Other Names: Mini Foxie Terrier
Origin
The origin of the Tenterfield Terrier is not completely known, many believe that smallest puppies from the litters of Fox Terriers were crossed with the other small breeds. By the late 1800s a little or miniature fox terrier (commonly known as 'Mini Foxies') was well established in rural Australia. By the 1920s they were very popular in urban households. The name 'Tenterfield' is sometimes incorrectly stated to denote the terrier�s place of origin as Tenterfield, New South Wales. Rather, Tenterfield is one of many Australian towns and villages in which small dogs of this type were known to exist. The town of Tenterfield is significant in Australian history, and the best-known owner of its saddlery was a man named George Woolnough, who was immortalized by his grandson, entertainer Peter Allen, as the 'Tenterfield Saddler'. Mr. Woolnough owned a number of small terrier-type dogs; however, photographs of these dogs are not readily available. The name Tenterfield Terrier was suggested in the 1990s by Don Burke, a television personality of the era, and was adopted during the renaming of one of the then-Miniature Fox Terrier clubs.
Description
The Tenterfield Terrier is a small, lightweight terrier similar to Miniature Fox Terriers, and Rat Terriers. The Tenterfield Terrier is a balanced, square terrier with a short, fine coat.
| Size | Small |
| Colour | Coat colors are predominantly white with black, liver and/or tan markings in its various tones. Brindle markings acceptable |
| Coat Length | Short |
| Weight/Height Range | The height to be 25 to 30cms with ideal being 28cms but not exceeding 30cms. The weight to be in proportion to the size of the dog. |
| Ailments | The Tenterfield Terrier is a fairly healthy breed, however they can be prone to Hypothyroidism and Patellar luxation. |
Feeding & Ownership
These dogs are relatively easy to feed, the main thing to remember with the Manchester Terrier is not to overfeed as they do have a tendency to become overweight.
| Food Cost | $5 to $10 |
Personality
The Tenterfield Terrier is a strong, active, agile working terrier of great versatility and of pleasing proportion. Bright, happy and confident, with an eagerness to learn, showing great loyalty to its owner. Fearless, lively, clever, independent, bold, keen, and very intelligent with an alert expression. Like all terriers, it takes loving patients to train them. They respond well to a positive reinforcement method of training and yelling and hitting will not get a good response from this loving breed. They are friendly and love to cuddle in your lap. This terrier is a useful working dog and a wonderful companion. The Tenterfield Terrier can become destructive, and noisy if they are bored. They do well with children, this terrier should not be trusted with non-canine pets such as mice, or guinea pigs. They do have the typical, very strong terrier chase and kill instinct.
| Intelligence | They are a very intelligent and trainable dog, they do require regular and consistent training They very good competitors in agility trails and fly-ball competitions. |
| Energy | High |
| Suitability for Children | Medium |
| Tendency to Bark | High |
| Overall Exercise Requirement | The Tenterfield Terrier needs to be taken for a daily walk or jog |
| Suitability as a Guard Dog | Low |
| Ease of Transportation | Low |
| Level of Aggression | Medium |
| Other Animal Compatibility | Medium |
Grooming
The smooth, short-haired coat is easy to groom. Brush on a regular basis with a firm bristle brush, and bathe once every two weeks in the warmer months and bathe once a month in the colder months. It is also recommended to rub them down with a piece of towelling or chamois as this will make their coat shine.
| Grooming Requirements | Once a week |
| Amount of Hair Shed | Moderate |
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