Origin
The Welsh Terrier is one the UK's lesser known breeds and is considered to be a vulnerable native breed with only around 380 dogs having been registered with The Kennel Club in 2015. They are happy characters with much calmer dispositions than many other terrier breeds. They are known to be particularly good around children and true to their working ancestry, Welshies are compact little dogs that boast a thick wiry coat and lots of hair around their faces which adds to their charming appeal.
It's thought that the Welsh Terrier boasts having a common ancestry with the Lakeland Terrier and looking at the two breeds, it's easy to understand why considering the two breeds similarity. There is some belief that the Celts took their dogs with them when they sought refuge in the mountains and Lake District during the time of the Roman invasion. However, the true origins of the Welshie remains a bit of a mystery. They are considered to be the oldest terrier breed in the UK with some experts believing the breed could be directly linked to the Old English Black and Tan, although this is hotly debated.
During the 1800's, the people of Caernarvonshire thought highly of their terriers and the purity of the breed. It was during this time that they were called as the Carnavonshire Welsh Terrier. These active terriers were first bred to hunt vermin which included rats, foxes or badgers. They excelled at their job throughout the following centuries. But these workmanlike terriers were only recognised as a breed in their own right here in the UK in 1885, although in the States they were still categorised as being Old English Terriers right up until 1901.
Today, the Welsh Terrier remains on the UK's vulnerable native breed list with very few puppies being registered with The Kennel Club in 2015. As such anyone wishing to share a home with a Welshie would need to register their interest with breeders and agree to being put on a waiting list, but the wait would be well worth it because these little terriers make wonderfully loyal family pets that are a pleasure to have around.
