Dog breed · Germany
The Jagdterrier ( YAHK-terr-i-ər) (English: Hunting Terrier) is a type of working terrier, originating in Germany, that is used for hunting quarry both above and underground. This breed of terrier is also called the German Hunt Terrier.
Temperament: Jagdterriers were developed to be all-round hunting dogs. Though often used for quarry that dens underground, especially badger, fox, and raccoon, Jagdterriers are also used to drive wild boar and rabbits out of thickets, and to blood track wounded animals, such as deer. Due to their intelligence and adaptability, Jagdterriers can make good pets, but it should be remembered that they are primarily a hunting dog with a strong prey drive. Jagdterriers as highly driven, energetic working dogs that form strong bonds with their owners but require structured training due to their intensity.
Appearance: A typical appearance of a Jagdterrier is black and tan, with the tan being more of a rust colour on the muzzle and undercarriage. It can also be chocolate or liver brown which are acceptable colours in the UKC/FCI breed standard. The breed standard calls for an animal that stands 33 to 40 centimetres (13 to 16 inches) at the shoulders, with females weighing from 7.5 to 8.5 kilograms (17 to 19 pounds), and males weighing from 9 to 10 kilograms (20 to 22 pounds). The coat of a Jagdterrier can be either hairy, smooth or broken. All varieties do shed. The tail is normally (but not always) docked at 2/3 the natural length.
Health: The Jagdterrier is generally considered a robust and long-lived breed. According to breed guides, its typical lifespan is approximately 12–14 years.
Although no major breed-specific health problems are widely reported, health screening is advised. Owners and breeders should monitor for inherited eye conditions such as primary lens luxation and maintain appropriate exercise and veterinary checks.
History: Between the two World Wars, game managers in Germany were focused on getting rid of foreign or introduced species, and bringing back now-extinct species that figured prominently in the mythology of the nation. One of the pioneers of this peculiar quest was Lutz Heck, the curator of the Berlin Zoo, who went on to "back breed" primitive cattle and horses to "recreate" the extinct aurochs (the kind of wild cattle seen in the cave paintings at Lascaux, France) and the tarpan (a kind of primitive forest pony). Heck's interest in dogs was driven in part by his passion for hunting, and in part by nationalism that was mixed with a desire to see what could be done with selective breeding.
Even as nationalism and an interest in genetic engineering were rising in Germany, terriers were also rising to the height of fashion in much of Europe and the United States. The Allied Terrier Show was taken over by Charles Crufts in 1886, and was the largest dog show in the world before World War I, while the first breed-specific dog publication anywhere was a magazine devoted to fox terriers. The Westminster Dog Show was begun in 1907, and the first winner was a fox terrier. A fox terrier won again in 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1915, 1916, and 1917.
A fascination with terriers, fervent nationalism, and a propensity towards genetic engineering were braided together when Lutz Heck presented four black-and-tan Fell terriers—similar to what we now would call a Patterdale Terrier—to Carl Eric Gruenewald and Walter Zangenbert. Gruenewald was a "cynologist" (a self-styled dog man with an interest in genetics) and Zangenbert was a dedicated hunter with an interest in fox terriers. Gruenewald and Zangenbert added to their team Chief Forester R. Fiess and Dr. Herbert Lackner, men with land for a kennel, and the financial means to support it over a decade-long quest.
