Ah the terrier. Pull up a chair and learn about these delightful, spirited, earth dogs.
Remember: Stuart always said, “Terrier = Earth” and he was right. Terriers love to dig.
See? Even sand is fun to nose around in!! Here’s one of our adorable Maple Leaf friends from years ago. Does this picture make you as happy as it makes me?
All About Terriers:
- Terra means earth in Latin. Hence, terriers. Yes?
- There are 31 breeds in the AKC (American Kennel Club) terrier group:
- Airedale
- American Hairless
- American Staffordshire
- Australian
- Bedlington
- Border
- Bull
- Cairn
- Cesky
- Dandie Dinmont
- Glen of Imaal
- Irish
- Kerry Blue
- Lakeland
- Manchester
- Miniature Bull
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Norfolk
- Norwich
- Parson Russell
- Rat
- Russell
- Scottish
- Sealyham
- Skye
- Smooth Fox
- Soft Coated Wheaten
- Staffordshire Bull
- Welsh
- West Highland
- Wire Fox
- The AKC says, Terriers typically have little tolerance for other animals, including other dogs. That would be Stuart. Does it also describe someone you know?
- Stuart, many times, had little tolerance for people, too. Including his peeps. (This little fact will not appear on a pop quiz.)
- The terriers’ ancestors were born and bred to hunt vermin under and above ground such as rats, moles and voles. They were also used to control rabbits and foxes. Larger breeds hunted otters and badgers. And they’re as relentless today as they were centuries ago. Very few breeds have the tenacity of a terrier.
- The group’s origins are traced to Britain and Ireland.
- Boston University athletics teams are called the Terriers. Sweet! I never knew that. Did you? We’ll have to add that to our sports list that now includes the Carnegie Mellon Tartans and Scotty mascot and Agnes Scott College Scotties.
- Terriers are usually small but the Airedale can be majestic in size.
- There’s more punch to these little packages than you can shake a stick at.
- They’re bundles of fun and a joy to have around.
And that, my friends, is today’s lesson. Until next time, study up and become a Scottie Scholar.
The Scottie Chronicles - Winston's World 
our foxterrier terry was all that… sadly she wasn’t good with other dogs, what made it difficult to walk together with friends and their dogs :o) btw: I can’t remember when I saw a bedlington terrier the last time… they sadly became rare… maybe “out of fashion” :o( but they are such fabulous pups!
Well now, what a great tribute to terriers for this mother’s day weekend. Mommy says I have no tolerance for dogs with pushed in faces! I do get along with beagles and other terriers…. but nothing big like goldens. That’s who I am, and at 5 now I can just be who I am!
Arooooo … Ozzy
The Scottie’s origin is believed to date back to a dog that was described by Pliny the Elder in 55 B.C. That is old.
Thanks for being friend
Sweet William The Scot
Wow!
Yes, seeing that adorable Scottie with sand on his nose makes us 😊 smile. But seeing Stuart looking so suave and scholarly makes our hearts 💕 skip a beat! He taught us all so much about Scotties!
McDuff & Mom
Over the years we have had a Terrier Mutt, a Cairn, 4 Westies, and a Scottie. Currently we have a Westie and a Scottie. We are fortunate that none were/are diggers, with the exception of our Terrier Mutt who loved to dig in the sand at the beach, which was always fun to watch. Of all the dogs, only one Westie was not very tolerant of other dogs, and could be a bit “iffy” with children (understandable!), so we always had to be careful with her in public. All the rest were/are very tolerant of other dogs and people, with some being more “people” dogs and perhaps a bit aloof/disinterested in other dogs. Of course, having both an Oak Tree and a Walnut Tree in our yard (squirrel “magnets”) is not the best with Terriers. Fortunately we don’t have chipmunks in our yard because we have been places where the dogs have seen them and that’s a total frenzy!
Our Scottie is the most happy, friendly dog of them all. He greets almost every person and absolutely every dog he meets with a big smile and tail wagging as though they’re his long lost best friends. We love bringing him to as many public places as possible because his happiness is infectious (and our Westie is also always with us). As super friendly as our Scottie is, he does have a streak of independence, which means he will only tolerate being held or cuddled for short periods of time before he needs to go “investigate” something elsewhere.
To Stuart, all the other Scotties, and the Terrier breed: YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!
funny Bunnies are meant to be diggers but me not so much,xx Speedy
WOW! The list of terriers is long isn’t it?! Well Stuart you were the first Scottie we got to know well and we sure enjoyed learning so much from you. Thanks for the cool photos too of “Mr. Sandy Nose” (!) and you in your best “scholarly” look………….
Hugs, Sammy
Yep, little tolerance for other dogs. Sounds just like me!
Yorkies?
Kyla was tolerant of most things, including cats. She was rescued along with some cats and birds of a feather flock together although I really need a male bird.
Yes, you do.
Oh my, so much information!!!. If we are to hunt vermin such as mole and voles, etc, why does Mom have to set out mole traps? Mom always makes disparaging comments about why we aren’t earning our keep whenever she sets out the traps. I (Duffy) love people, but am not so lovey toward my peeps, Andy however, loves to cuddle with the peeps, but does not like other bipeds so much.
We do know we are fun to have around based on us snoopervising Mom’s comments to other people. She says we make her laugh every single day. I guess we are a conundrum of sorts, perhaps.
Our dog Jack is quite friendly to other dogs but doesn’t like it when peeps try to pick him up.
I do ask myself “why do people keep trying to pick up jack?” I have to intervene or there would be big bitey trouble. ❤
Well, we know that Kali is a Scottie Mix. She taught me how to find rabbits in our one acre back yard. So, last year we (she) killed five rabbits with my help and would not let them go out of her month. HE had to take all five over the bridge. Very hurtful – so now poor Kali and I have to be on a leash when we roam our acre lot. We are now having a lot of fun out there except for our morning walks ON A LEASH!/
What a FABulous postie!! You knows that we Airedales are called The King of the Terriers! Okays, I thinks that just means that we are the biggest brats of all the terriers, butts I’ll take it anyhu! BOL And, yes, it’s true, I don’t really care for other doggies. Though, funny enough, I don’t mind other Airedales. Ma thinks this is weird, butts what can I say, I had eleven brothers and sisters, so I guess I just feel at home around other Airedales. Oh, and even though we are suppose to be ‘water dogs’ (from our Otterhound mix) I HATES getting wet! hehehehe
Ma’s Fox Terriers LOVED the water, and so did her Irish Terrier!
Terriers are very complicated…..
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
Holy, Terrior, Batman (EARS), dat’s a ton of facts, and we must be Terriors, cuz we fits da descriptions you listed, Dear Teacher, to a …….(Shall we say)….”T”! Yup, dat’s us!
Thanks for the lesson, Dear Teach! We is all ears!
Kisses and Licks,
Riley-Puppy and Tessie-Girl
Yes sand nosed scottie is quite delightful!….and what a fun read on terriers too….
Thanks so much for using the picture of me, being able to show it to my mom on Mother’s day certainly brought a smile to her face. My older brother Quincy the Westie is now quite jealous. Now I have to go ‘help’ my parents with the gardening, I see they have some shovels out, which means I get to dig!
Mama likes looking at the Bedington’s, cause they remind her of lambs. But when it comes to a companion, it will be a Scottie. Great lesson in why Mama and I are together. Xxxxx Skyler