Hmmmm - Norfolk, Border or Jack Russell Terrier?

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Acolyte

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At the moment I have got a lurcher and a greyhound, both getting slightly elderly in years, so after Christmas I am thinking about getting a puppy. I love greyhounds and will always have one, but now quite fancy having a small dog as the 'other' dog (although yes, I will end up having 3 for a while
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Any views on which is best - a Norfolk, Border or Jack Russell? I am looking for something which I can take down to the yard with me, although it won't be running around loose so I'm not worried about it disapearing. But after (OMG, I have just worked out...) 20 years of sight hounds something which doesn't chase would be wonderful
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Border terriers are bred to follow the hunt, and horses, and to seek and destroy vermin, on or under ground.

I have one greyhound and two borders:-

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When border 1 was tiny I used to carry him on the horse, then drop him on the lane and walk him with the horse. He loved that above everything else!

Borders don't moult as they are rough haired.

Now they seek and put up game (especially rabbits) in the bushes and greyhound waits and gives chase when things pop out!
 
My female border sticks by my side when I walk, doesn't go further than about 80 yards, the male can sometimes wander, but gives up chasing if it's too quick for him.

Nature wise, I would recommend the male one's breeder (Essex) he has never, ever growled at any human (or other dogs for that matter!) and has allowed me to strip him by hand for hours, bless him, now I clip them.
 
Love the pic - and your dogs
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That is a really good point, had forgotten about stripping Borders - my mum will do it for me, she clips dogs professionally, but how often would it need doing? Would have to take the dog to her (1 1/2 hour drive & quite a lot of diesel!)
 
after working with all three breeds i would say the norfolk has gotta be the cutest they are so lovable, used to have one come and stay alot at the kennels and he used to love coming down and hated going bk home coz his owner was disabled so didnt get the same interaction with ppl and dogs.
 
Stripping can be left, (to drop out!) or can be done about every four months, or longer.

Depends how you want them to look. In the pic, they are about due.

But as I said I have gone over to clipping them now, just don't use the horse clippers it breaks them! Buy a dead cheap human clipper, from any supermarket, and go for it!
 
Thats really useful to get a comparison! Mum has a friend who breeds Norfolks so she is going to ask them if they are planning to have a litter some time - I suppose an advantage of JRTs is that they are a lot more readily available, but I think all 3 breeds are really sweet
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Borders, Borders, Borders, Borders,................did I say Borders??????????????????
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Fantastic breed, we've had them for 35 years now. They're happy to be with you, love ratting so ideal for the yard but can equally curl up on the bed too. How can you resist this sort of thing?

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ps: stripping is easy, I used to do them when asleep in front of the fire or while on my lap; just using scissors for tummies and feet. I clip them now too though they're hairy yaks atm!
We've never bred or known a nasty B but I would be failing if I didn't tell you that sometimes you can get a bitch which won't accept another bitch and once they start they'll always need an eye kept on them; they have memories like an elephant for something like that! Dogs don't seem to have that problem somehow. We showed Linnet with some success; in a line up another bitch, not standing anywhere near us, not even in the same class, flew across at her and tore her ear so we always made a point of not standing by that bitch in future. A year later, that bitch walked past us while L was sitting on my lap and flew at her again for no reason, poor L was nearly in shock!
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That other bitch had no problems with any other dog and had not met L before the first time so why she flew we have no idea, but she hadn't forgotten L had she?!
 
Thanks
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, your photo sums them up - always interested and friendly. The top photo is the younger one Ted who is 6 months and a little rascal, Archie however is so good you forget he's there, both love the yard, are sensible around the horses but Ted's best thing is going in the lorry.
 
Border!!!! I don't know any Norfolk terriers but I would definitely have a border over a JRT!! They are FAB!
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They have bags of character in an adorable way... I find JRT's can have bags of character in a slightly irritating way!!
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(Sorry all JRT owners!!)
 
JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACKS!!! LMAO!
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All 3 of mine are fab with other dogs, people and horses. I often take mine down the stables with me. Actually I'd happily live with all 3 of those breeds, nearly had a BT myself - ended up with my 1st JR, though she's BT colour:
She's the one in the middle (obviously
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) the other two are her son and daughter:
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Just voting JRT 'cos they're what I have! And how can you resist the cuteness:
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My dog has a fascination for a female Border at the park--she can't stop humping her
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Anyway...

