Border Terrier: breed description, education and maintenance

Probably, it is impossible to find another dog with such a huge reserve of vital energy, like that of a border terrier. Representatives of this breed never get tired and are constantly on the move, so they are often participants in various sporting events. To grow such a pet healthy and beautiful, you need not only to know the rules of its content, but also to be able to make a diet for it.

Breed Border Terrier first appeared in the middle of the XVIII century in one of the Anglo-Scottish provinces. These dogs owe their origin to hunters. At that time, hunting of the burrowing animal was especially popular, but it was difficult to catch it on the border of two regions located in mountainous areas.

Therefore, for many years hunters worked hard to breed a powerful and extremely hardy dogs, not afraid of sharp canines of animals and able to penetrate deep into the holes. In Scotland, the first Border Terriers were called Cockerdale Terriers, and in England - Riversdale Terriers.

In 1920 the very first official standard of this breed was approved, its representatives were given the name Border Terrier, which in translation means a hunting (border) terrier. Throughout its existence, representatives of this breed were used not only for hunting, but also for other areas. For example, the Swiss trained these dogs to save people.

As for the European countries, in them Borders, as a rule, were kept to protect the farms from the invasion of rodents. At the beginning of the twentieth century, sport fox hunting began to enjoy immense popularity;

Despite the nondescript appearance of animals, the price in European countries is high and stays at this level for decades. This is explained by the number of border terriers is small, dogs are attributed even to rare breeds.

Seeing this breed for the first time, you might be surprised that it really is a hunter. After all, the representatives of the Border Terriers have quite a pretty appearance, small size and different decorative appearance. In fact, these animals are very mobile, active and enduring. After a long movement, such dogs are able to dig the ground, dive into the manholes and seize prey, engaging with it in a fight.

The height of these funny dogs is up to 34 cm at the withers (it is standard for females and males). As for weight, females usually weigh from 5.2 to 6.4 kg, and males - from 5.9 to 7 kg. Purebred border terrier fits the following description.

• Head its shape resembles the head of an otter, it is flat and small. The forehead is sloping and smoothly passes into the nose.
• Muzzle. It is shorter than the line of the forehead, has a straight wide nose and neat rims. On the face are placed cheeks and slightly tightened eye sockets.
• Nose. His ear can be colored both dark brown and black. All dogs of this breed have a proportional nose.
• Teeth. The animal’s special power is characterized by incisors and canines. The dog's teeth are set close together, forming a bite of the type of "ticks" or "scissors."
• Ears. Fit tightly on the sides of the head and hang down on the cartilage. They are small and have a triangular shape.
• Eyes. The look of a dog is alert, interested, attentive, with a lively glitter. This is what the wide-set almond-shaped eyes do. The color of the iris can be black or dark brown. Expressive mimicry give the animal a moving eyebrows.
• Torso. Dogs of this breed are characterized by a strong and properly folded body. The neck is covered with lean muscles, slightly elongated and proportional, has a slight bend. On the body of the animal is clearly visible tubercle of the neck and withers. The back smoothly passes into the croup and muscular loin, the sternum with ribs has an average depth, it is not wide. The line of the abdomen moderately tightened and is ideally flat line.
• Limbs. This part of the body is located parallel to the body. Paws at Border flat and elongated, while the rear more strong. The front and hind legs are gathered into a clump and pads that are covered with dense skin. Due to this structure of the limbs, the animal moves freely.
• Tail medium sized, strong and thick. It is high (at the level of the back or slightly higher), tapers towards the end. Purebred representatives of the breed are not allowed to twist the tail in the "donut".
• Wool. The colors of dogs can be different, ranging from blue to tan, light red and ending with a brown shade of gray. The hairs are hard and dense, while the undercoat is not very thick. Puppies at birth resemble fluffy lumps. In adults, the face has a beard and a mustache.

If the pet has any differences with the above description, this indicates the rejection of the breed. The standard is quite strict, so even minor deviations are not allowed. To be sure of the purebredness of a pet, experts recommend purchasing puppies with pedigree.

Ultra-mobile and active boarders are demanding for training and long walks in the fresh air. The character of dogs is formed under the influence of realized natural instincts. Since the representatives of this breed differ in their curious disposition, they are on every walk trying to find a new object of hunting.

Each Border Terrier has a deep hunting instinct, so being at home, he can be kind, affectionate and positive, and while hunting he immediately turns into an absolutely ruthless, aggressive and ferocious animal. Even if you grow a pet near small animals, its nature of behavior is difficult to predict.

