Nasir – the Hunting Terrier

A few days ago I had the opportunity to take some pictures of Nasir, a German Hunting Terrier (‘Deutscher Jagdterrier’ or ‘DJT’ in German). Hunting Terriers are extreme, in every possible way. Not for the faint of heart and definitely unsuitable as pets, they are fierce hunters. Hunting is what they live and breathe for, and they are such determined and tenacious workers that even some experts consider them too full-on for their liking.

Nasir, meaning ‘helper’, is named after Robin Hood’s faithful friend, a Saracen outlaw, who first appeared in the ITV series Robin of Sherwood. Nasir is five years old and a Hunting Terrier through and through, originating from a kennel in Germany. No breeder worth their salt would submit a dog to an owner who didn’t have a hunting license, and so, Nasir too found his home with a ranger. Due to his knowledgeable, skillful and loving upbringing he is sociable and friendly with people and other dogs. He is also a certified worker who has been tried and tested both in the field and in trials.

Nasir is wearing a GPS-Tracker so that he can more easily be found, should his chasing instincts get the better of him.

A Terrier comes a-flying…

The breed standard – in which every other word seems to be ‘hunting’ or some synonym of ‘strong’ or ‘hard’ – calls for a dog that is ‘courageous and hard’ (told you). With their strong (sorry), muscular body, they always make me think of live wires. The breed was developed out of hunting Foxterriers at the beginning of the 20th century. The intention was to create an even more powerful dog that would show sufficient courage for hunting boar, but was still small enough to work under the ground.

The fact that they are used for hunting foxes and badgers as well as boar accounts for both their small size and tells you about their temperament.
Less clement voices would describe their personality as bordering on the insane and it may begin to dawn on you what could, no, what will happen when these dogs end up in the wrong hands. (More on my first-hand experience of such a dog in another post that will follow soon. I’ll put a link to it here once it is ready.) You would be mistaken to simply think of them as little Dobermanns – they are a lot tougher, fiercer, more independent and have a much, much stronger chasing instinct than any Dobe I’ve ever met.

To me, they are the embodiment of the Terrier. The American Kennel Club describes these terriers as ‘feisty and energetic’ with a personality that is always ‘eager for a spirited argument.’ They may be small in size, but never in their ego. If terriers are best described with strong adjectives, German Hunting Terriers can only be spoken of in superlatives. They are – forgive the repetition – the most extreme of terriers, as it were.

I’ve found English Patterdale Terriers to be similar, though still slightly more mellow in temperament. The same is true for a handful of Jack or Parson Russell Terriers. There still seem to be a few working Foxterriers around, but I’ve never met one, so do not have any first-hand experience on their performance. I am told, however, that while they are capable hunting dogs, they too seem to be somewhat less hardy than the average Hunting Terrier.

Ain’t no show dog this one…!

You will not meet German Hunting Terriers promenading the streets of a town, playing with other dogs at the dog park or strolling along the riverbank. Their territory is out in the forests and the fields and if they can find nothing else to chase, digging out a few mice will do.

Emergency halt from full speed to investigate a hole in the ground.

They have a reputation for being aggressive towards other dogs and people, but when given the opportunity through careful socialisation and informed training, they will develop a great sense of which set of behaviours is appropriate and necessary in a particular context.

Nasir is a credit to his owner and his breed. A cherished and skilled hunting dog, he is a joy to be around: he is affectionate, sweet and friendly, with a great desire to cooperate. Despite all the individualism and independence that he needs in order to do his job properly and safely, he is trainable and eager to please – as long as there is no game around.

Nasir and his owner have a fantastic bond. Being who they are, Hunting Terriers are notoriously difficult to handle off-leash. They make incredibly poor companion dogs unless you know exactly what you are doing and are prepared to make a lot of compromises. It is to Nasir’s owners’ credit and due to their knowledge and hard and competent training that we were able to take these pictures with him running free and without a collar or a leash around his neck.

Some German Hunting Terriers are kept in kennels outside, deemed unsuitable for living within a household. Many owners have fortunately changed their ways in this country, but it is still common practice elsewhere. Nasir and his owners show that living with a Hunting Terrier can work out very well for both the human and the canine side. As long as the dog’s needs are respected and he is given sufficient opportunity to live out what he was bred for, it is absolutely possible to keep a dog with very strong instincts and drives inside your home. Nasir’s owners are the best example for such a life together in perfect harmony and peace.