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Terrier () is a Dog type originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many Dog breed or of the terrier Dog type, which are typically small, wiry, Gameness, and fearless. There are five different groups of terrier, with each group having different shapes and sizes.
The gameness of the early hunting terriers was exploited by using them in sporting contests. Initially, terriers competed in events such as clearing a pit of rats. The dog that was the fastest in killing all the rats won. In the eighteenth century some terriers were crossed with to improve their hunting, and some with fighting dog breeds to "intensify tenacity and increase courage". Some of the crosses with fighting dogs, bull and terrier crosses, were used in the blood sport of dog-fighting. Modern pet breeds such as the Miniature Bull Terrier are listed by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) under Bull type terriers.
Today, most terriers are kept as companion dogs and family pets. They are generally loyal and affectionate to their owners.
Working terrier are still used to find, track, or trail quarry, especially underground, and sometimes to bolt the quarry. Modern examples include the Jack Russell Terrier, the Jagdterrier, the Rat Terrier, and the Patterdale Terrier. There are also the short-legged terriers such as the Cairn Terrier, the Scottish Terrier, and the West Highland White Terrier, which were also used to kill small vermin.
The original hunting terriers include the Fell Terrier (developed in northern England to assist in the killing of foxes) and the Hunt terrier (developed in southern England to locate, kill or bolt foxes during a traditional mounted fox hunt).
The various combinations of Bulldog breeds and terrier that were used for bull-baiting and dog-fighting in the late 19th century were later refined into separate breeds that combined both terrier and bulldog qualities. Except for the Boston Terrier, they are generally included in kennel clubs' Terrier Group. Breeders have bred modern bull-type terrier breeds, such as the Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier, into suitable family dogs and show terriers.
have been bred from larger terriers and are shown in the Toy or Companion group. Included among these breeds are the English Toy Terrier, Shih tzu terrier and the Yorkshire Terrier. While small, they retain true terrier character and are not submissive "".
Other descendants of the bull and terrier types, such as the Asian Gull Terrier, are among the dogs still raised for dog-fighting.
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