Fell terrier refers to a regional type of long-legged

working terrier A working terrier is a small type of dog which pursues its quarry into the earth. According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the name dates back to at least 1440, derived from French ''chien terrier'' 'digging dog', which is from Medieval ...

, not a specific breed of

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

Description and purpose

Fell terriers are types of small

s developed in the

Fell A fell (from Old Norse ''fell'', ''fjall'', "mountain"Falk and Torp (2006:161).) is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or moor-covered hill. The term is most often employed in Fennoscandia, Iceland, the Isle of Man, pa ...

(hilly) country of

northern England Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...

and used as

hunting dog A hunting dog is a canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and g ...

s. They may be crossbred or purebred. Fell terrier types are typically small, usually 10- 15 lbs/6.5 kg, and with a narrow chest, so as to fit into the tunnels of the animals they hunt. Fell terriers are long-legged, with a rough textured coat, often red or black in colour. The tail traditionally is docked; in the United States the tail is not required to be docked. Crossbreeding with other hunting terriers in the beginning caused the appearance to vary. Fell terriers are bred for hunting ability and

gameness Game or gameness is a quality of fighting dogs and working terriers that are selectively bred and conditioned from a very early age to develop traits of eagerness despite the threat of substantive injury. Dogs displaying this trait can also be ...

rather than to a standard of appearance (breed type). They hunt in packs or alone. The Fell terrier was originally developed by Ullswater Hunt Master Joe Bowman, an early Border Terrier breeder, where he used the best red Fell terriers available to him, so that he could continue his efforts to refine the Fell terrier even further to hunt the large Fell fox that was believed to cause serious losses for sheep stockmen. The dog needed long legs to follow hunters through heavy snow, and a narrow chest to follow the fox in a stony underground den. In the hunt, a terrier follows the red fox underground into its den, where it either kills the fox, bolts it or holds it until the hunter (terrierman) digs the dog and fox up. The original Fell Terrier Bloodlines extend down from Harry Hardisty Turk and Sid Wilkinson's Rock, Wilkinson's Rock the most important stud dog of his Era bred down from Fred Barker and Anthony Barker's Chowt-Face Rock Terriers. Others who have contributed are Garry Middleton, Brian Nuttall, John Park, Ken Gould, Frank Buck, Cyril Breay, Joe Armstrong, Anthony Barker, Fred Barker, Maurice Bell, Anthony Chapman, John Cowen, Tommy Dobson, Eddie Pool, Graham Ward, Sid Wilkinson and Many More (Not In Order) . Fell Terriers have been used in the United States for several generations hunting small game and have been known under the name Patterdale terrier. For the most part remain unchanged by the hunter (terrierman) who keeps the standard.

Breeds

Several named breeds have been developed from the Fell terrier type, such as the

Border Terrier The Border Terrier is a British breed of small, rough-coated terrier. It originates from the area of the Anglo-Scottish border, and shares ancestry with the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Bedlington Terrier from the same area. The dogs were t ...

Lakeland Terrier The Lakeland Terrier is a dog breed, which takes its name from its place of origin, the Lake District in England. The dog is a small to mid-size member of the Terrier family. While independent in personality, it interacts well with owners and ...

Patterdale Terrier The Patterdale Terrier is a breed of dog descended from the Northern terrier breeds of the early 18th century. Description Appearance There are two breed standards for the Patterdale Terrier belonging to the United Kennel Club (UKC) an ...

Scorrier Terrier Scorrier is a village in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is in the civil parish of St Day, about northeast of the centre of Redruth and southeast of the coast at Porthtowan, on the A30 road at the junction of the A3047 road that leads we ...

Welsh Terrier The Welsh Terrier ( cy, Daeargi Cymreig) originates from Wales and was originally bred for hunting fox, rodents and badger; but during the last century, it has mainly been bred for showing. Despite this, it has retained its terrier strength ...

, and other locally developed breeds. All are sometimes called "Fell Terrier" interchangeably with their breed name. The "National Terriers Club LLC", The "American Fell Terrier International" has published a Fell Terrier standard. In Germany, the

Jagdterrier The Jagdterrier ( ) (English: Hunting Terrier) is a type of working terrier, originating in Germany, that is used for hunting quarry both above and underground. This breed of terrier is also called the German Hunt Terrier. Description Appea ...

was developed out of Fell terrier stock in the 1920s. Fell terriers may be descended from a very old type of long-legged terrier referred to as the rough-coated Black and Tan, similar to today's

References

External links

A Pictorial History of TerriersAmerican Working Terrier AssociationAmerican Fell Terrier International

Total Performance Canine

{{Terriers Terriers

Description and purpose

Breeds

See also

References

Further reading

External links