I've only ever met sweet Borders and Norfolks, but my experience with Jacks has been very mixed.

I know a lovely Bedlington Terrier and soft-coated Wheatens are darlings. Have you thought about either of those breeds?
 
I had a Border x Patterdale for 14 years. Mad as a bag of frogs, would run away to go hunting at every opportunity, I would be pleading/yelling my head off and he's just jog off down the road, his stumpy little tail going in slow circles while he looked over his shoulder at me (canine version of two fingers).
Fantastic dog, bred by a Dartmoor Hunt to flush foxes from the rocks, but he didn't do the job so they gave him to me (false pretences, they said they had a lurcher to give away
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). My daughter grew up with him, he was her best friend, he also lived with greyhounds, I think he grew very thick skin on his neck because they were always picking him up by it, but he actually got on with them very well, led them astray though. Great little dogs terriers. I think they are like shetlands, you either love them or hate them.
Deefa at about 2 years.......oh, did I say that I could never keep him out of any sort of water either?
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With Evie some years later:
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Definitely wouldnt get a JRT. Have known a couple of gorgeous ones, but that has sadly been outweighed by some very quirky, occasionally vicious ones too!
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OH's family have always had borders - he has a 14yr old border boy now, and his sister has a 7yr old. Both lovely dogs, but incredibly ignorant, single minded and disobedient! But rather lovable too! But they DO moult....dont be told otherwise! Morse is stripped every year, but still moults all year round!

Norfolks are lovely - I would choose a Norfolk out of the three every time - but they are incredibly expensive. OH was thinking of gettin a Norfolk next time, but we cant find any nice ones under £1000!!!!!
 
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Definitely wouldnt get a JRT. Have known a couple of gorgeous ones, but that has sadly been outweighed by some very quirky, occasionally vicious ones too!
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OH's family have always had borders - he has a 14yr old border boy now, and his sister has a 7yr old. Both lovely dogs, but incredibly ignorant, single minded and disobedient! But rather lovable too! But they DO moult....dont be told otherwise! Morse is stripped every year, but still moults all year round!

Norfolks are lovely - I would choose a Norfolk out of the three every time - but they are incredibly expensive. OH was thinking of gettin a Norfolk next time, but we cant find any nice ones under £1000!!!!!

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Not being funny, I've already said that I'd have either of the listed Terriers, but there is actually more temperamental issues with BTs than there is in JRs - I didn't know this until recently and would have said that there'd be more issue with JRs.
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You have to be careful with any Terrier, they all have a tendancy to be sharp.

Agree with you 100% re the moulting!!!! Mine are hand stripped 3 maybe 4 times a year and still lose hair - although it's proven that smooth coated dogs lose more hair than a wire
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Norfolks will be expensive, they're not easy to breed. My mum's friend's daughter used to breed them, you're sometimes lucky if you get more than one puppy.
 
jack russells i currently have three.plus a litter of 5 so i might just have to keep one as i would love to keep them all.
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My border is stripped twice a year (puppy hasn't got full coat yet) and doesn't moult and the only dog Archie hates with a passion is a JRT, starts growling at 100 paces
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but no other dog (and both mine are entire) has this reaction. Both keep me in sight and come when called, have not been encouraged to tunnel so don't and are very clever
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OK - just to throw another one into the mix, how about a Lakeland....??

I'd post a piccie of my super boy if I knew how to do it.....

They're great and not as common as other breeds (by common I mean in number not class before anybody takes offence!!!)
 
A vote for Jack russels here!!
We've had a couple and they've been fab dogs!
The one we've got now comes down the yard with me and follows me when i am on foot and on horseback. But she also loves curling up on the sofa with you! She's a really loyal dog who just loves spending time with you.
And not a nasty streak in her!
 
I've never known a border to be anything than super loving with people though - but they can be little shits with anything furry!! Including little dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits.... the list goes on!
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I do think Borders are more loving pets than JRT's though, but obviously everyone has different experiences. Terriers are all pretty similar really aren't they! All little shits but very cute!
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