Which Dog is Right for You

Terrier means earth dog. They were bred to go into burrows and drag out animals considered vermin. This makes for a very tough dog. Before getting a terrier of any kind be sure and do your homework. They are not dogs for everyone.

Don't get me wrong, I like terriers. My first puppy was a Rat Terrier given to me by my grandfather. Now, fifty-five years later I have a twenty-one year old Rat Terrier from those same bloodlines.

Terriers were bred to dig into tunnels and drag out game and/or vermin which, not surprisingly, were usually fighting tooth and nail. Though bred to dig into the earth for their game some terriers such as the Kerry Blue and Airedale will also hunt in water. These breeds are excellent at hunting and catching water rats, even going into the water to capture their prey.

Terriers as a whole are very tough animals. Yet, because the people breeding them were diligent about only breeding dogs that were completely people friendly, terriers can be some of the best companion dogs of all.

Terriers range in size from the Toy Rat Terrier which according to the UKC standards (ukcdogs.com) can range in size from three-and-a-half pounds to seven pounds up to the Black Russian Terrier which is 22 inches up to 30 inches tall and weighs between 80 and 140 pounds (akc.org). At this time the Black Russian Terrier is considered a rare breed (rarebreed.com).

Terriers come in all coat types from the smooth coated Fox Terrier to the wire coated Welsh Terrier to the silky coated Yorkshire Terrier. How much work do you want to do to maintain your dog's coat? If you like to primp and want to spend a lot of time brushing your dog then the Yorkie is an excellent choice. If you don't want dog hair all over the place the wire coated breeds are good about keeping their hair on, so good that they have to be clipped on a regular basis if you want your dog to have a tidy appearance. The smooth coated terriers are easy to keep requiring only the occasional bath and a weekly brushing to maintain their coats.

If you want a dog and think a terrier might be right for you there is a size for you and your way of life.

Regardless of size all terriers need exercise and a job. Smaller terriers can be managed with a twenty to thirty minute walk daily and some quality playtime. The larger the terrier though the more exercise is needed. A job is always a good idea if you are keeping a terrier. Despite their sometimes hard-headiness they usually are fairly easy dogs to train. They are intelligent and really like to have something to do. These traits make them excellent service dogs as well as family pets.