Patterdale terriers

[Zobaby]

I'm looking into getting a puppy and have fallen in love with patterdales, as my YO has one and she's just the coolest dog, but i've not actually been able to find out that much about them. I know they are primarily working dogs so need a lot of exercise which is fine. But have they generally got good temprements? Are they good pets? And i also wanted to know if there was a difference in personality between sexes? I know in a lot of breeds, dogs can be more easy going than bitches or whatever, are patterdales the same? Thanks

 

[Clodagh]

We've had lots, all as workers though, not pets. I would never consider one as a pet, they are bred to hunt and kill, they are reknowned for being hard - they are often too hard even for digging foxes as they don't stand back and bay they tend to get right in there.
All were good tempered but the bitch hated other big dogs and put a couple in the vets. Oops.

They haven't yet been ruined by the Kennel Club so are still very much bred for working. Lakelands tend to be a bit easier, IMO, although I expect other people will have different stories!
I will add that all our patterdales bar one were all got as rescues, given to my husband when their owners could no longer cope, so perhaps if got as puppies they would be softer. I wouldn't say there was a lot of difference between the dogs and bitches.

 

[julie1984]

hi i got patterdale and like you fell in love with the breed , they love to work and are very sweet with my kids which are 2 and 6 and they love her sooooooooooo much , dogs are a bit more of a pain in the back side as the 1 i had which sadly died was brillant with every thing apart from other dogs , but fine with pups and bitches , and guess what i got 3 pups left pm for details

 

[EquestrianFairy]

I answered in new lounge, but i have one female- a pain in the arse to train and very stubborn. Agree with above that they are bred to kill and mine has already caught two rabbits in the space of a few weeks. exceptionally friendly and loving and ours came as a rescue but is fab with our dogs and anyone who she comes across!

 

[rubyred]

Agree with above posters. Mine is 6 next year, had him since a puppy.

He is good with other dogs providing I am there and lay down the rules. He has gone for another dog when someone else was holding him. I don't have to do much just a firm "NO" at the first sign of trouble but it needs to come from me. After introductions he is then fairly submissive. There is one notorious dog who went for him a couple of times and it is now his mission to find and kill it. I have to be careful as I think he would do some serious damage.

In the house he is very soft. No worries with my young nieces and likes to spend a lot of time asleep under a fleece.

However out hunting he is as hard as nails and whilst hunting I cease to exist which is a shame as despite trying many training methods his recall does not work if he has a scent of quarry.

Essentially he is a lovely dog but, much as I would love another, I would think long and hard and do more research into training methods first because I don't like him having to spend so much time on a lead.