Terriers

Terriers were bred to hunt and kill vermin — rats, badgers, foxes — often by digging them out of burrows, which is where the feisty, dig-happy, prey-driven personality comes from. Jack Russells, Bull Terriers, West Highland Whites, Airedales and Scottish Terriers are all terrier breeds, mostly compact but big on nerve.

Not guaranteed, and it depends heavily on the individual dog and how early it's socialised. Terriers were bred specifically to chase and dispatch small animals, so a strong prey drive toward cats, rabbits or rodents is common; early, careful introductions matter more here than in most groups.

Yes, for the right family — they're loyal, funny and endlessly game, and breeds like the Staffordshire Bull Terrier are famously gentle with children. Expect a stubborn streak and a dog that needs consistent rules, since terriers were never bred to simply follow orders.

They're clever, which isn't the same as compliant. Terriers are independent thinkers bred to make split-second decisions underground without a handler, so training works best short, upbeat and reward-based — a bored terrier disengages fast.

Most do. They were bred to alert a handler to what was moving underground, and that vocal, on-guard instinct carries into everyday life — terriers tend to sound off at noises, strangers and other dogs more readily than calmer breeds.

Moderate to high, and it needs to include something for the brain, not just the legs. A bored terrier digs, chews or escapes to find its own entertainment, so a walk plus a game, a dig pit or scent work keeps most of them out of trouble.