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| The Border Terrier is a small dog weighing ideally 5.9 – 7.1 kg for dogs and 5.1 – 6.4 kg for bitches. At that size they don’t take up a lot of room in either the car or the house but they do like to be with people. Borders like to please, so are easy to train. They are intelligent and compete successfully in Obedience and Agility Trials. They are also used as Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and in therapy as hospital visitors. Around the country, some help on dairy farms and sheep and cattle stations. The Border is an attractive little dog with his ‘otter head’ and whiskery muzzle. There are four colours listed in the official standard – Red, Wheaten, Blue and Tan and Grizzle and Tan – the most common colour is Grizzle and Tan, ranging from light to quite dark. Wheatens are practically non-existent these days, with Reds very rare. The coat should be double, a soft undercoat with a harsh outer coat. Regular brushing will keep the coat clean and reduce shedding. The coat does need to be stripped, usually twice a year – most breeders are more than willing to give advice and assistance on this. In general, Borders are a quiet breed, not given to yapping needlessly. If they bark, there is a reason thus they make excellent watch dogs. Given regular exercise and proper feeding, you can expect your Border to live 12 – 16 years or more. Before deciding to own a Border Terrier, please remember that first and foremost, the Border is a working terrier, bred originally to hunt fox and other vermin. They still have a strong hunting instinct and can become totally deaf if they get onto possum or rabbit. They get on well with other dogs and are generally happy healthy little dogs.They usually get on well with the family cat but are often not so good with strange cats. However, they are a loving companion and family pet, adapting to town or country living. They get on very well with children. They will fossick for hours with a small boy, happily play picnics and rides in the dolls pram with a small girl, walk for miles with Mum or go hunting with Dad with equal joy. A list of breeders of Border Terriers can be obtained from the New Zealand Kennel Club, Phone 0900 536635. I would most sincerely like to thank Catherine Lambert of Talex Border Terriers, UK for supplying the photos for this profile. ( and don’t you love Talex One More Thyme in her field of flowers!!! This page is sponsored by "The Border Bulletin", a quarterly newsletter for Border Terrier enthusiasts. Mary Whittington. |
