Border Terrier | Dog Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

Last Updated on October 22, 2022 by Pets Feed

The Border Terrier is a dog that is valued primarily for its wonderful character, friendly disposition and ability to quickly adapt to any living conditions.

The appearance of the representatives of the breed is unremarkable, but nature compensated for this by rewarding the boarders with strength, endurance and dexterity.

By socializing this dog properly and spending the time it needs, the Border Terrier is an obedient and very loving dog with children, as long as they have been educated to respect animals.

For centuries, the Border Terrier has been used as a hunting dog for martens, foxes and other burrowing animals. In the modern world, he has been re-qualified as a pet, which is not used in hunting.

Breed name	Border Terrier
Country of origin	England
Weight	5 – 7 kg
Height (at the withers)	33 – 40 cm
Life expectancy	15 years
Size	Small

Border Terrier photos

Border terrier physical characteristics

Although the Border Terrier is one of the smallest dogs in its class, its appearance speaks of strength, endurance and performance. The Border Terrier is harmoniously built and by no means as horizontally elongated as other burrowing breeds, such as the Dachshund or the Jack Russell Terrier.

The Border Terrier has a solid physique. Despite his small size, he is strong and muscular.

The weight of adult specimens is 5-7 kg. The height is about 33-40 cm.

• Head: The skull is moderately broad. The muzzle is short. The head resembles the head of an otter.
• Jaws: Scissor bite, right bite allowed. The jaws are powerful. The teeth are complete.
• Ears: The ears are small, V-shaped, pointing forward. The ears are close to the cheekbones, hanging down.
• Eyes: The eyes are oval, set relatively wide. The color is dark.
• Frame: The body is elongated. The chest is wide. The belly is well proportioned. The back is strong and muscular.
• Limbs: The legs are parallel to each other, straight, fairly long. The legs are oval. The pads are thick.
• Coat: The coat is double coated. The undercoat is dense, reminiscent of felt. The outer coat is short and coarse. Has a characteristic beard and eyebrows. Color: blue and tan, red, wheaten, black-backed.

Behavior and character

The border terrier is a very active and determined dog. His strong personality is easily noticed, but he does not tend to be a dog with a strong or aggressive character. On the contrary, it is usually very friendly, both with people and with other dogs.

This little dog is particularly child-friendly and can therefore be an excellent pet for families with children old enough to understand that the dog is not a toy. It is not appropriate for families with very young children because they can hurt him, since he is a small dog.

In order to briefly describe the terrier border, this is a fearless, very energetic, ruthless hunting, but friendly and affectionate dog in the home environment.

The Border Terrier is not a decorative, sofa pet. This dog has a balanced character, picky and friendly. This terrier is always ready for active games and fun, but often mischievous, likes to fool around.

This is a very curious dog. It takes every opportunity to explore the world. It is literally interested in everything – sounds, smells, new places, people, animals, birds …

It is curiosity that pushes the border terrier to shoots, to uncontrolled independent walks.

Health

Each owner of the border terrier should familiarize with the list of diseases that his dog is predisposed to:

• Hypothyroidism is a violation of the thyroid gland.
• Joint dysplasia – leads to arthritis, accompanied by severe pain, lameness.
• Cryptorchidism is a hereditary disease in males that results in one or both testes not descending from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum.
• Cardiovascular disease – narrowing of the valve, pulmonary stenosis.
• Dislocation of the patella – immediately or over time causes severe lameness.
• Malocclusion – deformation of the dentition. The sooner the bite is corrected, the easier and faster you can achieve good results.
• Nervous disorders – accompanied by seizures, involuntary bowel movements, depression, lethargy, impaired coordination of movements.
• Perthes disease – characterized by a violation of the blood supply to the femoral head, which subsequently leads to aseptic necrosis.
• Cataract – a violation of the transparency of the lens, leading to decreased vision.
• Dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin that affects its entire structure without forming a rash.
• Allergy – more commonly observed food.

Basic Care

Caring for representatives of the breed is easy. The wool does not get wet or dirty. The dog feels comfortable in cold weather and in the rain.

Caring for a dog’s coat is easy. It is enough to brush your pet once a week. Border Terriers don’t shed much, but they do need to be trimmed to remove dead hair.

• Do not bathe the dog more than twice a year, so as not to wash away the protective layer of the coat. If the dog is dirty, just wipe it with a damp towel.
• The dog’s nails are trimmed twice a month.
• The ears are inspected daily so as not to miss any possible inflammation.
• If necessary, the eyes are washed with a decoction of chamomile.
• Teeth are brushed once a week.

Border Terrier Fun Facts

• The Border Terrier is the smallest of working terriers.
• In some European countries, border terrier dogs are considered excellent therapists who can cheer up even the most inveterate pessimists. That is why these dogs work in nursing homes and in shelters.
• In Sweden, the border terrier dogs are used to search for people in the rubble, in the UK as helpers for the deaf, in the USA, they are an indispensable member of the Search and Rescue team. The team is engaged in the search for missing persons.
• Borders do not suffer from seasickness and like to ride in vehicles.
• Border Terrier dogs are completely not afraid of horses and can freely walk between the hooves of these animals.
• Borders, being in excellent mood, “smile”. They stretch their lips, while showing their teeth, resulting in a funny smile.

Breed history

The Homeland of the Border Terrier is Great Britain. To be precise, this breed appeared from the border areas of England and Scotland.

The history of these terrier dogs dates back to the eighteenth century. In those days, farmers really needed dogs to fight rodents and to hunt foxes, badgers, and other burrowing animals.

Border Terrier breeders tried to maximize the following qualities in dogs:

• The physique is small in size, allowing the terrier to easily penetrate burrows for prey.
• Long limbs so that the dog keeps up with the horses during the hunt.
• Thick, dense coat that protects from cold and natural precipitation.
• Speed, agility, sharpness, so that the border can successfully pursue the game.
• A flocking instinct, hunting requires the coherence of a whole flock of dogs.

When the formation of the Border Terrier was over, the breed representatives met all of the above requirements.

These characteristics are also suitable for modern boarders. Being in comfortable conditions, the descendants of hunting dogs did not lose their abilities.

They are just as small, with long legs, fast and fearless.

Initially, the Border Terrier was known and popular only in its homeland. This continued until the beginning of the twentieth century.

In 1920, the breed was officially recognized. There were clubs of fans of this type. Little terriers are recognized outside the UK.

Border Terrier dogs are more popular in the USA, a little bit less in Europe.