Hunt Terrier (not "hunting terrier") refers to types of terrier dogs that were attached to British "hunts", horse-oriented social clubs devoted to chasing the red fox on horseback, following packs of hounds. [1] The hunt terrier was kept for a variety of reasons, such as rat control around stables and kennels, and to run with the hounds to flush the fox from small hiding places. It might also be expected to flush foxes from underground dens ("going to earth" like a working terrier), or to act as a lurcher. They tended to be white in colour so as to be more easily seen by the hunter, [2] but they could be any colour.
Where hunts and fox hunting remain legal today, such as in the United States, terriers are little used. Breeds refined from Hunt terriers, such as the Fox Terrier and Jack Russell Terrier, [3] are kept today as pets and showdogs, or, if small enough, as working terriers.
The beagle is a breed of small scent hound, similar in appearance to the much larger foxhound. The beagle was developed primarily for hunting hare (beagling). Possessing a great sense of smell and superior tracking instincts, the beagle is the primary breed used as a detection dog for prohibited agricultural imports and foodstuffs in quarantine around the world. The beagle is intelligent. It is a popular pet due to its size, good temper, and a lack of inherited health problems.
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds", follow the hounds on foot or on horseback. In Australia, the term also refers to the hunting of foxes with firearms, similar to deer hunting.
Terrier is a type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of the terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, game, and fearless. Terrier breeds vary greatly in size from just 1 kg (2 lb) to over 32 kg and are usually categorized by size or function. There are five different groups of Terrier, with each group having different shapes and sizes.
The Jack Russell Terrier is a small terrier that has its origins in fox hunting in England. It is principally white-bodied and smooth, rough or broken-coated and can be any colour.
The Patterdale Terrier is a breed of dog descended from the Northern terrier breeds of the early 18th century.
Fox Terriers are two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of British terriers, and are related to other modern white terrier breeds. In addition, a number of breeds have diverged from these two main types of fox terrier and have been recognised separately, including the Jack Russell Terrier, Miniature Fox Terrier and Rat Terrier. The Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers share similar characteristics, the main differences being in the coat and markings. They have been successful in conformation shows, more prominently in America than their homeland.
John "Jack" Russell, known as "The Sporting Parson", vicar of Swimbridge and rector of Black Torrington in North Devon, was an enthusiastic fox-hunter and dog breeder, who developed the Jack Russell Terrier, a variety of the Fox Terrier breed.
The Miniature Fox Terrier is a small, fine, lightweight working terrier developed as a hunting dog and vermin router. It is known colloquially in its native Australia as the “Mini Foxie”.
Fell terrier refers to a regional type of long-legged working terrier, not a specific breed of dog.
The Teddy Roosevelt Terrier is a small to medium-sized American hunting terrier. It is lower-set, with shorter legs, and is more muscular with heavier bone density than the related American Rat Terrier. Much diversity exists in the history of the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier breed, and it shares a common early history with the American Rat Terrier, Fox Paulistinha, and Tenterfield Terrier. The Rat Terrier's background is said to stem from the terriers or other dogs that were brought over by early English and other working-class immigrants. Since the breed was a farm, hunting, and utility dog, little to no planned breeding was used other than breeding dogs with agreeable traits to each other to produce the desired work ethic in the dog. The Feist (dog), Bull Terrier, Smooth Fox Terrier, Manchester Terrier, Whippet, Italian Greyhound, the now extinct English White Terrier, Turnspit Dog, and Wry-legged Terrier all share in the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier's ancestry. These early ratting terriers were then most likely bred to the Beagle or Beagle crossbred dogs and other dogs. Maximizing the influences from these various breeds provides the modern Teddy Roosevelt Terrier with a keen sense of awareness and prey drive, an acute sense of smell. and a very high intellect. Although they tend to be aloof with strangers, they are devoted companion dogs with a strong desire to please and be near their owners at all times.
The Jagdterrier is a type of working terrier, originating in Germany, that is used for hunting quarry both above and underground. This breed of terrier is also called the German Hunt Terrier.
An earthdog test or earthdog trial tests the working ability and instinct of the small, often short-legged terriers or Dachshunds. These dogs were bred to hunt vermin and other quarry which lived in underground dens. Earthdog den tests involve man-made tunnels that the dogs must navigate, while scenting a rat, "the quarry." The dog must follow the scent to the quarry and then "work" the quarry. Depending on the sanctioning organization, “working” means barking, scratching, staring, pawing, digging; any active behavior. The quarry is protected at all times by wooden bars across the end of the tunnel. The hunting encounter is controlled, and neither the dog nor the quarry are endangered by the activity.
A feist is a small hunting dog, descended from the terriers brought over to the United States by English miners and other working-class immigrants. These terriers probably included crosses between the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester Terrier, and the now-extinct English White Terrier. These dogs were used as ratters, and gambling on their prowess in killing rats was a favorite hobby of their owners. Some of these dogs have been crossed with Greyhounds, Whippets or Italian Greyhounds, and Beagles or other hounds - extending the family to include a larger variety of purpose than the original ratter, or Rat Terrier.
A working terrier is a small type of dog which pursues its quarry into the earth. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the name dates back to at least 1440, derived from French chien terrier 'digging dog', from Medieval Latin terrarius, ultimately from Latin terra (earth).
The Plummer Terrier is a working terrier. It was originally bred by Dr. David Brian Plummer to hunt vermin, especially rats. The breed, while unrecognized by any kennel club, is known for its rugged determination and hardiness.
The English White Terrier is an extinct breed of dog. The English White Terrier is the failed show ring name of a pricked-ear version of the white fox-working terriers that have existed in Great Britain since the late 18th century.
The German Hound is a breed of dog originating in Westphalia, a region of Germany. The German Hound is of the scenthound type, used for hunting both large and small game.
The Cottesmore Hunt, which hunts mostly in Rutland, is one of the oldest foxhound packs in Britain. Its name comes from the village of Cottesmore where the hounds were kennelled.
Old Jock (1859–1871), was a Fox Terrier famous during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A mostly white dog, he ran briefly with a hunting kennel before becoming a show dog, most notably with a victory at the show which popularised the Fox Terrier. His main show rivalry was with a dog named Tartar, and along with a dog named Trap, the three were popular sires of the Fox Terrier breed. He was also involved in the early formation of the Jack Russell Terrier and the Dandie Dinmont Terrier breeds.
The Staghound, sometimes referred to as the English Staghound, is an extinct breed of scent hound from England. A pack hound, the breed was used to hunt red deer and became extinct in the 19th century when the last pack was sold.
The first British hunt was established during the 1670s in Yorkshire and, since then, a further 317 hound packs have been registered.
dogs with white coats were preferred, as they were more easily discernible from the fox in the dark
Packs of Jack Russell Terriers are kept at most hunt kennels in the United Kingdom.