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 Terriers
were originally bred to hunt vermin. The majority originated
in
Great Britain, and were bred to hunt foxes in the earth.
The style of work and structure of the terrier varied from
breed to breed, depending on the terrain being hunted. One
thing they all had in common was an intense drive to work
tirelessly until the job was complete.
Jack Russells were specifically bred to bay at and cause the
fox to bolt (leave its den), or stay with the fox until the
dog and quarry were dug to by a terrierman. Terriers
would face their adversary for hours or even days, in some
instances. Carefully preserved as true working dogs for many
generations, today’s terriers retain the same intense
personality and drive to hunt.
Scotland's terriers had been grouped together as Scotch
Terriers until 1873, when they were separated into two
classifications-Dandie Dinmont
 Terriers
and Skye Terriers. The breeds we now know as the Scottish
Terrier, the West Highland White Terrier, and the Cairn
Terrier, were included in classes for Skye Terriers. The
Scottish, West Highland, and Cairn had developed from the
same stock, originating in the islands and highlands of
western Scotland. The three often were found in the same
litter, distinguished only by color. A club for Hard-Haired
Scotch Terriers embracing the three was formed in 1881, and
a standard was approved in 1882. White markings were
considered a fault, though an all-white dog was valued. A
change of name to the "Cairn Terrier of Skye" was suggested
for the Short-Haired Skye. (Cairns were piles of stones
which served as landmarks or memorials. Common throughout
much of Scotland, cairns were frequent hiding places for
small mammals. Farmers used small terriers to bolt the
animals from their rocky lairs.)
 The
primary purpose for which the Dachshund was developed was to
hunt the badger. The Dachshund (translation: Badger Dog)
required specific traits such as courage, stamina &
perseverance beyond what is usually expected of any other
hunting dog. The breed's deep sonorous bark is a special
advantage, for it enabled the hunter to determine what was
going on down in the badger hole. The authentic origin of
the Dachshund as a breed can be traced to Germany during the
years 1550-1850 when German foresters, gamekeepers, and
sportsmen first selected their dogs because of their
affinity to go underground and fearlessly fight the badger,
a vicious, saber-clawed antagonists weighing anywhere from
25 to 40 pounds.
 The
Border Terrier was originally bred in the Cheviot Hills area
near the border between England and Scotland to help farmers
drive predatory foxes from their dens and kill them. This
sturdy little fellow has long enough legs and enough stamina
to keep up with a horse, even though he is quite small. The
bold little Border Terrier has also been used to hunt
marten, otter and the fierce badger. Due to his winning
personality, adaptability and friendliness, the breed is
highly esteemed as a companion dog today, yet he can still
serve as a fine farm dog, helping to control vermin.
The roots of the Norwich were firmly planted in East Anglia,
England. By the 1880's owning a small ratting terrier was a
fad among the sporting undergraduates of Cambridge
University. A popular strain developed of very small red and
black-and-tan working crossbreeds from native, Yorkshire,
and Irish den stock.
By the turn of the century one of these Trumpington Terriers
moved to a stable near the city of Norwich. "Rags" was sandy
colored, short of leg, stocky with cropped ears. A notorious
ratter and dominant sire, he is the modern breed's
progenitor. For the next two decades various horsemen bred
other game terrier types to Rags and his descendants,
including a half-sized brindle Staffordshire. So, from
companions and barnyard ratters, there gradually developed a
line of excellent fox bolters, and one of these introduced
the breed to America in 1914.
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