English White Terrier facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
White English terrier

Old English White Terrier by Alfred de Prades
Other names	White English Terrier Old English Terrier British White Terrier
Origin	Britain
Breed status	Extinct
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The English White Terrier (also known as the White English Terrier) is an extinct breed of dog. It was a type of white terrier with pointy ears. People tried to make it a special show dog breed.

Breeders in the 1860s wanted to create a new dog breed. They took small white working terriers with pointy ears. These terriers were also used to create other breeds like the Fox Terrier, the Jack Russell Terrier, and the Sealyham Terrier. Later, in the United States, they helped create the Boston Terrier and the Rat Terrier.

However, the Kennel Club (a group that registers dog breeds) decided the English White Terrier wasn't really a new breed. Also, the dog had some health problems that made it unpopular. Within 30 years of its creation, the English White Terrier became extinct. But it was crossbred with the Old English Bulldog to create the Boston Terrier and Bull Terrier.

The Story of the English White Terrier

Small working terriers have lived in Great Britain since the late 1700s. These dogs came in many sizes and shapes. They could be 10 to 15 inches tall. Some had floppy ears, while others had pointy ears. Their coats could be smooth, broken, or rough.

Dog Shows and New Breeds

In the 1860s, dog shows became very popular. People who loved dogs rushed to name and "improve" every type of dog they could find. Terriers were especially popular. From the old white working terriers came many new breeds. These included the Fox Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, and Sealyham Terrier.

Sometimes, different groups of breeders would give the same dog different names. They often made up stories about a breed's history. This was done to claim a new breed and make themselves famous. It also helped them sell more dogs.

Why This Breed Failed

In the 1860s and 1870s, some dog show fans tried to say that white working terriers with pointy ears were a completely different breed. They said these were different from those with floppy ears. But there were many problems with this idea.

For example, puppies with both pointy and floppy ears often appeared in the same litter. Also, dogs that were completely white often had hearing problems. This made them almost useless for working in the field.

In 1894, Rawdon Briggs Lee wrote about the English White Terrier. He wondered about its recent origin. He thought it might have been a fox terrier mixed with a white Italian Greyhound. This would mean it was a toy breed.

Early Dog Shows

Lee noted that the English White Terrier first appeared at London dog shows in 1863–1864. The dogs were shown in two groups. One group was for dogs weighing under six or seven pounds. The other was for dogs weighing more than that.

By 1894, the English White Terrier was disappearing from the Kennel Club scene. It was always a pet and show dog, never a working dog. Lee noticed that the most recent London-bred dogs were very small. They weighed under 10 pounds. They also had a rounded head, sometimes called an "apple head." This shape often appears in very small dogs due to inbreeding.

Lee mentioned that the club's description said the dog could weigh up to 20 pounds. But Lee, who was a Kennel Club judge, said he never saw a pure English White Terrier that heavy.

A Delicate Dog

Lee described the English White Terrier as "the most fragile and delicate of all our terriers." He said it was "not a sportsman's companion." However, he noted that it "makes a nice house dog." But it "requires a considerable amount of cuddling and care."

He also observed that some early show dogs looked more like an Italian Greyhound than a terrier. He added that the dog was "particularly subject to total or partial deafness."

Even though the dog still existed in 1894, Lee saw that it was fading away. He didn't seem sad about its possible extinction. He felt they had to "give place to dogs better suited to the wants and conveniences of the present day."

What the English White Terrier Looked Like

English White Terrier (1890)

Here is a description of the English White Terrier from Rawdon Briggs Lee's book Modern Dogs (1894):

• COAT: The fur was short, close, hard, and shiny.
• COLOUR: It had to be pure white. Any colored markings meant the dog couldn't be shown.
• CONDITION: The dog's body and muscles had to be hard and firm.
• WEIGHT: They typically weighed from 12 to 20 pounds.

Old English terrier with Black and Tan terrier

Silvio: A Famous Example

Alfred Benjamin owned a male Old English terrier named 'Silvio'. He was born in 1876. Silvio was shown often and was considered an excellent example of the breed. In 1877, Silvio won dog shows in places like Bath, Darlington, and Alexandra Palace. He also won in Wolverhampton in 1878.

Silvio weighed 19 pounds. Here are some of his measurements:

See also

In Spanish: Terrier inglés blanco para niños