It is hard to imagine humanity without dogs. Service, fighting, sports, decorative, hunting - an incredible variety of breeds. Nevertheless, terriers are represented in each of the above categories. The universality of these animals allows them to confidently stay in the group of the most common breeds in the world.
Terrier
Multifaceted terrier dogs have loyal fans on all continents. Many countries have breeds bred by local breeders. Their origin is confirmed by a geographical name, for example, the Moscow Toy Terrier - Smooth, Australian, Brazilian, Czech and others.
The enormous difference between the appearance and specialization of dogs is confirmed by the fact that the terriers did not disappear with time, but rather successfully bred. The plasticity of the breed helped to develop and consolidate the selected useful qualities.
History
Dogs of this breed group have been known for more than two thousand years. The name itself comes from the Latin terra - "land". A free translation from French is “a normal dog”. The vast majority of modern breeds were created in the British Isles. Initially, terriers were called dogs, capable of coping with normal game due to their strength, courage and powerful jaws. They perfectly combined hunting with the functions of house guards.
In the mid-eighteenth century, two types of dogs are mentioned in the Daniel almanac . Smooth - haired terrier - with excellent build, lively and cheerful disposition, reddish-brown or black color with red legs. The second type - coarse-haired - was described as follows: the legs are short, the back is long, strong, black or yellowish, sometimes with white marks.
Specialization
The main direction is hunting for burrowing animals and fighting rodents. The hunting abilities of terriers were used not only for hunting foxes and badgers. Brave dogs could engage in combat with otters and other small animals and even drove wild boars.
Rats were always present on ships in holds, huge barns, slaughterhouses, stables and stockyards. They were the cause of terrible epidemics. Terriers were used to combat them. Nimble, with a wonderful scent, they easily coped with rodents.
Excellent natural instincts and excellent working qualities have helped these dogs to conquer all continents. In America, individuals were selected with a sharpened scent for the search and capture of slaves. A large breed of Airedale terriers was later bred, and they were successfully used as service dogs.
Characteristic
All animals have excellent health, a cheerful, playful disposition, they are ready to protect the owner at any moment, and are incredulous to outsiders. Most dogs are wire-haired. Terriers of a smooth-haired breed have softer hair to the touch. Moreover, in one breed can be both directions. In addition, inside they can be divided into specially bred dogs for exhibitions or for hunting, with pronounced working qualities. Long-haired dogs were also bred, they have long and soft hair.
Decorative terriers do not require special maintenance or care skills. Sports, service, fighting or hunting representatives of this breed need appropriate physical exertion. Without them, dogs become uncontrollable and begin to cause a lot of trouble to their owners.
Classification
The English classification divides all terriers by regional location and place of breeding into five groups:
- England - 13.
- Scotland - 4.
- Ireland - 4.
- Wales –2.
- Border areas: Scotland-England - 4.
In the world there are more than thirty breeds of terriers. They are divided into:
- airedale;
- fox terrier;
- Manchester Terrier (smooth-haired);
- yagterrier (German);
- Kerry Blue Terrier, etc.
- Jack Russell;
- skyterrier;
- Australian
- Czech
- Japanese, etc .;
- standard dwarf bull terrier;
- staffordshire;
- American Staffordshire.
- Australian Silky:
- English toy terrier (black-tan);
- Yorkshire;
- Russian toy terrier (Moscow).
Care
Caring for terriers is easy. Wire-haired dogs require trimming. Smooth weekly comb with a special brush. As an addition, a massage glove is great, it promotes better blood circulation.
Wool has the property of self-cleaning. The dirt that gets on it dries and crumbles. White smooth-haired terrier perfectly maintains its snowy whiteness and does not need frequent washing. On the contrary, bathing destroys the ability of wool to self-clean.
The number and intensity of physical activity directly depends on the specialization of the terrier. Sports and hunting dogs need long walks and a serious load. Twenty minutes three times a day is enough for toy terriers to fully satisfy their need for movement.
Feeding
Any terrier smooth-haired or wire-haired requires the correct balanced nutrition. Some owners prefer to feed their pets natural feeds, others - dry. Both options are acceptable for terriers.
