Working terrier

A working Jack Russell Terrier exits a den pipe.

A working terrier is a type of terrier dog bred and trained to hunt vermin including a badger, fox, rat and other small mammals. This may require the working terrier pursuing the vermin into an underground warren. These working dog breeds are neither bred primarily for a dog show nor as a companion dog, rather they are valued for their ability to hunt, endurance and gameness. Working terriers provide utility on farms, for pest control and organized hunting activities. A terrierman leads a pack of terriers when they are working.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the name "terrier"[1] dates back to 1410[2] in the writings of Edward of Norwich, 2nd duke of York (1373 – 1415).[3] The word terrier in Old French derives from the Latin "terra", which means "earth". The term terrier meaning "earth dog" or "dog of the earth"[4] was used in the Middle Ages with the connection to the dog’s role of burrowing into the ground in pursuit of quarry, which eventually became the name of this group of hunting dogs.

With the growth in popularity of fox hunting in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries, terriers were extensively bred to follow the red fox, as well as the Eurasian badger, into their burrows. This is referred to as "terrier work" or "going to ground".[5] The purpose of the terrier is to locate the burrow of the prey animal, and then either intimidate it into leaving its burrow or hold the prey still so it can be killed or captured.[6]

Working terriers can be no wider than the animals they hunt (chest circumference or "span" less than 35cm) in order to fit into the burrows and still have room to maneuver.[7]

Terrier work has been condemned by British animal welfare organizations such as the League Against Cruel Sports, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals because it can lead to underground fighting between animals and cause serious injuries.[8] The British National Working Terrier Federation denies that underground fighting is an issue, arguing that the terrier's role is to locate, bark, and flush out the hunted animals, not to attack them.[9] Hunting below ground with terriers is largely illegal in Britain under the Hunting Act 2004, unless conducted by strict conditions intended to protect game birds. Hunting with working terriers for rats is legal in the United Kingdom. Terrier work is legal in Australia, Canada, South Africa, the United States and much of continental Europe.

  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary: Terrier definition
  2. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, etymology: "First y will begyn at Racches and þeire nature..after at Greyhoundes..alauntes..Spayngyels..Mastyfs that men callen Curres..and after at smale Curres and that fallen to be terreres. Edward, Duke of York. The Master of game. c.1410. MS. Digby 182, etc.; ed. Hahn
  3. ^ Britannica Encyclopedia: Edward of Norwich, 2nd duke of York
  4. ^ Glover, John. (2014). Ratting With Terriers Pg. 139. Suffolk, England. Skycat Publications. ISBN 9780993022302
  5. ^ Marvin, John T. (1982). "Background and Heritage of the Terrier Family". The New Complete Scottish Terrier (2nd ed.). New York: Howell Book House. p. 12. ISBN 0-87605-306-1.
  6. ^ Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs in England and Wales (28 March 2000). "National Working Terrier Federation, Pest Control With Terriers". DEFRA.gov.uk. Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. Retrieved 31 March 2008. The terrier's primary role is not to fight with its quarry. The role is to locate the quarry below ground and to bark at it continuously, either causing it to leave the earth, or alternatively to indicate where in the earth the quarry is located, in order that it can be dug to and dispatched.
  7. ^ Jones, Barry. "Spanning the Jack Russell Terrier". The Terrierman. Retrieved 30 March 2008.
  8. ^ "Terrier Work |". www.league.org.uk. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  9. ^ National Working Terrier Federation. "Written evidence, second stage", Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs, UK, 10 May 2000.