A Standard for a Working Terrier

Some 10 or 11 year back, The Fell and Moorland Working Terrier Club offered this standard for a working terrier:

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A WORKING TERRIER should be terrier-like in appearance and should have an acute and powerful motivation to work.

• HEAD: should be strong, and encased in the skull should be a brain capable of showing intelligence and a fair amount of obedience and respect with some affection.
  
  
• NECK: should be strong and muscular, joining the head to the body.



• CHEST: should be big enough to hold the heart of a lion, but small enough to enable its owner to follow the quarry into extremely tight corners.



• LEGS: should be long, or short, according to the work envisaged by the terrain of the area where he is to be employed. The legs should be powerful enough to carry the owner through a hard day.



• FEET: four, one at the end of each leg, with extremely tough pads.



• COAT: whether rough or smooth, white or colored, should be dense and tight, to keep its wearer warm and facilitate cleaning without holding too much earth and water.



• BACK: strong and supple.



• TAIL: for preference, a working terrier should have a tail.



• EYES: of great assistance above ground.



• EARS: yes, two.



• NOSE: should be able to detect and evaluate any slight scent.



• TEETH: should be as large and as strong as possible, firmly secured in a muscular jaw, capable of biting powerfully and holding a firm grip.
  

In temperament, the animal should be fairly docile and tractable, with a tremendous staying power and great love of his task. He should enjoy going to ground and should not appear at 10 minute intervals to see if his owner is still waiting for him. He should disregard wounds and see his job through at all times. He should be of sensible disposition and not easily ruffled or upset.

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