Tenterfield Terrier Terrier
The Tenterfield Terrier is a small, lightweight terrier dog like the Miniature Fox Terriers, and Rat Terriers. The Tenterfield Terrier has English origins but, like dog breeds such as the Miniature Fox Terrier, the Australian Terrier, the Silky Terrier, and the Australian Cattle Dog, was developed uniquely in Australia.
The origins of the Tenterfield Terrier are somewhat obscure. It
is generally believed that smaller puppies from the litters of
Fox Terriers were crossed with the progeny of other small
breeds. By the late 1800s a dog type known as the Little Foxie
or the Miniature Fox Terrier was well established in rural
Australia. By the 1920s the dog was a fixture in urban
households as well.
The name Tenterfield Terrier was suggested in the 1990s by Don
Burke, a television personality of the era, and was adopted by
the South Australian Miniature Fox Terrier club.
In 1991 a group of enthusiasts from the state of South Australia
formed the autonomous Miniature Fox Terrier Club of South
Australia, separate to the Miniature Fox Terrier Club of
Australia, which had been operating for some time. In 1992 they
met with owners from other states to discuss the future of the
Clubs. At that time, it became evident that there were
differences as to the preferred type of dog that would represent
the Miniature Fox Terrier breed. Further, challenges to the name
“Miniature Fox Terrier” were being mounted, and threatened to
preclude recognition by an All-Breed club, which was a priority
among some breeders. In 1993 fanciers from South Australia and
other states formed the Tenterfield Terrier Club of Australia.
The breed standard of the Tenterfield Terrier differs from that
of the Miniature Fox Terrier, and although they are sometimes
confused, the two dogs have been developing along divergent
lines for over twenty years and are now separate breeds.
The tireless efforts of Tenterfield Terrier dog owners were
rewarded in 2002 when the Tenterfield Terrier was recognized by
the Australian National Kennel Council and placed in Group 2,
Terriers.
As of 2004, the Tenterfield Terrier dog is a breed under
development. There is still variation in the types of dog seen
in the show ring from state to state. These differences are
small and of little interest to the average dog owner. For
breeders and fanciers, however, foot shape, ear shape, color,
and other conformation points have the capacity to change the
future look of a breed, and are of the utmost importance. Like
the breeders of all other dogs, Tenterfield Terrier breeders
work to improve their breeding lines and to assure
standardization of type.