In this article we will talk about a very young breed of dogs. She became known to dog handlers and ordinary animal lovers at the beginning of the 20th century. These not very large dogs are bred in Brazil. They have an admixture of blood of indigenous breeds. According to experts, these are charming dogs with an intelligent appearance and cheerful disposition. They are adroit and fearless. Brazilians are active and playful, quite friendly and affectionate.
Breed history
Breeding work on breeding was carried out only in Brazil. Despite this, most of the ancestors of these animals have European roots. For example, Portuguese Podengo dogs always accompanied ships from Portugal, protecting them from rats and mice. As a result, podengos appeared in different parts of the world, including Brazil, where they were crossed with some local dogs, getting several new varieties.
Brazilian Terrier - breed description
This cute, compact doggie is used as a hunter, and as a watchman, and as a shepherd of livestock, most often sheep and cows.
The Brazilian Terrier is a small dog, harmoniously built, slender, but at the same time possessing a strong but not rough body. His body is square in shape with distinct curved lines. This is its main difference from a smooth-haired fox-terrier having rectangular outlines.
The Brazilian Terrier, whose photo can be viewed in our article, is fearless and dexterous. He inherited these traits from a smooth-haired fox-terrier, who is his close relative. In addition, it contains an admixture of blood of indigenous "tropical" dogs, which gave him the ability to easily tolerate heat.
Appearance
A distinctive sign of these animals is brown spots located on the head and ears. The Brazilian physique is harmonious and proportionate. If you look at his head from above, you can see that it has a regular triangular shape, tapering to the nose and expanding to the wide-set ears.
The muzzle of the terrier is strong, with large and round, most often dark eyes. The neck is sinewy and long, the chest is wide, the limbs are muscular, the tail is short.
The Brazilian Terrier is tireless, energetic and agile. Many owners joke that this is a dog with a built-in perpetual motion machine. The height of an adult male does not exceed 40 cm. Bitches are slightly smaller - about 35 cm. The weight of the animal is not more than 10 kg.
Wool
Representatives of this breed have a short, thin, smooth, but not soft coat, which is very tight to the skin. In this case, the skin should not be visible through it. Thinner hair on the ears, head, on the inside of the forelimbs.
Color
The predominant color is white, with brown, black or blue spots. The latter are present on the sides of the muzzle, above the eyes, along the edges and on the inner surface of the ears. The same tanning marks can be on other parts of the body.
Character
Unlike his brothers, the Brazilian terrier is not too cocky. He loves to bark very much and always loudly notifies his master about the approach of a stranger.
The Brazilian Terrier is endowed with a lively, fearless and cheerful character. In his family, he is a loving and loyal friend who loves to play, jump and run. He is extremely curious and does not disregard a single sound or movement.
The Brazilian Terrier is an excellent watchman who will not attack the enemy, but warns about his appearance in a timely manner.
These animals are quite loyal to other dogs, but with the smaller inhabitants of your house it is better not to leave them alone - the Brazilian has a well-developed hunting instinct, therefore, there is a real danger for small animals. For the same reason, walking the terrier should only be on a leash.
Terriers do not particularly like strangers, they are suspicious of them. But with their family members they are affectionate and gentle. Dogs of this breed get along well with children, but do not allow free treatment of themselves, therefore it is better not to leave them alone with babies.
Maintenance and care
Caring for such a pet is not difficult. Its short hair does not require complex processing - it will be enough to comb it once a week using a brush with stiff bristles or a special glove. Also, it does not need frequent washing.
The claws of these small dogs rarely grind naturally, so they need to be sheared.
Periodically, you need to inspect your teeth, eyes and ears, if necessary, clean them. To do this, it is better to use a clean cloth moistened with ordinary water. Do not get carried away with products with aromatic additives - your pet may show an allergic reaction.
Brazilian Terrier - puppies
Probably it will be superfluous, but we still warn future owners that it is necessary to acquire a puppy of the Brazilian terrier in a specialized nursery, and not from random sellers in the bird market. Only in this way you are guaranteed to get a healthy animal with all the necessary supporting documents. In addition, an experienced breeder will always be able to advise you on the contents of the baby, familiarize you with the vaccination schedule.
Every day, a small Brazilian terrier should receive raw meat (always with porridge), dairy products and vegetables. Up to three months, the baby must be given once a week 1 boiled yolk, after three months you can give it more often, but no more than twice a week.
Include boiled offal in your little pet’s diet - stomachs, heart, lung, udder.
The consistency of the feed should be approximately the same as liquid sour cream. By five months, the food gradually hardens. From this age on, it is especially important for a puppy to nibble solid food so that tooth replacement is completed on time.
At the age of six months, the puppy is fed three times a day, and when he turns nine months old, the food becomes two meals a day.
Parenting and training
The Brazilian Terrier is naturally endowed with quick wit and a lively mind. Despite this, his training will require patience and perseverance from the owner. They are playful and restless; it is difficult to make them fulfill the necessary commands.
These dogs are extremely fond of barking, so it is important to teach them to shut up instantly when they hear the owner’s command. If you fail to achieve this, living together with these wonderful dogs will become very problematic.
From the moment of its appearance in the house, the puppy must understand that the owner is not only a partner for games, but an indisputable leader, to whom he must obey implicitly.
These funny and very active dogs can be loyal friends, but without proper upbringing and a firm master's hand they turn into little domestic despots.
For these dogs, training in the form of a game with the obligatory encouragement of your favorite treat is very important. These fidgets can play everywhere and always. With proper training, they achieve excellent results. They have proven themselves in agility, they are excellent performers of acrobatic and circus tricks.
Brazilian Terrier Owner Reviews
According to the owners of these cute dogs, they are great companions. They are affectionate and friendly, do not require too complicated care. All owners recommend paying the most serious attention to the upbringing of the pet from a very early age, so that in the future not to experience disappointment from their acquisition.