what defines a working terrier?

[the durham digger 127]

Id like your opinions on what the title 'working terrier' means..... i know im going to take a bit of stick from those that dont agree with me, but im going to be controversial and stick my neck out: in my opinion a dog is not deserving of the title terrier if he or she is not commited to earthwork, ie going to ground and either bolting what is infront of it or staying until it is dug to. A dog that doesnt have the inciling to go to ground but instead chooses to bush, hunt rat or rabbit or whatever it chooses to persue it can certainly be decribed as working, but is it a terrier? As the name terrier (earthdog) suggests surely a terrier is only a terrier if he is dug to??

[dee mac 579]

i agree a working terrier goes to ground and does whats expected of it a terrier that dos nt go to ground but bushes rats etc should be classed as a sporting terrier imo

[BS40liam 203]

In my oppinion it is classed as work if the terrier/dog does what ever is available and put to, wether it be bushing for rabbits, hunting rat or under the turf. Ok so terrier may mean earthdog from old but times has changed and so has dogs attitudes so like said work imo is what is put in front of it, at the end of the day it has a job to do

[bulljack 480]

yes a terrier is a dog that works under the ground, it takes alot of gameness and a dog that wont back away, the ones that cant do the job just dont have the balls there are plenty of dogs that work hard on the sod but the real test is underground jmho.

[BS40liam 203]

So basicly you can still class a bushing terrier as a "working terrier" but as a true test for the dog stick it in the ground if it doesn't stay till dug to the it can still be called a working terrier because it still has a job to do but its just not a earthdog?

[bulljack 480]

some dogs are bred to look like terriers, and some to work like terriers.

[man o kent 269]

So because terrier means earth dog, you cant call a bulldog a bulldog if it doesnt bait bulls? Or cant own a Patterdale unless it comes from that area of Cumbria? How many times does it have to be dug to before its called Working? So many questions!

[markja 51]

i thought they were all workers regardless of what they worked although some jobs are harder than others

[dee mac 579]

So because terrier means earth dog, you cant call a bulldog a bulldog if it doesnt bait bulls? Or cant own a Patterdale unless it comes from that area of Cumbria? How many times does it have to be dug to before its called Working? So many questions!

listen a terrier was bred to work underground and thats the yard stick there measured by if they dont work to ground in my opinion there still terriers as thats what they look like but they are nt working terriers some terriers excell at ratting bushing general mooching but to call them working in same breath as an earth dog is a slight in justice to the dog that works his heart out in the most demanding condtions asked of any dog so sporting for the non earth dogs sounds fair to me they many excell and work hard ratting and bushing and please there owners which is main thing but to call them working is a no no for me !

[Carraghs Gem 1,675]

I may be wrong but i thought terrier came from the word terra which is latin for earth

[whippet 99 2,613]

Id like your opinions on what the title 'working terrier' means..... i know im going to take a bit of stick from those that dont agree with me, but im going to be controversial and stick my neck out: in my opinion a dog is not deserving of the title terrier if he or she is not commited to earthwork, ie going to ground and either bolting what is infront of it or staying until it is dug to. A dog that doesnt have the inciling to go to ground but instead chooses to bush, hunt rat or rabbit or whatever it chooses to persue it can certainly be decribed as working, but is it a terrier? As the name terrier (earthdog) suggests surely a terrier is only a terrier if he is dug to??

heart

[vixen 528]

So because terrier means earth dog, you cant call a bulldog a bulldog if it doesnt bait bulls? Or cant own a Patterdale unless it comes from that area of Cumbria? How many times does it have to be dug to before its called Working? So many questions!

listen a terrier was bred to work underground and thats the yard stick there measured by if they dont work to ground in my opinion there still terriers as thats what they look like but they are nt working terriers some terriers excell at ratting bushing general mooching but to call them working in same breath as an earth dog is a slight in justice to the dog that works his heart out in the most demanding condtions asked of any dog so sporting for the non earth dogs sounds fair to me they many excell and work hard ratting and bushing and please there owners which is main thing but to call them working is a no no for me !

 

I imagine the people working Airedales/Kerry blues or wheatens would disagree with your statement..........and i think these TERRIER breeds would have quite a job getting to ground...........

[dublin dezzy 1,023]

a "working Terrier" is an dog that will work below AND above THE Wheaten springs to mind,obviously bigger than your average terrier but less heart/courage?no..

[johnny 777 53]

I think it depends on whatever you enjoy best, for me it's ratting its fast and furious a real adrenalin rush. I don't put my dogs to ground, that does not mean they wouldn't go to ground. Does not mean to say my dogs or any body else's dogs are not terriers that just ridiculous

[nothernlite 18,077]

So because terrier means earth dog, you cant call a bulldog a bulldog if it doesnt bait bulls? Or cant own a Patterdale unless it comes from that area of Cumbria? How many times does it have to be dug to before its called Working? So many questions!

listen a terrier was bred to work underground and thats the yard stick there measured by if they dont work to ground in my opinion there still terriers as thats what they look like but they are nt working terriers some terriers excell at ratting bushing general mooching but to call them working in same breath as an earth dog is a slight in justice to the dog that works his heart out in the most demanding condtions asked of any dog so sporting for the non earth dogs sounds fair to me they many excell and work hard ratting and bushing and please there owners which is main thing but to call them working is a no no for me !

 

I imagine the people working Airedales/Kerry blues or wheatens would disagree with your statement..........and i think these TERRIER breeds would have quite a job getting to ground...........

pmsl