Border Terrier

Although he’s not as flashy in appearance as some of his terrier relatives, the Border Terrier is still pure terrier, living life with great gusto, whether out and about with people or digging a hole in a flowerbed. Frankly, it’s a bit surprising that he isn’t more popular, given that he’s one of the healthier purebred dogs, is less driven to hunt than most other terriers, and is fairly flexible about exercise. He’s robust, sturdy, and great with children, making him one of the top terrier contenders for a family pet. The Border Terrier may be small — 15 pounds or less — but he’s neither tiny nor fragile. He’ll happily roughhouse with kids, and he’s athletic enough to keep up with anyone, which is why he’s one of the few terriers well represented at such canine competitions as agility. Border owners also compete with their dogs in obedience, agility, and the show ring. If you want a stellar companion, give him the opportunity to get out and run, smell, walk, and play a couple times a day — preferably behind a fence or on a leash, because he’s definitely fast when it comes to chasing creatures like squirrels and neighborhood cats. The Border Terrier is a people dog who’s prone to make a lot of noise and a big mess if left to his own devices, so he needs to live indoors as a member of the family. The battle between farmers and foxes in the border country between England and Scotland called for a rough and ready weapon: the Border Terrier. Developed in the early 18th century, the fearless and implacable Border had a long, narrow, and flexible body that could squeeze through narrow dens in order to reach quarry. He could also run alongside hunters, following the foxhounds until they found the fox, at which point the Border would roust the fox out of his den. Farmers treasured him for his stamina and willingness to take on the toughest of prey, but few other people took much notice of him: The Border Terrier wasn’t recognized by Britain’s Kennel Club until the early 20th century. The Border Terrier Club of America was formed in 1920, and the American Kennel Club began registering the dogs in 1930. The Border Terrier ranks 83rd among the breeds recognized by the AKC. The Border Terrier has a distinctive temperament to go along with his distinctive looks. When it comes to vermin, he has Terrier fire, but he’s also more malleable than most other terrier breeds. A Border who growls or stares at other dogs has the wrong temperament — he’s not supposed to be feisty or excitable. After all, he was bred to work in concert with foxhounds and other terriers, so it’s important for him to have an amiable attitude toward other dogs. With his family, he’s affectionate but self-reliant. And he can be an escape artist! Thanks to his intelligence, good-tempered nature, and willingness to work, the Border can adapt to life in any environment, city or country, and is highly trainable. He excels in Earthdog and agility trials, plus he’s capable of therapy work in nursing homes and children’s hospitals. Some Borders have even been trained as hearing dogs. Start training your puppy the day you bring him home. Even at eight weeks old, he is capable of soaking up everything you can teach him. Don’t wait until he is 6 months old to begin training or you will have a more headstrong dog to deal with. If possible, get him into puppy kindergarten class by the time he is 10 to 12 weeks old, and socialize, socialize, socialize. However, be aware that many puppy training classes require certain vaccines (like kennel cough) to be up to date, and many veterinarians recommend limited exposure to other dogs and public places until puppy vaccines (including rabies, distemper and parvovirus) have been completed. In lieu of formal training, you can begin training your puppy at home and socializing him among family and friends until puppy vaccines are completed.