It should be borne in mind that dry food provides the dog with all the necessary vitamins, micro and macro elements. For natural food, additives are required to help balance the animal’s nutrition. If desired, after acquiring a puppy, it can easily be transferred to one or another type of feeding. The main thing is to do it gradually.
Lump of energy
These dogs received a million army of fans after the release of the movie The Mask in 1994. The breed itself was bred in England in the 18th century. Reverend Jack Russell, who gave dogs over 65 years of age, is considered her “parent." He strove to get a compact, hardy and balanced hunter, with strong jaws and a clear voice.
Brief characteristics of dogs:
- very playful and active;
- wary of strangers;
- get along quietly with the children;
- addiction to other pets is required;
- average training difficulty.
They require great physical exertion. Weight within 6 kg, height up to 30 cm, bitches - up to 26 cm, life expectancy up to 16 years.
The modern breed has several divisions according to various characteristics:
- Jack Russell, a smooth-haired terrier , the best version of a hunting burrowing working dog. Wool is not a hindrance to climbing narrow holes. Thick undercoat perfectly protects from adverse weather conditions.
- Longhair (wire-haired) looks shaggy. This is due to the fact that the hair does not fit snugly to the body of the animal.
- Intermediate (broken - broken). These dogs do not grow a beard and eyebrows, the wool is tight to the body and does not stick out in all directions.
- white suit with a tan;
- a white suit with black spots.
A smooth-haired terrier on a hunt should be clearly visible. That is why the white color was fixed in litters during breeding. It is difficult to confuse a white dog on a hunt with a predatory animal, which means that it is less likely to accidentally shoot it.
Dogs of this breed are acquired not only for hunting. They become great pets or canine or freestyle dog sports partners.
A small bit of happiness
A small dog can be a great companion. Russian Toy Terrier - Smooth is the best suited for this role. A variety of colors: brown, black, blue, red (necessarily all options with a tan) - makes this breed even more attractive.
This breed was bred in Moscow (USSR), in 1958. Officially recognized by FCI in 2006. There are two types of toy dogs - long-haired and smooth-haired. For the first coat, appropriate care is required: haircut, washing, styling for the exhibition. Smooth very unpretentious in leaving. The weight of the animals does not exceed 3 kg, height - within 28 cm, bitches are slightly smaller.
Advantages:
- do not require spacious enclosures or apartments;
- eats very little, including dry food;
- smart, easy to train;
- playful and mobile;
- get along well with children;
- get along well with other pets;
- distrustful of strangers;
- they are brave in nature, ready to protect their master, regardless of the size of the offender.
Affectionate dogs, love to kiss, live 12-15 years. This animal is for domestic use only. Care for them is simple: once a month, cut the nails, buy a couple of times a year. Shorthair toy does not require combing and trimming wool. The most important thing for the baby is to feel like a full and necessary member of the family.
The choice
In modern dog breeding, two areas are most in demand - sports and decorative. Sports dogs require special conditions and specific skills from their owners. Decorative is available to almost everyone. Moreover, the most popular are small breeds, such as Russian Toy Terrier, smooth-haired.
The Yorkshire Terrier, owned by Arthur F. Marpls (England), is recognized as the smallest adult dog in the world. The height at the withers was 6.3 cm, the total length of the body from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail was 9.5 cm, live weight was only 113 grams.
Of the terrier breeds in Russia, the most common today are:
- American Staffordshire (medium smooth black-haired black terrier);
- Airedale (one of the largest breeds);
- Jack Russell
- Yorkshire Terrier;
- American Pit Bull Terrier (Fighting Dog);
- black terrier (official).
Of course, everyone has different preferences. It all depends on the person’s temperament, his financial capabilities, age, state of health, and even on the place of residence.
Breeds such as the smooth-haired toy terrier (mini) are becoming increasingly popular. The vast majority of people live in the stressful conditions of crowded cities. To withstand the modern crazy pace of life is very difficult. The most affordable and easiest relaxation is a loving living creature. Tiny dogs are ideal for city apartments.