Welsh Terrier
Black and tan, square, and bred in Wales to face otter and badger underground. It looks like a small airedale because both come from the same old rough terrier.
Photo by Brian chee, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The Welsh Terrier is an old Welsh breed used to hunt otter, fox and badger underground, and it looks like a smaller Airedale in black and tan, which reflects a shared ancestry in the old black and tan working terriers.
It is on the UK Kennel Club's vulnerable native breeds list, with annual registrations low enough to be a genuine concern.
Temperament
Bold, cheerful and independent. Welsh Terriers are affectionate with their families, good with children, and they are considerably more even tempered than many terriers.
They dig, they bark and they chase, and the prey drive is intact. They can be scrappy with other dogs, particularly the same sex. They are clever and quite trainable and they get bored with repetition.
Care and grooming
The hard wiry coat needs brushing weekly and hand stripping two or three times a year. It should not be clipped, which softens it permanently. They shed very little.
The breed is generally healthy. Primary lens luxation, glaucoma and hypothyroidism occur at low rates. Twelve to fifteen years.
Living and exercise
An hour a day plus play and mental work. They are more athletic than they look.
A fence sunk into the ground. They suit an active family and they are a good middle ground between the small terriers and the Airedale.
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