Border terriers can not be attributed to avid homebody, who prefer to lie on the couch all day. They are looking for any reason to go for a walk. Dogs of this breed like to be close to their owner, but at the same time they are not inclined to impose themselves. It is very difficult for such dogs to endure loneliness, so the content on the chains is not suitable for them If the pet remains for a long time without attention and communication with the household, he will not only become very bored, but also turn into an evil animal.

Since the character of the border terrier is not too simple, it is recommended to start such pets only for those owners who have free time for walking and playing. In addition, the four-legged friend will have to give a lot of love and care, and also pay attention to the activities and training with him. If the owner spends the bulk of his life at work, then it is impossible to start such a pet, as this will amount to many difficulties for both the animal and man.

The main feature of the breed of border terrier is a huge attachment of pets to the owner. They not only give a positive mood during games and walks, but are also able to fill the house with a benevolent atmosphere.The advantages of the breed include the leadership of these dogs.

As for the minuses of the breed, these include:

• a highly developed hunting instinct that does not allow other animals (birds and rodents) to start in the house;
• walking such dogs is possible only in the fenced areas, as any “game” in the form of cats, rodents and birds will be pursued by a hunter.

Borders are known for excellent health, so they usually have a life expectancy of 13 to 16 years. However, this indicator may differ, as it depends on hereditary factors and conditions of detention. Often, life of pets is shortened by diseases such as obesity (caused by improper diet) and dysplasia of the elbow, hip joints. To prolong the life of the dog, the owner must systematically check the health of the pet with the doctors and provide him with a balanced diet.

Pets of this breed can be kept both in a country house and in an apartment. If the owner is going to start a dog in an apartment, then he should be prepared for the fact that she will have to provide not only long walks, but also physical exertion. The acquired pet must be allocated in the house a separate place for rest and sleep. It is desirable that it be far away from drafts and heating devices. At the same time, experts recommend installing special houses for dogs, equipped with a sunbed, mattress and many other items necessary for the existence of the animal.

If we consider the care of border terriers in general, they are not too whimsical. You should regularly take care of the hair, exposing it to trimming. This procedure consists of hand plucking off dead hair, giving the opportunity to grow new. If you do not trim, the dog will begin to shed heavily and a lot of wool will appear in the house. Besides, Every 3 days it is necessary to brush the fur of the animal with a special brush.

Also in the care of a dog should provide daily examination of the ears and eyes. It is best to do this immediately upon arrival from a walk or a hunt. Animals love to rush in the thickets and grass, which increases the risk of picking up various parasites, including ticks. As the eyes become contaminated, they should be wiped with a cotton swab dipped in boiled water, and their ears with cotton buds soaked in baby oil.

Besides, Pet is recommended as often as possible to treat soft cartilage, which help clean the plaque from the teeth. You should not forget about clipping claws - a similar procedure is performed 1 time per month.

Border terriers are referred to as "omnivorous" breeds, since by their nature they are considered to be true gluttons. Therefore, the owner, making for them the diet and daily menu, should correctly calculate the number of meals. It is advisable to feed your pet no more than 3 times a day, dividing the daily rate into small portions. Due to this, the animal's stomach will not stretch and it will not be able to gain excess weight.

Puppies before the age of 3 months is recommended to feed only natural food. Starting with 4 months of life, your pet can enter dry food in the menu, soaking the granules in milk or water.. Since representatives of this breed are distinguished by high energy and efficiency, it is necessary to constantly monitor the energy value of the products that they consume. Concerning giving them ready-made feeds is much easier, because they have all the information about all the components and vitamins in the composition. Many breeders also prefer a mixed type of food.

Representatives of the Border Terrier breed are known for good intelligence, but they mature compared to other types of dogs much later. Since these pets have a natural stubbornness, they should take into account their sensitive character when training them and not allow a rude attitude. The animal picks up the change in intonation and reacts sharply to any touch.

Therefore, to cheer up and calm the pet, it is enough to “strew” it approving words and a delicate pat. In addition, it is worth noting that boarders react strongly to extraneous noises, therefore they need to try to accustom early to the street and loud sounds.

Loud barking in an apartment or house can cause a lot of inconvenience. To prevent this, experts recommend teaching how to bark a dog exclusively on command. You should start raising your pet immediately after its appearance in the house. To simplify the learning process, it is best performed in a playful way. You can not overload the dog with lengthy training.

There are many positive and skeptical reviews about the Border Terrier dog breed. Most dog breeders singles out in such pets dedication, affection for the owner and friendliness. But they can be obtained only with good contact with a pet. For many, such friendliness may seem too intrusive, so if the owner is not ready for such “relations”, this animal is better not to start.

Some breeders don't like the fact that border terrier requires a special approach to trainingas it is considered a school animal and does not know how to make contact with representatives of other breeds and other pets.

For more information about the border terrier, see the next video.