Plummer terriers are hunting terriers. They are famous for their excellent nose and are used for various types of hunting, including earthwork, though it is invariably their rat hunting ability that they are most famed for.

There are various standards set out by todays breed clubst, all based around the standard originally set out by Dr D B Plummer. Most plummer terriers have the traditional red and white coat pattern and are described as either "caped" (a solid red cape from head to tail) or "collared" (a white band around their neck). Some plummer terriers are described as tri-coloured, brindle or putty nosed, these are not considered "to standard" they are still plummer terriers, they have the same genes and the same hunting instincts as the red &whites.

More recently approximately 10 years ago, very controversially, Dr Plummer decided he wished to add an outcross to his strain, a bull terrier - this continues remains a subject of heated debate to this day, even after the untimely death of Dr Plummer in September 2003 and I believe it is something that will carry on indefinitely.

Dr Plummer, schoolteacher and writer, wrote many books about his terriers and his rathunting expeditions, the most noteable ones about the early plummer terriers are his book "Omega" and "Tales of a Rat Hunting Man" where some of the original dogs that the strain developed from are described and pictured.