Historical Function of Terriers
Terriers were first classified as such by Dame Juliana Berners in 1486 AD, calling them 'Teroures'. This wonderful French etching from around 1560 AD demonstrates that for centuries certain types of scent hounds which dug into tunnels and underground lairs to find and hunt prey that lived beneath the ground. These appeared to be long low-slung dogs with small chests.
In 1536 AD, Dr. Johannes Cauis called the type of scent hound that follows its prey beneath the ground Terrier in his classification that was written in Latin and translated into English by A Fleming in 1576 AD[1]. The original translation of this important work is in my opinion too difficult to read to be printed in its original form. So it appears here as my interpretation in modern English:
A Terrier according to Dr. Cauis (first written in1536 AD)
| Interpretation by Jane Harvey | Original Caius Document |
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There is another sort of Scent Hound that only hunts the fox and the grey badger. These are called Terriers because they (after the manner and custom of ferrets, in searching for rabbits) creep into the ground, and frighten by nipping and biting the fox or the badger. Alternatively these terriers either tear them into pieces with their teeth in the bosom of the earth, or else haul and pull them, by force, out of their lurking angles, dark dungeons, and close caves, or at least through conceived fear, drive them out of their burrows. So the fox or badger is compelled to bolt. Being desirous of the next, albeit not the safest refuge, the fox or the badger is otherwise taken and entrapped with snares and nets lain over their holes. |
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This section is an extension of the above and outlines the type of work the terrier was required to do during the vital times when the terrier breeds began to evolve into those we know today. This specialized work is the reason why different construction of the various terrier breeds was required.
In addition to construction and instinct, one of the training methods used to stimulate the young terrier to find whatever quarry they were hunting, was to 'couple' them up to an older successful working terrier. This method was also used to train young hounds. This rare photograph of early West Highland White Terriers demonstrates this training technique.
Badger Digs
Badger digs were not only considered a sport, as the population grew and land became urbanized, the underground tunnels constructed by badgers were becoming an increasing problem. Also, their homes, or badger setts were cohabited by foxes, rabbits, rats, weasels and other vermin. So badgers became the elusive prey many terriers were bred to hunt.
“Some of the old badger earths, which have been going on for generations, are of enormous extent and depth. Sometimes the earth has only one entrance, but in the old main earths there are often as many as thirty. Every four feet or so has a junction where a hole branches in two or more directions. Every few yards is a den or chamber in which the badger sleeps, and often a bit of moss, grass or rush is found in these; and often several beds in the same earth. . . I recently dug one earth which had three separate layers of holes, the top containing a few rabbits, the second and third badgers, and occasionally foxes"[2]
As badgers are nocturnal, they are difficult to spot and even more difficult to catch. With an adult weighing up to 40 pounds, and possessing very large claws and teeth, not only did it require an extremely plucky terrier to face them, the terrier had to have the correct short legged construction to enable it to have the digging ability to do so.
“ I know of one locality on the Quantocks where the holes occupy an area of woodland approximately one acre in extent. . . . another set in Blackdown Hills is of great size and covers an immense area. More than 50 holes were counted . . . the breeding chambers are often situated in specially well-protected places, a common spot chosen is under roots of a tree or some large stone or boulder. The badgers will remove some of the earth from above the roots or stone, and on this platform one of the adults will lie with its face towards the entrance. It is thus in an impregnable position and can drop on any intruder. A variation of this method for a similar purpose is for a step to be constructed just below the breeding chamber, so that anything entering is below the badger and would have to leap up the step.
The normal procedure is to find the set which is known to be occupied and send in a terrier. The dog is trained to find the badger but to keep at a distance. If it approaches too near it may get badly mauled or killed. Its job is to prevent the badger from digging away, a thing it will do if as quickly as the diggers at the other end of it if it gets the chance! If the badger turns to dig, the terrier leaps on it and gives it a nip; this makes the badger turn again and the terrier retreats. This is continued for some hours, while the diggers excavate the tunnels in the direction of the yelps of the terrier. When close enough, badger tongs are used to drag out the badger, which is then dispatched by a blow on the nose or put in a sac and transferred to another district and released".[3]
Fox Hunting
Fox hunting began in the 1500’s because Britain was overpopulated with foxes which attacked livestock and poultry. Additionally, their dens were a hazard to horses and larger animals which could break a leg by stepping into their holes.
Over the next three centuries, Fox Hunting became a sport in which terriers played an integral part. Accompanied by men on horseback, packs of hounds would find the fox. It was then the terrier’s job to bolt it out of its hiding place so the hunt could continue. Contrary to popular belief, the huntsmen killed the fox far more often than the dogs.
The terrier worked in one of two ways:
- It had legs long enough to keep up with the hounds or
- It was carried to the scene of the hunt by A Terrier man who had large ‘pockets’ in his riding jacket in which the terrier travelled.
Ratting
Rats and mice plagued Britain during the centuries terriers were developing. The growth of cities with open drains and no sanitation caused rats and mice to thrive. So terriers capable of killing this vermin quickly could earn sufficient income to support an entire family.
Rat and mice killing or ratting occurred in two ways
- Where the rats were living in fields in the setts dug out by badgers or other animals, the hunter would block off all escape routes except one. Then a terrier would enter that hole and bolt the rats towards the hunter who was waiting to catch them and place them in a bag. These rats brought a good price for 100 at a time when sold to owners of rat pits located underneath public places, hotels or inns. Betting would take place on which dog could kill the 100 rats in the shortest time. With the stronger rats underneath and the weaker ones on the top, the rats would settle into piles at the outer edges of the pit. A good dog could kill the 100 rats in around ten minutes. This blood sport not only got rid of rats, it tested the skill of particular dogs.
- A well known terrier man would be hired to rid a building or property of rats and be paid for the number of dead rats he supplied to his employer.
These ratting dogs had to be quick, agile and have very strong jaws so the rat was killed before the dog himself got bitten. It was these ratting dogs which traversed the globe in the holds of the early trading ships and gave rise to the various breeds of terriers developed outside Great Britain, most of which are named after their country of development.
References and Further Reading
[1] Dr Johannes Caius 'De Canibus Britannicus (of Englishe Dogges, the Diversities, the Names, the Natures, and the Properties)' pub. 1536 (in Latin). Trans. Abraham Fleming (1576).
[2] Captain Jocelyn Lucas, ‘The Sealyham Terrier’ Pub. M.C. T.H.Crumbie Ltd, Halford Street, Leister UK 1922 ‘Badger Digging’ Page 69
[3] Ernest Leal 'The Badger’ Pub Penguin Books Ltd New Naturalist Monograph series 1948 Page Chapter 12 ‘Badger Sets and Life Underground’ Pages 146 – 148