Due to the find’s age and closeness to the Scottish border, it is safe to assume that short-legged, long-bodied hunting Terriers have been present in Scotland since before the birth of Christ. When the quarry flees to the safety of its burrow, a tenacious Terrier is sent down the burrow to kill to prey and bring it back to the surface. A larger and faster sight hound or scent hound locates game and then gives chase to it. The fact that these two dogs were found together indicates that as early as Roman Times, Terriers were already being used in the same fashion that they are to this day. The other was a short-legged and long-bodied dog similar to a modern Dachshund or Skye Terrier. One was a medium-sized coursing dog which was probably virtually identical to a modern Whippet or small Greyhound. 1st Century artifacts from the region include the remains of two distinct types of dogs. Strong credence to this belief can be found just south of the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall, which was built by the Romans to protect their holdings in England from fierce and unconquerable Pictish and Gaelic tribes living in what is now Scotland. The clear implication is that Terrier-type dogs have been present in Britain since at least the 1st Century, and that they were already used for hunting. However, equally desirable were various types of small hunting dogs, thought to be the ancestors of Terriers and Springer Spaniels. The most famous breed was the Pugnaces Britanniae, a massive war dog used by the Pre-Roman Celts and thought to be either the English Mastiff or the Irish Wolfhound. Highly skilled dog breeders themselves, the Romans were incredibly impressed with British dogs and for the entire Roman period dogs were one of the Britain’s primary exports. However, most experts believe that these dogs are far older.īeginning in the 1st Century A.D., the Roman Empire consolidated its control over what is now England and Wales. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word Terrier first appeared in 1440, implying that these dogs were already well-known at that time. It entered the English language from the Latin word, “Terrarius,” and the French word, “Terre,” both of which mean, “earth,” or, “ground.” Terrier can be roughly translated to mean, “One who goes to ground,” which very accurately describes their hunting style. The word Terrier is a reflection of this purpose. ![]() ![]() ![]() For many centuries, these dogs were primarily kept by British farmers who bred them small and short enough to pursue creatures such as badgers and foxes down into their burrows. These dogs have served a number of purposes over time but their primary roles in England and Scotland were vermin eradication and hunting. The Terriers are a group of breeds and landraces originally native to the British Isles. The West Highland White Terrier is one of the youngest Terrier breeds, and more of its ancestry is known than most other members of the family.
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