Bushland terrier

Bushland redirects here; distinguish from Bush.

The Bushland Terrier is a small domestic dog. It is a cross between the a Scottish Terrier and a Cairn Terrier. They are said to originate in Australia, but this could be false. The reason for the name is not known.

Appearance

Bushland Terriers have a unique coat, mainly Wheaten. The Bushland Terrier takes characteristics from both of its parents, and the appearance of Bushland Terriers will vary. Purchasers of Bushland Terrier puppies should meet the breeder of their dog and visit the kennel to look at the parents to get an idea of what their puppy will look like when grown.

The Scottish Terrier and Cairn Terrier breeds were developed in Scotland, both closely related to each other and the West Highland White Terrier. The name Scottish (or Scotch) Terrier was originally used to describe all three types of dogs. See the individual breed articles for more history and when they were first recognized as separate breeds.

These are said to be the desireable attributes of the cross:

• Male weight: 8.5–10 kg (18.7-22 lb)
• Female weight: 8-9.5 kg (17.6-21 lb)
• Male height: 25 cm (10 in)
• Female height: 25 cm (10 in)
• Coat:double (hard wiry & soft under coat), wheaten in color
• Lifespan: up to 15 years

Health and temperament

The best way to determine the temperament of a crossbreed is to research the breeds in the cross, since the cross can show any combination of any of the characteristics found in either breed. Crossbreeds are generally thought to be healthier than carelessly bred purebreds, but this has not been documented for the Bushland Terrier. See the Scottish Terrier and Cairn Terrier individual breed articles for more on possible genetic problems that could be carried into the cross.

What's what

Bushland Terriers are first-generation crosses, with two purebred parents, one a Scottish Terrier and the other a Cairn Terrier. Crossbreeding also refers to specific back crosses and other crossings between the two original breeds and their offspring. Such breedings are planned (done by design, see Designer dog), and such dogs are not mutts (dogs with unknown or complex heritage), although the crossbreed is not considered to be a breed.

The American Canine Hybrid Club, a US based website which provides a forum and, for a fee, allows breeders to create a specific descriptor word for a crossbreeding if they apply before anyone else, lists the Scottish Terrier and Cairn Terrier cross as Bushland Terrier. Hybrids are crosses between two species, such as domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) and other canids such as Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), but the word hybrid has become fashionable, as in hybrid car, and is taken to imply something special. Breeders of pet dog crosses prefer to refer to their crosses as hybrids rather than the more ordinary sounding traditional term, crossbreeds. The Bushland Terrier is listed with minor kennel clubs and other organizations that require little documentation or specialize in crossbreeds (although the groups more fashionably call the dogs hybrids.) Major national kennel clubs can only register dogs as one breed, and dogs are registered with major kennel clubs only when they have a specific, documented history in one breed, so as to provide a record for future breeding. The Bushland Terrier is two breeds, not one breed; therefore Bushland Terriers are not registered with major national kennel clubs. However, there are many organizations that will register any dog, with little or no documentation as a breed, under any "breed name" the owner or breeder chooses or invents.

See also

• Dog hybrid (meaning crossbred dogs, not dogs bred with foxes or other species)
• Genetics (basic diagrams of inheritance)
• Terriers