in Great Britain.
2. They were bred to catch rats, rabbits, foxes and badgers (larger terriers). They hunted both above and under ground.
3. They’re excellent for vermin control. Scotty was a champion mouser, and if any came inside she sniffed them out. I was the one who stood on a chair.
4. Terriers range in size. Our fox terrier was fine boned while Bella is a sturdy wee thing. You know when she plops on your lap.
5. The term terrier is latin and it means earth.
6. 26 types of terriers are recognized in the US.
7. Terriers are brave and confident and make great watchdogs.
8. They’re also stubborn!
9. Sometimes their bravery gets them in trouble since they won’t back down, even if the other dog is much bigger.
10. Terriers are intelligent.
11. They like to keep very busy and get bored if left alone with some sort of activity. The boredom tips over into chewing and digging.
12. They might be small, but they need a lot of exercise. I always get tired before Bella starts lagging.
13. They’re personality plus.
Puppy Porn!
Are you a dog person? If so, what breed do you prefer?
My favorite subject!
You taught me something too. I never made the connection between the Latin ‘terra’ with terrier. Duh! Thank you!
Re: favorite breed
I’m not particularly breed specific, but I am fond of Australian shepherds and border collies. I love their energy and sense of order.
I’m hoping Nana will have enough of that instinct to help me herd goats when she gets old enough.
No, a good personality and character are better than breed IMO. We chose terriers because they’re not too big to be inside our house or in the town.
I’m sure Nana will turn out to be a champ goat herder and love doing it. I bet she’s growing quickly.
I’m not a dog person, but when I was growing up, we had a mixed breed dog named Barney. He was part German Shepherd, part Collie. Frankly, he was the most lovable, forgiving and gorgeous dog ever.
You’ll not convince me otherwise, so don’t even try. ;)
Happy TT!
My hubby used to have a German shepherd. He adopted him from a security firm when they wanted to get rid of him. Kaiser was an awesome dog, but he hated loud noises and hid as soon as he heard one.
I won’t try to dissuade you :)
I love both so much
Thanks for stopping by, Sandy.
Awwww what a cutie!!!! Love this, Shelley!
Bella is a cutie. She loves cuddles and playing and is always making us laugh.
I love all animals but I’m a rat person. But if I had to pick a specific dog it would be a Chihuahua.
I enjoy seeing your rat photos and hearing your stories, but I’ll admit I prefer to keep a safe distance. Each to their own :)
Sounds like a real champion. My son brought a puppy home once. It was a chow, a smart alpha dog but not that trainable.
Oops, not trainable usually means headaches!
I think there are more terriers in the UK than humans, sometimes :-)
Everyone seemed to own dogs when we lived there. We used to have lots come into the pub with their owners.
We have had Boston Terriers love them and now we have an English Staffordshire Terrier. He may look like a pit bull, but is the sweetest and gentlest dog. He is also very smart. My avatar is his picture.
The staffis sometimes get a bad rap, but we suspect our Bella might have a little in her.
They’re called the “South Auckland” special around our district since a lot of the bitzers are part staffi.
My family always went for German Shepherds. That’s great when they are young, but ours always got very old and went nuts.
Yes, the larger dogs often have problems when they get older. It’s sad watching them.
Fun facts! And that pic os so cute! We so love animals, and especially dogs!
*hugs*
Paige
My TT is at
http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/
Bella is a cutie :)
Your Bella does seem highly intelligent, but I can tell you from experience that it isn’t true of all terriers. My old apartment building was home to two of the meanest, stupidest terriers on the planet. Of course, that could say as much about the owner as the dogs themselves. ;-)
I often think that owners have a lot to do with dogs going bad. Training is everything!
A dog’s character definitely has a lot to do with the owner(s). I find it irritating when people refuse to train their dogs, then yell at the animal for bad behavior it hasn’t been trained out of. The one they should be yelling at is themselves.
I agree. Training is necessary, especially with terriers. They’re very headstrong!
I have also determined that most breeds, if properly prepared, are delicious.
So I’ve heard. It won’t be me eating one though since I am firmly vegetarian!!!
I love dogs! Always had them, always will. I’m more partial to smaller dogs now, due to hip problems of the larger ones.
Smaller dogs tend to live a bit longer too, although keeping them well exercised helps. With people too LOL At least that’s what I tell myself.
I’ve only ever had Heinz 57 dogs myself. Although our second was blue tick as if there were a terrier in there somewhere.
Both of our dogs have been Heinz brand, although the terrier was dominant.
My first experience with dogs as a child were Chihuahua’s and Daschunds, both are wonderful lap dogs but the wiener dog is like a terrier as they are hunters/energetic/highly intelligent and just all around good company if you can keep up with them. The Chi’s are low key but so darn demanding and needy as well as very much mostly a one person dog if not socialized well when young.
Also had a wonderful mix breed Irish Setter/Golden Retriever as my last pet before leaving home, she loved our whole family and was so sweet natured and just fun to be around.
As a young adult my husband when first married bought me a Toy Fox Terrier, to this day after him being gone since 1997 I miss my boy so much as he became the greatest companion that I have ever had the privilege of sharing my life with that had four legs and fur!
Bella girl is lucky and so are you and your family Shelley as you are right Terrier’s are “personality plus”!
Jackie,
Both hubby and I still call our puppy by our first dog’s name and it’s been a while since Scotty died. Bella doesn’t seem to mind though.
I only got to know a love one particular terrier. She was my grandmother’s little rat terrier and was just so adorable.
What did I say? Real characters with personality plus :)
I had a mixed Eskimo Spitz/Terrier that I obtained not long after I married. She was with me for 17 years. I couldn’t bear to replace her when she died. Some days I still expect to see her waiting for me.
I know how you feel. We still miss Scotty heaps. It took us a while before we decided to get another dog.
Oh what cuteness. Your puppy’s adorable!
http://otherworlddiner.blogspot.com/2013/04/on-vacation.html
Thank you, Mia.
Love this post! Terriers are indeed smart, gutsy, too. My favorite dog? Mutts! Shelter rescues make the best addition to any household.
Both of our dogs have been mutts, even though they possess mainly terrier looks. I like the idea of giving an unwanted animal a home.