History of origin
The Border Terrier is not an ancient breed. In its modern form, these dogs appeared in the second half of the XNUMXth century in Great Britain, and got their name from the fact that their homeland is the border between England and Scotland (from the English “border” – “border, frame”).
Despite the fact that by that time there were many burrowing hunting dogs, none of them completely satisfied the hunters, since they all had their vulnerable sides. And so, by crossing several native breeds, a small dog was obtained with excellent working qualities and good character. Moreover, these fox hunters turned out to be very unpretentious in content.
The task of the border terriers was to drive the animal out of the hole to a flock of hounds. This is the most dangerous part of the hunt, because the dog had to grapple with a predator in a narrow, cramped and cavity devoid of lighting holes, and this fight usually went not for life, but for death.
Today, Border Terriers are one of the few representatives of their breed group that still perform hunting functions, because in Britain fox-baiting is still a favorite pastime of the aristocracy.
In addition, today the positive disposition of these dogs has found another application: in European countries they are bred in nursing homes and hospices, where they brighten up the last days of the elderly and sick people, giving them their optimism and energy. I would like to hope that this wonderful tradition will take root in our country.
Breed description
Although the Border Terrier is one of the smallest dogs of its class, when you look at nothing, you will never say that you have a miniature dog in front of you – their whole appearance speaks of strength, endurance and performance. The Border Terrier is harmoniously built and by no means as stretched out horizontally as other burrowing breeds, such as the Dachshund or the Jack Russell Terrier. He has a very peculiar muzzle, more like an otter’s head than a dog’s – it is quite short, but not massive, like a pit bull. Rigid hair forms a beard, mustache and thick, partially hiding the eyes, eyebrows on the muzzle. The eyes are rather large with an attentive look, the ears are triangular hanging, the tips are directed forward. The tail is thick and set low. The paws are quite long, thanks to which these dogs are able to easily run after mounted hunters.
The coat is hard, thick, reminiscent of a wild boar, the colors are wheaten, wild boar, black-backed, gray-haired with red, blue with red.
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Character
This is perhaps one of the most balanced and friendly terriers, which at the same time has not lost its working qualities. Borderers are very fond of their family, especially children, with whom they communicate on an equal footing and are ready to mess around all day long. And in case of danger, this little hunter will fight to the death for his masters with his characteristic fearlessness.
Despite their small size, Border Terriers are not at all hysterical, like some other “pocket” dogs, but they are completely transformed when faced with prey. They have no equal in hunting. And it is these hunting instincts that must be taken into account by owners who are not going to engage in fox baiting. When letting the border out of the habit, you need to be completely sure that the dog will come up at the first call, and will not run away somewhere, chasing the unlucky cat.
Care and maintenance
The Border Terrier is one of the most unpretentious hunting dogs. Borders easily tolerate temperature changes, they are very strong and hardy, and their coat does not need special care. Unless twice a year – in spring and autumn – it needs to be plucked out, because it almost does not fall out. If this is not done, the dog will quickly begin to resemble an old doormat. But cutting the borders is not worth it.
These dogs are very active by nature, so they need regular physical activity – they will not be satisfied with short walks in the yard and will start throwing out unspent energy at home. But running in nature or at least in the park and talking with other dogs is real happiness.
Education and training
Of course, dogs that are purposefully acquired for hunting go through a special training, but even if you do not plan to travel with other English aristocrats to hunt foxes, the Border Terrier must be properly educated. And all this should start from an early age.
Be prepared for the fact that the puppy will try to impose his will on you: he will start whining insistently, demanding that he be put on the sofa, taken to bed or satisfy some other “I want” of him, but you need to be firm and not indulge the whims of the little stubborn . Otherwise, he will never listen to you again, concluding that the owner is weaker than him.
Pay special attention to the “come to me” command, because, like all four-legged hunters, border terriers love to go somewhere on their own business.
In general, border terriers are so smart that they catch commands literally on the fly.
Health and disease
Having formed in the harsh climate of Foggy Albion, the Border Terriers got very good health. They rarely catch colds, are unpretentious to feed and are able to withstand great physical exertion, and their coarse coat protects the skin from injury. Of course, there are exceptions to any rule, and these dogs can also be prone to various diseases, such as allergies, disorders of the musculoskeletal system, eyes and other organs, but this does not happen often. It is much more likely that a border terrier will pick up a tick while frolicking in nature, so it is necessary to treat the dog from ectoparasites. Also, do not neglect the annual vaccination against common diseases.
Word to the breeder
Natalya Lebedeva, owner of the Miksmira border terrier kennel (the kennel is 12 years old) says:
– The Border Terrier is a very intelligent dog, extremely human-oriented, he is quite calm compared to other terriers.
Easily trained in almost any discipline. He loves walking in the forest and morning jogging. Unpretentious in content, non-staining wool. There is a very healthy livestock in Our Country and perhaps soon they will be quite common.
Now they are more often taken by people who love an active lifestyle, who want a dog of a convenient size (but not a dwarf) to accompany everywhere.
Natalya Rassokhina, breeder at the Iz Lesnogo Krai kennel, Nizhny Novgorod adds:
– The Border Terrier is compact, comfortable and cozy at home, but active and assertive at work. Initially, this is a hunting burrow terrier, which is still successfully used as an indispensable assistant in hunting. But also now the border is a great companion that will suit an active person.
The appearance of the Border Terrier is discreet, but unique, the head should resemble the head of an otter, which makes the Border Terrier memorable.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about the content of border terriers with zoo engineer, veterinarian Anastasia Kalinina: