Border Terrier
Temperament:
This small, lively terrier is an ideal family dog, even though he was originally bred as a hunting dog. He is a happy, compatible, child-friendly pack member. Therefore, he is just as comfortable as a family dog as he is as a companion to a recreational rider or a member of a hunting dog pack. The only important thing is that he can live out his great urge to move.
Characteristics
The head of the Border Terrier resembles an otter's head. The head is broad with a short muzzle and black nose. The nostrils are clearly open. The head of the Border Terrier has a pronounced stop. As a rule, he has a scissor bite. A pincer bite is rarer, but also permitted according to the breed standard.
He has V-shaped hanging ears that reach the cheeks. His very dark, almost black eyes look very lively and enterprising in the world.
Characteristic for the Border Terrier are also his comparatively long, slender legs. They allow the actually quite small dog to run effortlessly with a horse. He can keep this pace over a longer period of time.
Since the Border Terrier was bred to enter the burrows of predatory game when hunting, he has a rather narrow chest. His rather short tail, strong at the base, tapers towards the tip.
The coat of the Border Terrier is very weather resistant and easy to care for. It has a dense, soft undercoat that warms the body. It is protected from wetness and wind by the wiry top coat. For coat care, occasional removal of loose hair is sufficient.
The Border Terrier is a long-legged working terrier that can easily run alongside a horse for long periods of time. He is lively and has a strong hunting instinct. The Border Terrier is extremely weatherproof and very happy to run. When properly exercised, he is an agile, friendly family dog.
He is usually not as rowdy as other terrier types when meeting other dogs. When sufficiently exercised, the Border Terrier proves to be a well-balanced and calm companion for his human.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
The Border Terrier is a very active dog. He needs an appropriate feeding. It is important that vitamins, minerals, proteins and energy are in the right proportion. In general, this breed is rather voracious. The owner must therefore ensure that the dog does not become too fat.
The amount of food needed depends on age, activity level and health condition. It is clear that a young, healthy dog moves more than an old, sick one. Therefore, the young dog also needs more food. A pregnant or lactating bitch also has a greater need for food.
A simple rule that applies to all dogs: If the ribs of the dog are hardly or not at all to be felt, he should get less food. If, on the other hand, all the ribs are very clearly palpable or even visible, he needs more food..
There are various offers of nutritionists and online food calculators on the Internet. A good idea is certainly also to ask the attending veterinarian for advice. This is especially true if you think your dog needs to lose or gain weight.
Whether you feed your Border Terrier with barfing (feeding mainly raw meat), with dry food, wet food or home-cooked food is a bit of a matter of faith. Only a vegetarian or vegan diet is certainly not optimal for your dog.
Border Terrier Care
The coat of the Border Terrier requires relatively little care. But that does not mean no grooming. You should regularly groom the coat with a comb and brush and pluck out dead hairs. Unlike other dog breeds, the Border Terrier does not lose dead hair by itself. Therefore he hardly sheds.
You should also have your Border Terrier trimmed once or twice a year. Please only trim, do not shear. Trimming is the process of removing the old hair from the undercoat and topcoat with a trimming knife. You can also shorten the coat if necessary.
Clipping is the process of shortening the coat with the help of clippers and bringing it into a certain shape. Regular trimming is important for the Border Terrier, because otherwise an unpleasant itch could develop due to the old, dead hairs.
With a little practice, you can do the trimming yourself or visit a groomer. To make the trimming as stress-free as possible, you should get your puppy used to it in a playful way. To do this, run the trimming knife carefully through the fur without really pulling out any hair.
If you want to trim your Border Terrier yourself, you will need a coarse and a fine trimming knife and a pair of scissors. The coarse knife is for the undercoat, the fine one for the topcoat. You need the scissors to cut out hair between the pads and to shorten the top coat if necessary.
Suitable accessories
Comb and brush belong to the basic equipment for your Border Terrier. If you want to trim him yourself, you will also need a coarse and a fine trimming knife and scissors for the hair.
The basic equipment of any dog includes a dog bed, dog pillow or dog basket. Also, a food bowl and a drinking bowl. Collar and leash are other elements of the equipment. If you get a puppy, you will have to buy a new collar several times, because your outgrows the old band dog.
For a dog as lively as the Border Terrier, you definitely need toys too.
Origin & History
The Border Terrier was bred in the mountain and hill country on the border between England and Scotland. This Border county has also given him his name. Due to the rough landscape of this area, which is characterized by wide, barren fern and heath areas, the Border Terrier became as robust as we know him today.
He was bred for fox hunting, which is very popular and widespread there. In these hunts he is part of the pack of hounds. Therefore he can run long distances with a galloping horse. His job is to follow the fox into its den and shoo it out.
Besides fox hunting, the Border Terrier was also used for hunting rats, martens or otters. Thus, he should not only guard the yard, but also keep it free from pests.
First dogs, which show many characteristics of the Border Terrier, are already known from the late 18th century. Until 1880, it was known by various names, which usually referred to the breeder or the breeding place. The name Border Terrier was not registered in the British Kennel Club until 1920.
The exact breeding history of the Border Terrier has not been handed down. Experts believe that he is related to the Dandie Dinmont Terrier. In its breeding, less attention was paid to the appearance than to the working ability of the dog. Therefore, even today he is not a show dog.
In Germany, the Border Terrier became known and popular since the 1970s. At the turn of the millennium, there were about 350 studbook entries per year.
