Famous terrier breeds

Despite their naturally combative nature, terriers make great pets, with most breeds described as affectionate, friendly, loyal or playful - or a mix of them all. James Fair details six key breeds

- James Fair

1. WEST HIGHLAND TERRIER

Extremely distinctive in appearance because of their pure white coats, West Highland terriers or 'Westies' were developed in Argyllshire in the mid-19th century by Edward Donald Malcolm, the 16th laird of Poltalloch. According to one story, one day while out hunting, a reddish-brown dog owned by Malcolm was mistaken for a fox and shot, so he decided to breed only white terriers from then on.

Up until that point, it's said that white or pale terriers were not popular and culled at birth. At the beginning of the 21st century, the West Highland was the most popular terrier breed in the UK, but its star has waned somewhat in recent years.

2 STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER

All bull terriers have their origins in the 19th century when bulldogs and terriers were bred together to create a pugnacious dog that was used for fighting.