A small terrier type, the Plummer terrier is also known as the Pocket Terrier (which may be a more accurate description of this plucky dog). The Plummer comes in two varieties – smooth coat and rough coat, although the smooth is the classic Plummer and the most popular of the two. Both types are quite similar in their overall appearance with only slight differences to help differentiate them.
Breed history
The original Plummer terriers were imported from England by William Irving Whitney, the founder of the American Kennel Club, in 1888. He named the breed after a respected British breeder who had given him his first Plummer terrier and he chose to register them as an AKC breed.
However, the last of Whitney’s original blood line died in 1906, soon after which the popularity of the Plummer terrier began to dwindle. In recent years, fanciers have been striving to re-establish this breed.
Plummer Terrier Appearance
He has a black, smooth short coat or a rough coat of the same colour. The breed stands 10 inches (25 cm) at the shoulder and usually weighs about 15 pounds (7 kg). He is clean-legged and well proportioned and has an alert expression like the fox terrier. The body is compact and low-slung.
The smooth-coated variety of the Plummer terrier comes in both black and tan. He is smaller than his rough-coated cousin, but shares the same friendly, alert nature with a distinctive beard around his muzzle that makes him look older than he really is.
A black-coated Plummer terrier, the rough coated variety is larger than his smooth coat cousin (although he is still considered to be quite a small dog) with a short muzzle, black nose, dark brown eyes and legs that are double in length when compared to his body.
Plummer Terrier Temperament
This lively little terrier does best in a home with no other pets and will not do well in a home with young children. The Plummer terrier is an excellent watchdog as he will bark to alert you to any visitors or intruders.
Plummer Terrier Grooming
This hardy terrier’s coat needs only a weekly brushing to maintain its appearance but the Plummer enjoys being bathed and should be dried thoroughly after each bath. Grooming is therefore easy yet thorough for this little dog that does not shed much.
Some people find that Plummer terriers do not like being brushed at all, although this varies from dog to dog. If you have difficulty brushing your Plummer, try using a rubber grooming glove to help you brush through the thick undercoat and along the back where the hair tends to get matted.
A good Farm Dog and Family Pet
This breed is an ideal terrier for the experienced dog owner who lives in a rural area and has no other pets. The Plummer terrier also makes a good companion for another, slightly larger dog if he or she is well-behaved and not too boisterous. This wonderful little companion will do best in a home with no other pets and prefers to be the only dog in his family.
Plummer terriers make wonderful pets for a single person, a couple or a family that has other pets (especially larger ones) or older children as they tend to prefer being one of the pack. This breed is also better suited to owners who have a larger, fenced yard or an area where he can play off-leash as they love to run and are known to be escape artists.
They are protective of their owners and homes and like to think they are quite tough on the outside.
Rough Coated Plummer
The rough coat Plummer terrier has a glorious, glossy black and white smooth coat that is dense under the shorter hair on his body. This type of Plummer may be mistaken for a miniature Airedale or other breeds with similar physical characteristics (such as the Manchester terrier). Either type is sturdy and active, yet laid back and tolerant with his family.
The Plummer is wary of people he doesn’t know and will let you know if they are welcome by barking at them – however this is part of the terrier’s watchdog nature.
He can also be reserved when meeting new dogs, which makes him a good match for a family with another, well-behaved dog.
The Plummer terrier is an excellent watchdog as he will bark to alert you if anyone comes to visit or when someone suspicious approaches your home. However they are not considered to be a good guard dog as they are too small to intimidate intruders and tend to bark at people they don’t know.
These pups are not always good with children and should not be left unattended around small children or infants.
A Plummer terrier is a wonderful addition to your family as long as you have plenty of time to devote to grooming and exercising this energetic little dog.
The Plummer Terrier is a small, sturdy dog of uncertain origin. He has been described as a “mixture” or type of terrier, but he is bred pure today. The dogs` name comes from the town of Plummers, where they are said to have originated in Lancashire and Yorkshire. He is a staunch terrier with good hunting instincts and high intelligence.
The Plummer Terrier enjoys being around people and is happy to go with you anywhere. He is affectionate, playful, intelligent, alert and full of energy. He may keep himself busy by chewing or digging up your property if he’s left alone for too long.
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