Meet the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier: Kind and intelligent, yet lively and alert

“Captain” CH Mud-E Acres GT2.0 Captain Morgan BCAT

Short-legged but big in personality, the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier is an American breed developed for farm work and companionship. Named for the 26th President, bred to hunt vermin and is known for its intelligence and boldness. With a compact frame and alert expression, Teddies are eager, friendly, and loyal to their people. Their versatility and charm make them a true American original.

We haven’t always been known as “Teddy Roosevelt Terriers.” Prior to their separation from their sister breeds, the American Hairless Terrier and the Rat Terrier, in 1999, the “Teddies” were also referred to as Type B Rat Terriers or Bench-Legged Feist. Since President Theodore Roosevelt brought so much attention to the “ratting” community as a whole, when it came time to select our “new” name we were named in homage of this beloved President for his contributions to the canine community.

Teddy Roosevelt Terriers are natural hunters, originally bred for ratting and farm work, but their skills expand beyond the farm. They have been proven to be amazing truffle hunters, shed finders, blood trackers, and cadaver dogs, all because of their excellent noses and innate tracking abilities. This multi-purpose companion is capable of hunting rodents and vermin above or below ground, and treeing small game; however, they are not a spanned breed. They have retained their prey drive without being belligerent or obsessively compulsive, but they are not sparred in the show ring.

"Teddy Roosevelt Terriers" by American Teddy Roosevelt Terrier Club SHOWSIGHT November 2021

Please visit showsightmagazine.com to learn more about the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier.