Border Terrier

Even if he is a work dog only, the Border Terrier can be openly affectionate (within moderation) with members of his social group, but will never stand to be treated like a mere teddy bear.

Very dynamic and rather jovial, this dog loves to play and is particularly keen on strategy games, which allow him to express his full potential. Warning- it is not advised that children be allowed to play unattended with this little, often unpredictable dog.

Calm is a state he can only find himself in if he has had his share of daily activities. Otherwise, he will certainly let it be known that he’s very bored (destruction, barking, etc.).

Work dogs are often more docile and clever than other types of dog, since they have the inbuilt skills needed to carry out very specialised missions as well as stay focused for long bouts of time. This is indeed the case of this particular dog, who is an excellent work partner to Man.

You can’t mention the word ‘terrier’ without thinking of a hunter, and the Border Terrier is indeed a very good hunting dog, originally used in fox hunting or as a companion to hounds.

With his strong character and his courage, this little dog definitely doesn’t fear strangers, with whom he would rather be curious and jovial.

Unlike most hunting dogs, and especially terriers, this dog is not very independent. He does, of course, appreciate his alone time, but must rely on his master a lot to feel fully at peace.

Finding himself alone is not a situation that this work dog prefers, though he can learn to manage it if he has been progressively and positively accustomed to loneliness, and especially so if this habituation has taken place from his youngest years.

The Border Terrier is a work dog, he does therefore absorb rather rapidly what is asked of him and takes great pleasure in interacting with his master if the latter is respectful, coherent and both firm and gentle at the same time. 

Some basic discipline must be acquired from the pup’s youngest age in order to stop bad habits from developing. In fact, even if he is generally good-natured, his character remains rather strong, and without a strict framework, this dog could rapidly gain the upper hand and do as he pleases.

This dog is not a big barker. Even when he’s impatient and eager to go out and play with his master, he knows how to remain calm and not solicit attention in this way.

However, if left alone and dissatisfied, this little, generally sensitive dog, could start barking: in part to express his frustrations or, quite simply, to keep himself busy.

If he is not sufficiently expended or stumbles across an intriguing trail to follow, this hunting dog could indeed take leave. If he lives in the countryside, it is advised to really secure the home grounds’ perimeter by way of a solid fence.

Actually, even if hailing has been practised and mastered, you must retain that this in fact can never fully be the case with a hunting dog. That is why certain walks (in wide open spaces for instance) will have to take place on a leash.

When left alone for too long, it is more likely that this dog will take out his excessive energy and demonstrate the scale of his boredom by way of causing damage in the house. Actually, being the good terrier that he is, the garden will not remain unscathed by his digging either.

The Border Terrier is gluttonous but not ravenous.

He can be a good watchdog since his intelligence and courage allow him to assess the potential danger of a person or situation. His small size, however, does not make him particularly menacing. It would therefore be rather futile to adopt him for this purpose only.

He can live in a flat but that is not something that he is made for: the perfect habitat for him is the countryside. 

You should never forget that this is a work dog, who will only feel good in his skin if he can express his full potential, out in the open, as often as possible.

A house with a garden where he can stretch his legs and take long walks in the woods seems to be the best possible setting for him.

A true and passionate hunting dog, and very enduring too (he can even follow a horse for several kilometres), he is best suited to owners who will know how to meet his needs. 

Despite his small size, this dog possesses everything his larger cousins do, and requires much stimulation in order to remain content- both in physical and mental terms, but also in terms of his sense of smell.

The small size of this dog allows him to accompany his owners everywhere. However, in order for travel to be a positive experience, it is important to socialise the dog towards humans and towards the various situations he might encounter throughout his life. 

If, from his youngest years, the Border Terrier pup is accustomed to new experiences by his master’s side, prospective travel will be experienced more serenely.

This dog’s very evolved hunting instinct is, unfortunately, incompatible with the presence of a cat at home. Many exceptions do exist however, and even if it remains rare, cat and dog could develop a beautiful friendship and cohabitation if they have grown up side by side. 

This work dog is not very sociable, not to say an absolute lone wolf, especially with dogs of the same sex. The cohabitation of two males could turn out to be impossible, even if they are of the same breed.

A very thorough socialisation must be implemented from the Border Terrier pup’s first months if you want to have any chance at minimising potential damage.

Even if he can get along with children and be a good playmate to them, it is best to limit his contact with infants who could (involuntarily) tend to be disrespectful of the dog. 

At times unpredictable and somewhat aggressive in his reactions, this dog is not the safest bet for cohabitation with the little ones.

This dog is considerably too energetic and hungry for constant action to live with the elderly or with sedentary-minded people.

If you are a hunter, it is indeed a great idea to adopt the Border Terrier as a first dog. For the ‘average’ person looking for a companion dog, however, this breed is not suitable.

It will in fact be necessary to experiment and to have enough time and energy in order to meet this little hunting dog’s many needs.