Judy Powell
Border Terriers are English hunting dogs. This is a naturally formed breed, a person practically did not participate in its formation. Representatives participate in hunting foxes and martens with dogs, in which they are helped by their small body size and long strong legs. The Border Terrier is an excellent assistant to the hunter; he is tireless in pursuit and continues to pursue prey in earthen burrows.
Appearance
Border Terriers are highly intelligent and agile hunting dogs from the distant shores of Scotland. It is believed that these are the smallest working terriers: the maximum height at the withers of the breed reaches 40 cm, and the weight is 7.1 kg.
Border Terriers have a strong, slightly elongated body, a straight back, and a strong loin. The limbs are straight, with strong bones, the paws are small with rather thick pads. The head is small, in shape a bit like the head of an otter, the transition from the forehead to the muzzle is clear, the muzzle is short. The eyes are dark in color, the ears are small, in the shape of a triangle, they are raised on the cartilage, but lowered forward and hang down along the cheekbones. The tail is moderately short, tapering to the tip, in the active state it is carried high, not curving over the back.
History
The Border Terrier, or Border Terrier, is the result of farmers’ determined struggle with foxes. It was bred in the 18th century, moreover, it possessed all the necessary qualities in order to effectively hunt these animals, which caused a lot of trouble to the inhabitants of the countryside.
We are talking here not only about the internal qualities, but also about the external structure of the body – a rather narrow body allows the dog to squeeze into holes, thick skin and coarse coat protects well from fox bites, and legs, slightly longer than proportional (in relation to the body), allow pets follow the horse.
In addition, these are hardy dogs that can hunt with their master all day long. At least this was the case in those days, although modern Border Terriers have all the same qualities, although, perhaps, to a somewhat lesser extent. Indeed, in the modern world, foxes no longer cause such trouble, and the breed itself has long been a companion rather than a hunter.
One of the earliest evidence is Arthur Wentworth’s 1754 painting of two frontier terriers. In England, in some areas, these dogs were highly valued, however, outside the country they did not know about them. However, it cannot be said that the breed was widely known in its homeland. But the Border Terrier participated in agricultural shows in Northumberland at the end of the 19th century, although in general dog breeders hardly noticed him until the early 20th century.
In 1920 he was recognized by the English Kennel Club, then the breed club was created. Despite the fact that more than 250 years have passed since the creation of the breed, in fact, these dogs are still little known and not very popular in the world.
Personality
Border Terrier is, first of all, a very kind and affectionate dog. Yes, you heard right, despite the fact that he is a born hunter who knows no mercy for his prey, with his people he is unusually kind and is always ready to help the owner. Moreover, it doesn’t matter what – even if you are just in a bad mood, the dog will try to be there too, just to make you feel supported.
But, first of all, it is a dog with an active and cheerful temperament, which loves funny antics, loves to explore the world around. She is interested in everything – smells under bushes, small animals, other dogs and people, sounds, and new places. If you live in the private sector, your pet will probably try to escape repeatedly in order to fully immerse itself in the exploration of the world around it, because it is so exciting.
If you live in a city apartment, and just walk your dog in the park, you are also not immune to such a trick. Of course, this requires proper education and training in obedience. In addition, this is a terrier, which means he loves to dig the ground, especially since this terrier was specially designed in order to penetrate fox holes.
Residents of private houses can say goodbye to their pristine, perfect lawn, and the same perfect beds of tomatoes. On the other hand, you can fight this – for example, give the dog a separate place to dig holes, although success will not come immediately.
The Border Terrier is very friendly – and there are almost no exceptions here. He is friendly with other dogs, he is friendly with your friends and just strangers on the street, he is just kind-hearted by nature, the only thing that can tune him in a different way is to perform guard functions.
But, you must understand that the dog most likely will not violently attack a person who has entered the territory of your private house without asking. However, it is a very alert dog that has excellent hearing and always warns of the approach of strangers. For children, he is a wonderful friend and companion, he is very patient (although there are still boundaries), smart, and loves to play very much.
