Border Terrier

[Dizzle]

Advantages and disadvantages please.

We had border x puppies at the yard in the summer, I fell in love but it wasn’t to be now in the position to get a dog and I keep getting drawn back to Borders and Border X’s (ideally I want the puppy I fell in love with at the yard back but that isn’t going to happen )

So, advantages and disadvantages of a border terrier please, house has a garden and the option to install a dog flap, dog would be alone for around four hours twice a day (although this would in reality be less as OH doesn’t always work the same hours to me) house is opposite a park so easy dog walking and dog would also be coming to the yard once or twice a day with me.

Only slight issue is that OH thinks a Border is going to be smelly as they’re wire haired, I’m not too worried about that to be honest (ok, OH is a total townie and his family never had pets, he doesn’t realise but he’s got used to the smell of horse over the last four years, he’ll get used to dog!)

 

[PucciNPoni]

Advantages
Cheap to keep

They don't require much feeding, or grooming for that matter. Grooming, 2x a year handstripping (or 4x a year clipping but would recommend the former). IF you can't find a professional groomer to h/s your dog, it's not that difficult to DIY with relatively few pieces of equipment to get. Just need a bit of time (a self taught beginner might take 3-6 hours to do it, a pro will have it done in 3 hrs or less).
Tend to be rather healthy, so long as you can keep the weight under control (greedy!)

Lovely natured dogs

Happy to adapt. Mine is a couch potato. Many are yard dogs. They tend to be whatever you want them to be.

Disadvantages
Can be somewhat prone to aggression to other dogs. Many are not, but many just don't like other dogs.
You must have a good hoover! I have blonde dust bunnies round my kitchen regularly.
They bark VERY loudly, but generally not yappy. Just when they do announce something, it's usually at very high dB


Oh, and as for the wiry hair being smelly? Nahhhh. I find my poodle to be a much smellier dog. For some reason I notice smells on him much sooner than I ever do the BT. BT gets a bath maybe 4x a year. Poodle at least monthly! But with a little chalk and a good brushing technique, you can even avoiding bathing if you're handstripping the coat. Sometimes I find it necessary to bathe client's BTs when they come in for h/s but usually it's just the legs if they have poor aim while cocking their legs. Never had that problem with a bitch.

Love my BT, and will deffo have another someday.

 

[Maesfen]

^^^^^^^^ Spot on! Bred Borders for years and miss them terribly now they've all gone; real little characters especially when they're the one and only dog. Just need to watch that your garden is extremely secure as they can get through the eye of a needle if they put a mind to it and they can easily work out how to jump on something to get them out of there!

 

[Clodagh]

Male borders can be quite headstrong and aggressive and hard to train in my excperience. The bitches are generally sweeties but compared to a lab they are incredibly difficult to housetrain.
We have one who is very yappy but she was rehomed for just that reason so can hardly complain about it. Shes my OHs dog and is incredibly faithful and loving, she wants to be with him all the time.

We get Pop clipped once a year now shes old as she always hated being stripped, when she was younger it was muzzle her and go for it but now shes old we don't worry about her appearance. Her coat never got loose like our other borders used to, my m-in-law has two and handstrips them over a few days, they don't look as smart as a pro job but look fine.

 

[Dizzle]

The OH has a Dyson

Would a border be ok left at home for a few hours? We are right in the middle of town so barking might be an issue, but I figure if they have access to indoors and out they might be ok? Or would that make it worse? Garden is enclosed so they wouldn’t have issues with people or dogs wondering past, current owner has a dog so I figure it’s pretty secure.

 

[Clodagh]

Any puppy is not going to be keen being left for 4 hours but it won't do them any harm - they might trash the house though! By the time they are grown ups they will be used to it and quite accepting I should think.

 

[littlemisslauren]

I love Borders, I cant imagine my life without one.

We lost my first boy this summer. He was 15 years old and was the best dog I have ever known. He grew up with me and my younger brother and never once looked at either of us the wrong way. He would literally go all day if you let him, he de - ratted my stable regularly, came on hacks with me (I lost him once.... I DO NOT recommend this...) went out hunting various furries with my dad (he went in all the scary holes that the others wouldnt touch) but then he was perfectly happy with a spot by the fire.

My current bitch is 2 in march and is such a daddys girl. Her main love (after her daddy) is sleep. She is snoozing on the sofa right now and will happily stay there all day. She LOVES everyone that steps foot through the door but i doubt she would have a clue what to do with a rat. She chases cats and would get out of the garden to get one if she could.

Garden security it very important with borders. My old boy escaped regularly, one day when he was off on his jollies he get his head stuck in a badger snare, he trotted hom eafew hours later like nothing had happened with his neck is shreds. He also broke a leg not long before he was PTS and he didnt make a sound.... just lay there waiting for us to realise. He never showed pain.

