Tenterfield Terrier

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The Tenterfield Terrier

Small ‘Fox Terrier-like’ dogs have been known in Australia for about 1 40 years.

Throughout the world many breeds of small dogs have been kept for ratting and hunting vermin and the early settlers to Australia brought out small terrier type dogs

with them. Over time a new breed became established in Australia as a working terrier

and family companion — the Miniature Fox Terrier.

Not a true miniature of the Fox Terrier, there were probably many crosses of breeds including Chihuahua, Whippet, Manchester Terriers, Miniature Pinscher and Italian Greyhounds that went into the development of the Miniature Fox Terrier.

Confident, with an eagerness to learn, showing great loyalty to its owner and fearless and bold at work, it quickly found a home on many Australian farms where it worked hunting rats and rabbits as well as being companion to the household.

These terriers were bred quite extensively in northern New South Wales around the

Tenterfield area and a keen fancier and breeder of this terrier was George Woolnough, the Tenterfield saddler (Peter Allen’s grandfather).

In the early 1 990s a group of interested owners, who wanted to secure the future of this terrier, advertised for interested persons to attend a meeting and in 1 992 they decided to give the breed its own unique name and they chose “Tenterfield Terrier”

Today the Tenterfield Terrier is recognized as a pure-breed by the Australian National Kennel Council and can be regularly seen at dog shows throughout the country.

Predominantly white with black, liver and/or tan markings, tri colour (i.e. white with black markings and tan cheeks and/or tan above eyes and/or tan breeches this smart little dog with a maximum height of 30.5cm has adapted well to urban living.