The Border Terrier
The Border Terrier originates in, and takes its name from, the area near
the border between Scotland and England. Their original purpose was to kill
foxes and rodents, but they have been used to hunt otters and badgers too.
The first
Kennel Club Border Terrier ever registered was The Moss Trooper, a dog sired
by Jacob Robinson's Chip in 1912 and registered in the Kennel Club's Any
Other Variety listing in 1913. The Border Terrier was rejected for formal
Kennel Club recognition in 1914, but won its slot in 1920, with the first
standard being written by Jacob Robinson and John Dodd. Jasper Dodd was
made first President of the Club.
Identifiable
by their otter-shaped head, Border Terriers have a broad skull and short,
strong muzzle with a scissors bite. The V-shaped ears are on the sides of
the head and fall towards the cheeks. Acceptable colours are grizzle-and-tan,
blue-and-tan, red grizzle, and wheaten, all colours with a dark muzzle preferred.
White is not allowed, except for a small patch on the chest. Whiskers are
few and short. The tail is naturally moderately short, thick at the base
and tapering.
Narrow-bodied
and well-proportioned, males stand 13-16 inches at the shoulder, and weigh
13-16lbs. Females 11-14 inches and 11-14lbs.
The Border
Terrier has a double coat consisting of a short, dense, soft undercoat and
harsh, wiry weather and dirt resistant, close-lying outer coat with no curl
or wave. This coat usually requires hand stripping twice a year to remove
dead hair. It then takes about eight weeks for the top coat to come back
in. For some dogs, weekly brushing will suffice.
Affectionate,
intelligent, even-tempered, and obedient. Alert and fearless.
Border
Terriers generally get along well with other dogs, however, if they dislike
another dog, they do not hesitate to start a fight and, as with most terriers,
it can be difficult to stop them.
Red
grizzle.They will get along well with cats they have been raised with, but
will chase other cats and small animals such as mice, rabbits, rats, and
guinea pigs.
Borders
will adapt to the activity levels of their owners. They do not demand exercise,
but do love it when they get it. With sufficient length of leg to achieve
reasonable speed, a Border will hike, bike, and run with its owner but just
as happily while away the day lying in the sun. A Border Terrier does not
mind being left alone but as it is intelligent and loves company, it is
not suited to household where people are away all day, every day.
Being
bred to work cooperatively with people, Borders do well in task-oriented
activities. They are intelligent and eager to please, but they retain the
capacity for independent thinking and initiative that were bred into them
for working rats and fox underground. They take training for tasks very
well, but appear less tractable if being taught mere tricks. The breed has
excelled in agility training, but they are quicker to learn jumps and see-saws
than weaving poles. Their love of people and even temperament make them
fine therapy dogs, especially for children and the elderly, and they are
occasionally used to aid the blind or deaf.
Breed Clubs and Societies
Breeders:
Plushcourt Borders
Badgerbeck Borders
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