petcarefun.info

April 25th, 2009 by KittyKitty

For a lot of people, the decision to buy a small dog is predicated by the fact that they only have a small backyard, or live in an apartment. Yet while lap dogs are very popular these days, there are also those that prefer the mannerisms of larger dogs. For these people, who like the temperament of larger dogs but cannot get one, small terrier dogs may be the answer. These little dogs look just like smaller versions of their cousins, yet they are not submissive like a lap dog.

Small terriers are, in fact, the polar opposite of submissive. These are feisty, strong-willed, self-confident dogs that are tenacious and fearless. Consequently they need an owner who knows how to be ‘top-dog’, so they always know their place in the ‘pack’. Don’t get a small terrier if you can’t be firm and assertive when it’s necessary. And you can’t let any situation develop, even in play, when your dog gets to be dominant, even for a moment. – Because most terriers will challenge their owner at some point anyway, even if you do everything right. But if you don’t, you set up some potentially unruly behaviour in your terrier.

Terriers are wonderful dogs. They’re affectionate and happy. If they’re socialized properly the household cat should be okay, although to a terrier, other cats will always be seen as prey. This is because terriers have a high prey drive, a leftover from the ratting days, so if you have young children and you have or want a terrier, they should not be left alone with each other.

You can see the many small breed terriers below

•  Welsh Terrier 
•  Irish Terrier
•  Scottish Terrier 
•  Smooth Fox Terrier
•  Border Terrier 
•  Cairn Terrier 
•  West Highland White Terrier 
•  Norwich Terrier and Norfolk Terrier 
•  Yorkshire Terrier 
•  Australian Terrier 
•  Toy Manchester Terrier 
•  Manchester Terrier 
•  Miniature Bull Terrier
•  Sealyham Terrier
   Kerry Blue Terrier 
•  Boston Terrier 
•  Dandie Dinmont Terrier

Though terriers share the above characteristics in common, the different breeds have their own unique traits. These range from the obvious, like coat type and color, to temperament. Some breeds take longer to groom than others, even within the terrier group. That might also be something to think about when choosing a dog.