Working terrier
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A working terrier is a dog bred to hunt small mammals, such as badgers or foxes. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the name dates back to 1425 and is derived from the French chien terrier, 'digging dog', which is from the Medieval Latin terrarius, ultimately from the Latin terra (earth).
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With the growth in popularity of fox hunting in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries, terriers were extensively bred to follow the red fox, as well as the Eurasian badger, into their burrows. This is referred to as 'terrier work' or 'going to ground'.[1] The purpose of the terrier is to locate the burrow of the prey animal, then either intimidate it into leaving its burrow or hold the prey still so it can be killed or captured.[2]
Working terriers can be no wider than the animals they hunt (chest circumference or 'span' less than 35 cm/14in) in order to fit into the burrows and still have room to maneuver.[3]
Terrier work has been condemned by British animal welfare organizations such as the League Against Cruel Sports, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals because it can lead to underground fighting between animals, causing serious injuries.[4] The British National Working Terrier Federation denies that underground fighting is an issue, arguing that the terrier's role is to locate, bark, and flush out the hunted animals, not to attack them.[5] Hunting below ground with terriers is largely illegal in Britain under the Hunting Act 2004, unless conducted in accordance with strict conditions intended to protect game birds. Terrier work is legal in the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and much of continental Europe.