Border Terrier

A Border Terrier is a small, rough-coated breed of dog in the terrier family.

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Appearance

The Border Terrier has a double coat consisting of a soft undercoat and harsh, wiry outer coat. Colours include grizzle and tan (a sort of salt and pepper look), blue and tan (sometimes looks almost black), red grizzle, and less commonly, wheaten. The coat should be stripped by hand (not clipped) regularly, as the top coat becomes long and shaggy and eventually dies. Borders being shown generally have a short coat that has been stripped and is starting to grow back. Never clip a border terrier, except around the face area where there are scraggy bits of hair. Clipping a Border Terrier's coat around its back may ruin its fur and make it go curly. After clipping, a Border Terrier's coat may never return to normal.

Temperament

Border Terriers are friendly, smart, energetic and playful. They can make good family pets as they are generally good with children. They are best kept by people who have had dogs before and know how to maintain human social dominance over them. Since they are highly energetic dogs, they require a lot of attention and activity. If their owners cannot give them a lot of attention, they are best kept with other dogs of similar temperament. Border Terriers are relatively easily trained, although they can develop a cat-like independence. Some members of the breed make a highly effective alternative to a doorbell, due to their sharp hearing and the distinctive frenzied barking that results when they hear someone approaching the door.

Behaviour with other dogs

Border Terriers generally get on well with other dogs, and often develop strong friendships with dogs they meet frequently. 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. A squirt from a water gun can be an effective way to end a fight. Border Terriers must be trained carefully from the beginning to learn proper social behaviour with other dogs, especially larger dogs.

They are best kept in pairs or small groups, or with dogs of other breeds. Ideal canine companions include other Border Terriers, Collies, and most Spaniels. When kept in a group, they can have difficulty recognising that each dog has a different name (they occasionally respond to them all). Border Terriers have dominant personalities and often occupy a high position in the 'pack', subordinate to the owner. This is especially true for adult Border Terriers when a puppy is added to the group. If a large adult dog comes into the family, the Border Terrier will "test" his new companion, maintaining his leadership if there is no objection from the larger dog.

Behaviour with other animals

Border Terriers are generally unsuitable for homes where there are rabbits, cats (except Maine Coons), smaller breeds of dogs, or other similar pets, as they will attack and kill all animals smaller than themselves; they were bred for this purpose. They may, however, accept small animals they grow up with.

Chewing

Border Terriers are strong chewers and tend to destroy all but the most durable toys. They can remove the squeak from a squeaky toy within 30 seconds, and reduce such toys to fragments within a matter of minutes. Solid, tough rubber toys such as rubber rings are suitable. If a Border Terrier adopts a household object as a toy, the object will soon be ruined.

Health

Border Terriers are generally hardy and long-lived dogs with few health problems. However, they have a very high resistance to pain and will very often appear healthy even when injured or sick. Consequently, any sign of illness should be taken seriously. Due to their low percentage of body fat, Border Terriers are very sensitive to anesthetics. Therefore, Border Terrier owners should select a veterinarian that is aware of this and is cautious in administering anesthesia.

Due to their instinct to kill and consume smaller animals, Border Terriers often destroy, and sometimes eat, toys that are insufficiently robust. Indigestion resulting from eating a toy can cause the appearance of illness. Typical symptoms include lethargy, unwillingness to play, a generally 'unhappy' appearance, lack of reaction to affection, and inability or unwillingness to sleep. These symptoms are generally very noticeable, however, they are also present just prior to Border Terrier bitches being on heat. Food-grade liquid paraffin is often an effective solution to digestive problems caused by the consumption of dog toys. This problem can be avoided by giving the Border Terrier only durable toys.

Border Terriers occasionally have genetic health problems. Some of these include:

• Hip dysplasia
• Perthes disease
• Luxating patella
• Various heart defects
• Juvenile cataracts
• Progressive retinal atrophy
• Seizures
• CECS (Canine Eptiloid Cramping Syndrome 1]

Reliable breeders check all breeding stock for as many of these as possible before breeding.

History

The breed was developed for fox hunting in the area around the border of England and Scotland.

Famous Border Terriers

• Puffy in There's Something About Mary
• Hubble in Good Boy!
• There were several border terriers in Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.
• The Dog in the Wall's Sausage adverts (UK) View adverts on Wall's web site
• There is a border terrier in the ad for Ambien CR sleep aid prescription medication.
• A Border Terrier can be seen on the lap of Old Monty in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film)