I havent noticed them to smell?? Betsy is bathed every few months (just because she likes it really), my old boy was bathed once or twice a year.

 

[Maesfen]

Any puppy is not going to be keen being left for 4 hours but it won't do them any harm - they might trash the house though! By the time they are grown ups they will be used to it and quite accepting I should think.

Better still, get two that way they do have company and can keep each other amused.
I wouldn't be happy allowing pup run of both the garden and the house; would far prefer it confined in the house if ever you are out as they can be highly sought after by dog thieves and just supposing it found a hole or someone called and let it out unknowingly; far better to have it confined to the house (or a garden shed for that matter than on open view to all and sundry). For safety, I would get a large crate which can double as a bed so it's not a punishment thing but more their own private space. Once you know they are good and don't trash anything then you can go out and leave the crate door open.

 

[PucciNPoni]

Better still, get two that way they do have company and can keep each other amused.

LOL, that's always MY argument. In fact, we have at any time between 2 and 3. I always argue that as the oldest one starts getting old, it's time to get a third dogs so that the middle dog is never left as an only dog, should the oldest die unexpectedly.

 

[Dizzle]

I think two dogs might be pushing it, OH has only just clocked that the dog is a joint expense (as opposed to the horse which I pay for!) although two would be nice, maybe a rescue and a puppy... (Hummm, think OH might move out if I do!!!!)

 

[ladyearl]

Lovely breed and not too smelly at all (unless you count rolling in sh@@). Great characters! Will go off on a scent so training is a must. I walk one who is home alone all day (4 days a week) apart from my walk, it's his routine and he's quite happy with it. If anyone asks me about a good family dog this is one I recommend.

 

[zoelouisem]

My friends hubby has one it was his first dog and he's been perfect for him. He's not the cleverest dog going but has been so easy for him to train, doesn't bark ever and I can vouch for that as I live above them!!!
He happily accepted a cat into the house recently in fact he plays with the cat. I have him stay over and regularly and he's excellent with my daughter in fact he adores her. As others have said he's a greedy bugger!!! But got to say he has the smelliest breath ever !!!! Lol

 

[numptynoelle]

I very nearly took one on a while back (jesus, make that about 2 years ago ) - he was a cracking wee dog - definitely needed his exercise but was happy once he got a good hoon Had a scarily good recall and was just a good natured wee soul. Happy chappy

Don't think I'd hesitate if I got the offer of one like him again...I'll definitely have one of my own one day

 

[Bay2]

Our BT was 3 at Xmas and she is a fab little dog with a great character. She hardly ever barks although has now taken to defending the garden from the next door cat by barking at it (but would make a rubbish guard dog as she never barks at people). She is left all day by herself (we have a dog walker who comes at lunch time) and she's fine...sleeps most of the day. When we work from home she huffs and takes herself to a different room for some peace and quiet! They do sometimes have recall issues, they love to chase things, especially small furry things but so far (touch wood) she has always come back. We did go to a lot of training classes though! As for smell...ours does but only because she likes to pretend she's a fox by rolling in fox poo whenever she can! She's great with horses and children but she has absolutely no road sense...would walk in front of a bus given the chance. But she's must be a bit unique as she's never tried to escape. I guess they're all different!

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

Get a Working Strain Lakeland any day

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

DO NOT GET A BORDER TERRIER. Repeat x 20. My little ***** of a BT has peed twice indoors today - there are various male builders working at the house - and despite having free access into the garden, he clearly believes his position is threatened by them (he is second-in-command to me, OH is waaay down). He's peed up against their toolboxes and equipment.

 

[stargirl88]

If you are totally set on getting a puppy, in regards to leaving it alone... I would suggest getting a pet sitter to come to your house to be honest, or maybe taking it to a GOOD.... STRESSING ON THE WORD GOOD!!!!!! dog day-care place (a decent one could be god to keep socialisation up also)...... and then in the meantime you can work on increasing the time it's left alone.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

Stargirl makes some good points. If you had an adult. then four hours left to their own devices would be of no concern, but an eight week old pup, with a much smaller bladder and less control may be a problem. Yes, you can leave newspaper/giant nappies on the floor but it may well hinder toilet training. (says she, whose BT has pee'ed twice indoors today, oh the irony). I'm positive there are ways round this but it may take a bit more planning.

 

[Luci07]

If you look on Border Welfare they have some 18 dogs looking for homes. Rescue remedies based in the south have a large terrier section too. While I appreciate you miss the cute puppy stage, having a rescue would mean being able to really have a dog or 2(!) that will be happy with your lifestyle. The biggest downside about BTs that I have seen is that, sadly they really are a focus dog for thieves. I have known 3 people locally to me in the last couple of years who had their BTs stolen. Not helped by the fact that a lot of BTs do love to get out when they shouldn't. ..