A member of the Terrier group, The Border Terrier has a weather resistant coat with a hard, wiry outer coat and soft undercoat that repels most dirt. The coat requires regular brushing to keep it's appearance neat and tidy.
These little guys are often mistaken as mixed breed dogs because of their plain good looks. Show Borders should be hand-stripped to tidy up their coat for the show ring.
Please keep in mind that hand-stripping is a very lengthy plucking method used to groom many dog breeds. Overall, Borders are considered a quiet breed, not given to yapping needlessly. If they bark, there is a reason for it, making them excellent watch dogs.
In the field he is referred to as "hard as nails;" as a family companion he is good-tempered, affectionate, obedient, and very easily trained. Border Terriers were used to hunt fox and badger.
The BT is not aggressive and gets along well with other dogs, large household pets, cats (if raised with them and socialized with them early on) as well as horses. Because of his terrier instinct, this breed does have a high prey drive toward smaller animals.
Watch a few Borders in action
They have a compact but sturdy body, and an otter-like head which easily sets him apart from many of the other terrier breeds. He also tends to have long legs, for his size, that enable him to easily keep up with much larger dogs. The Border often works with hounds even today.
The Border stands around 9-11 inches at their shoulder and weighs typically between 11 - 15 pounds. They are the smallest of all of the working terriers.
The Border loves children and is friendly, affectionate, alert, sensible, and a sensitive member of the family.
Male dogs weigh 13-15 pounds; bitches, 11-14 pounds. They do need a lot of exercise though, but grooming is very minimal.
Country of origin: Between England and Scotland Lifespan: 15 years Colors: Red, tan, blue and tan, grizzle and tan Known health problems: Hip dysplasia, Perthes disease, Luxating patella, Various heart defects, Juvenile cataracts, Progressive retinal atrophy, Seizures, Canine Epileptoid Cramping Syndrome Famous BT's: Hubble in "Good Boy!"; Puffy in "There's Something About Mary"
What kind of life a dog . . . acquires. I have sometimes tried to imagine by kneeling or lying full length on the ground and looking up. The world then becomes strangely incomplete; one sees little but legs." - E V Lucas
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