When you decide to get a Terrier as a family pet, you have many breeds to choose from. There are so many different dogs in the Terrier breed. 
You can have a Boston Terrier, Border Terrier, or the Cairn Terrier just to name a few within this general category. These dogs were mainly bred as rat and mouse hunters and actually existed in the British Isles before the arrival of the Romans. The Romans that gave this dog breed its name coming from the Latin word "terre" meaning ground. This is because the dogs could actually go underground to hunt their prey.
Throughout history, Terriers have been farm dogs and helped eradicate pests that plagued farmers. They have a tendency to clamp down on anything they catch with their strong jaws. This has led to the myth that the terrier, especially the Pit Bull Terrier, has jaws that lock. These dogs are small, which is beneficial for farmers because the dogs could get into small hiding places infested by rodents. As with any dog breed, there are exceptions. The Kerry Blue Terrier and Irish Wheaton Terrier, on the other hand, are exceptionally tall. These breeds are used as guardians, herders, and shepherd dogs due to their size.
It is easy to care for Terriers, and a weekly brushing is enough to maintain a fine coat. 
The coat does get long and you might want to take the dog to a professional groomer to have the coat trimmed once or twice a year. The short haired Terriers usually have rough coats, but Fox Terriers have rougher coats than other dogs of its size. Almost every region has its own Terrier breed and the coats have developed in response to the environment. The Cairn Terrier, for example, has a long, thick coat that almost looks like wool, which is probably how it evolved due to the harsh winter climate of Scotland.
Most Terriers are easily recognizable as being from a particular region. In the British Isles, there are different Terrier breeds such as the Devon Terrier, Cheshire Terrier, and the Airedale Terrier, to name just a few. Outside of the British Isles, these dogs were bred for different functions. In parts of Europe and the United States, they are often mixed with different dog breeds. Many of the most popular Terriers such as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the Bull Terrier, and the Boston Terrier are descendents of the Mastiff, a very large dog. Smaller dogs such as the Yorkshire Terrier and the English Toy Terrier, while originally bred as working dogs, are now part of the designer dog breed because they are so small.
Nevertheless, Terriers make wonderful family pets, no matter which specific breed you wish to have.
