Terrier dogs are the canines originally bred to chase after and catch vermin. From rats to rabbits, terriers are experts at the job and their predatory nature passes on to each generation. This characteristic is why owners must be careful to leash them in new environments. They’re small, they’re feisty, and they’re fast! But that’s what makes them fun.

Of course it’s also what makes them a handful. As a group, the whole lot of them are an intelligent bunch that will quickly get into mischief if they’re not kept busy. They can also be independent, making training just a little difficult. Here’s a brief introduction to every type of terrier in the Terrier UKC group:

Types of Terrier Dogs

Airedale Terrier
Behavioral Warnings: cautious with strangers, protectiveness

American Pit Bull Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: confidence, friendliness with children
Behavioral Warnings: aggressiveness with other dogs of same sex

American Staffordshire Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: gentleness, friendliness with children
Behavioral Warnings: aggressiveness with other dogs of same sex

Australian Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: courage, confident, friendliness, affection
Behavioral Warnings: cautious with strangers

Bedlington Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: gentleness, friendliness, sensitivity, independence
Behavioral Warnings: energetic, cautious with other dogs

Border Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: affection, friendliness with children
Behavioral Warnings: prey-driven

Bull Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: friendliness, playfulness, affection
Behavioral Warnings: aggressiveness with other animals, cautious with same sex canines

Cairn Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: friendliness with children and other animals, mellow, eagerness

Cesky Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: patience, gentleness, friendliness with children

Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: reservation, intelligence, affection
Behavioral Warnings: independence, determination

Fox Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: friendliness, intelligence
Behavioral Warnings: prey-driven, digging

German Pinscher
Welcomed Behaviors: intelligence, playfulness
Behavioral Warnings: assertiveness, fearlessness, manipulative, possessiveness, territorial

Glen of Imaal Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: gentleness, intelligence, trainability, friendliness towards children
Behavioral Warnings: territorial, digging, aggression with other dogs

Irish Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: affection, loyalty
Behavioral Warnings: protectiveness, mischievousness, training difficulty

Jack Russell Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: intelligence, loyalty
Behavioral Warnings: assertiveness

Jagdterrier
Welcomed Behaviors: intelligence
Behavioral Warnings: fearlessness, cautious with strangers, protectiveness

Kerry Blue Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: alertness
Behavioral Warnings: stubbornness, challenging, prey-driven

Lakeland Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: alertness, confidence, friendliness with other dogs
Behavioral Warnings: boldness, cautious with strangers

Manchester Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: alertness, affection
Behavioral Warnings: cautious with strangers, digging, barking, possessiveness

Miniature Bull Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: sociability, friendliness, loyalty
Behavioral Warnings: fearlessness

Miniature Schnauzer
Welcomed Behaviors: alertness, intelligence, eagerness, loyalty, friendliness with other dogs
Behavioral Warnings: prey-driven, sensitivity

Norfolk Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: friendliness, affection, loyalty, trainability
Behavioral Warnings: fearlessness, prey-driven

Norwich Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: affection, alertness

Patterdale Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: confidence, friendliness

Rat Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: intelligence, affection, friendliness with children and other animals
Behavioral Warnings: curiosity

Scottish Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: bravery, foncidence
Behavioral Warnings: independence, stubbornness, sensitivity, quick to anger, aggressive with other dogs

Sealyham Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: hardworking, loyalty
Behavioral Warnings: prey-driven

Silky Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: friendliness
Behavioral Warnings: needs attention

Skye Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: loyalty
Behavioral Warnings: fearlessness, sensitivity, cautious with strangers

Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: playfulness
Behavioral Warnings: stubbornness, confidence

Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: affection towards children
Behavioral Warnings: prey-driven, aggressiveness toward other dogs

Teddy Roosevelt Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: friendliness, affection
Behavioral Warnings: cautious with strangers

Welsh Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: friendliness toward people and other dogs, courageous, intelligence

West Highland White Terrier
Welcomed Behaviors: alertness, friendliness, stability, loyalty
Behavioral Warnings: independence, digging

Denmark Feist
Welcomed Behaviors: tenacity, calmness

Mullin's Feist
Welcomed Behaviors: courage, tenacity, intelligence

Treeing Feist
Welcomed Behaviors: alertness, tenacity
Behavioral Warnings: aggressiveness

What to Expect

From the list above, you can see that there’s a distinction among this breed that draws a clear line between the bulls and the traditional terriers. What’s surprising within the group is that although some of the dogs are born fighters, they’re all capable of socialization. Even more surprising is the fact that bull terriers are friendliest of the bunch! If you’re interested in adopting a terrier, take extra care to socialize your pet with other people, children, and especially other dogs. The more exposure a terrier has with other dogs, the less prone it will be to bully or chase after them.