Today we are looking into the terrier group to give you information and facts about....

the border terrier!!

Border terriers are a small, rough coated breed of the terrier group. They are double coated and are generally hand stripped 1- 2 times a year to rid the dead hair.

Border terriers are well known for their stubborness, but they tend to be friendly and good around children, they can be good with cats if brought up with them but otherwise will most likely chase cats and other small animals. They are very intelligent and do well with training tasks, good exercise and stimulation is important to keep this breed happy. Border terriers do really well in activites such as agility where mental exercise as well as physical is being carried out.

Border terriers were originaly bred by farmers and shepherds to assist containing the loacl fox population. When foxhunting became a sport in the 19th century, the border terrier was used to hunt alongside foxhounds to chase out foxes that had gone underground as the foxhounds were too tall to carry out this task. If the fox would not be chased out the border terrier would stay with the fox and bark to make the hunters about ground aware of the foxes location in order to dig to it, hence their loud bark! This required a mix of independance and intelliegence, the such traits we see in them today. They have also been used to hunt and kill badgers, otters and rodents.

Health problems assosiated with the border terrier are; hip dysplacia, perthes disease, heart defects, juvenile cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, seizures, canine epileptoid cramping syndrome.

Their life span is about 14 years.

Did you know...

The border terrier was purposely bred to have long legs and a small body, this was to keep up with the horses and foxhounds on the hunt but be small enough to fit underground during the chase.

The border terrier was originally refered to as the Reedwater terrier or the Coquetdale terrier depending on the area it was developed. By the late 1800's it was changed to the Border terrier thought to be because of it long assosiation with the border hunt in Northumberland.