By the way, the Border Terrier has a tendency to chew and gnaw everything around, starting with your shoes and ending with the legs of a wooden table, therefore, it is necessary to teach him to chew toys from a very young age. Has a high level of energy, needs daily walks, exercises, and high activity for at least half an hour, and preferably an hour. They get along well with cats if you start at an early age. In the private sector, they can catch rats and moles, and do it mercilessly.
Training
These dogs are not suitable for everyone, because of their love for various activities, games and, in general, their cheerful nature. That is, if you live in the same apartment with this breed, you will definitely not be bored. However, many people love peace, and the Border Terrier will not suit them. Such a character also requires an appropriate approach to training.
That is, you cannot make your workouts boring, long, and monotonous. At the same time, it is necessary to be consistent and to work with the dog accurately on a schedule, while monitoring its reaction. Classes should be active and varied. These dogs are very smart, they can learn a lot of commands, in addition, they understand the signs well – when, for example, you are going to go outside, the dog knows about it only by a hint. Avoid rudeness and aggression, use rewards, and don’t forget about treats.
Care
Caring for dogs of this breed is not too difficult. The animal needs to be bathed, walked, properly fed, combed, and looked after for eyes, ears, and claws on time. The dog needs to be periodically shown to the veterinarian and vaccinated against diseases.
Since these animals belong to the short-haired breed, they can only be combed once a week. Borders’ coat is not long and fits snugly against the undercoat, which means it does not need to be cut.
It is enough for the owner to periodically brush the pet with a stiff brush (optimally, a couple of times a week). In the process of combing, broken off or dead hairs are removed.
Border Terriers are bathed quite rarely, once a month is enough. When bathing, you can only use laundry soap or special dog shampoo. In order for the dog to bathe with pleasure, you should not take a lot of water into the bathroom; it is most convenient to put the dog in an empty bathtub and pour warm water from the shower on top. In this case, care must be taken so that it does not fall into the ears of the animal. After a walk, you can only wash the dog’s paws.
Hygiene
The ears of the Borderline Terrier should be brushed once or twice a month. This is done in order to prevent the development of infectious diseases.
Periodically, you need to rinse your pet’s eyes with cold strong tea leaves or brewed chamomile (1 tablespoon of dry chamomile flowers are added to 0.5 tbsp of boiling water and boil for 5-7 minutes).
As the claws grow, they need to be trimmed using a special animal clipper. These procedures are mandatory for all dog breeds.
Health
With proper care and a balanced diet, boarders feel great and do not experience any ailments. But if you delve into the question of health, it can be noted that diseases such as dysplasia of the hip or elbow joint, cataracts, retinal atrophy, heart abnormalities, and allergic reactions occur in dogs.
Border Terriers are long-lived. On average, they live for 15 years.
Feeding
The menu for the Border Terrier must be prepared with care, as border dogs are often allergic.
Allergic reactions can be caused by any unfamiliar food, so the dog should try new dishes in small portions, and only when the owner is convinced of the safety of this type of food, it can be fully included in the animal’s diet.
Products due to which allergies can occur:
- milk, cottage cheese, cheese, kefir;
- beef, chicken meat; chicken eggs;
- boiled wheat or corn porridge;
- sweets and other sweets;
- pickled, fatty, or smoked meat and fish;
- spicy and strong-smelling condiments;
- peas, soy, and other intestinal fermenting foods;
- chicken or goose tubular bones.
In addition to these products, dogs are poorly absorbed by the body: fresh bread and potatoes. Soft bread can be substituted for soaked bread crumbs or bran grains, and potatoes can be added in small amounts to dog soups.
Walking
The average walking time is 45 minutes. The terrier should be walked 2-3 times a day.
At the same time, 30 minutes should be devoted to training and games.
How to Choose a Puppy
To choose a good puppy, you need to come to the breeder of the breed and observe the puppy in his usual conditions.
You need to pay attention to:
- mobility and activity;
- body weight and proportionality;
- condition of the coat and skin;
- the state of the cornea of the eye (for the absence of conjunctivitis and other diseases).
Observing the puppy, you can immediately notice how actively he moves, whether he gets tired very quickly, whether he looks healthy. The animal should not look too fat or, on the contrary, skinny and undernourished. The baby’s eyes should be clean and clear, the coat should be smooth and without bald spots, the skin under the coat should be light flesh-colored.