Look beyond the photo. Compare everyday care, understand their needs and find a good fit for your home.
Type a breed name to find it quickly. Compare two breeds of the same pet type.
Start with the everyday details that make a difference.
An athletic bull-and-terrier breed. Ask about individual animal interactions and arrange controlled introductions rather than assuming compatibility.
Read breed guideThe largest terrier, developed in Yorkshire for versatile work. Plan constructive tasks as well as regular care of its rough coat.
Read breed guide| The everyday details | American Pit Bull Terrier | Airedale Terrier |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Terrier background | Terrier background |
| Coat | Short coat / check variety | Rough / wire coat |
| Home life | Think about secure boundaries, other animals and the ways this dog likes to explore. Many terrier backgrounds involve investigating holes, following movement and persisting with an interesting task. | Think about secure boundaries, other animals and the ways this dog likes to explore. Many terrier backgrounds involve investigating holes, following movement and persisting with an interesting task. |
| Exercise & activity | Mix walks with supervised searching, training and play that has clear beginnings and endings. Simply increasing excitement can leave a dog more wound up rather than satisfied. Use a secure space or long line where appropriate while practising recall. | Mix walks with supervised searching, training and play that has clear beginnings and endings. Simply increasing excitement can leave a dog more wound up rather than satisfied. Use a secure space or long line where appropriate while practising recall. |
| Training | Reward cooperation and make the wanted behaviour worthwhile. Practise leaving interesting objects, returning to you and waiting at doors before relying on these skills outdoors. Short sessions can be easier to follow than repeated commands. | Reward cooperation and make the wanted behaviour worthwhile. Practise leaving interesting objects, returning to you and waiting at doors before relying on these skills outdoors. Short sessions can be easier to follow than repeated commands. |
| Grooming | A short coat makes it easier to see the dog's outline, but it does not remove grooming. Use a suitable brush, check the skin and introduce gentle nail, ear and dental care. Some breeds listed here also have other coat varieties, so confirm the puppy's actual type. | Ask whether the coat is normally hand-stripped, clipped or maintained another way for this particular dog. The choice can affect appearance and the work involved, so a knowledgeable groomer is useful. Regular home checks still matter around the beard, feet and areas where equipment rubs. |
| Health & records | Ask the owner for dated vaccination and worming records, the dog's veterinary history and details of any ongoing treatment. For a puppy, ask which breed-relevant checks were performed on both parents and request the actual results. In a cross, both family backgrounds matter. | Ask the owner for dated vaccination and worming records, the dog's veterinary history and details of any ongoing treatment. For a puppy, ask which breed-relevant checks were performed on both parents and request the actual results. In a cross, both family backgrounds matter. |
Meet the pet, talk through a normal day with its owner and ask to see its care records. Personality and past experiences matter alongside breed.
