Border Terriers: any experience?

[Newbie]

I grew up with Border Terriers, my parents have always had them in since they married. They can make very loving & loyal pets but they do require good exercise, similarly they also make great lap dogs. They can be let off the lead, however do love to chase things (rabbits, cats, deer, anything) so as such require training as would any dog. They can be a little snappy too, i wouldn't trust Mam & Dad's latest around children, but that's just that particular current dog.

[lizzylemon]

If Mr TS is set on getting a terrier the good news is that most reputable breeders have a cooling of period and will take the dog back if it doesn't work out.

I had a total brainstorm when my daughter was about 3 months old of getting a puppy. It was to be fair, a disaster but i rang the breeder up and she said we're weren't the 1st or last to do that and took the dog back no problem.

Maybe as a compromise, why not suggest to 'foster' a rescue dog for the local re-homing place and see how you get on. It will either put Mr 2S off or he'll fall in love with that dog and forget about the terrier...

[TEB]

My new neighbour has 2, they yapp at anything, they break into my garden and house, they attack my dog, they escape into the lane and attack other dogs, he can only let one of at a time, couple of other people in the village have them and yapping seems to be the common theme followed by aggression, horrid little dogs.

[Two_Sheds]

why not suggest to 'foster' a rescue dog

That was my first choice, to adopt a rescue.
There's a place an hour away, they have a terrier and a bulldog (bulldog was his fave breed last year). He won't even go to have a looksee

My new neighbour has 2, they yapp at anything, ... horrid little dogs.

Oh dear. I guess bad or non-existent training is to blame, on top of the breed's innate behaviour

[zazen999]

We have a small garden with all my plants in it

As for exercise, Mr TS says he'll walk the dog twice a day, but I know the novelty will last about a week, then it'll just be to the poo bin and back (20 yards) - we've already had a practise by dogsitting his brother's pet

Yeah Right! Course he will.....

[Two_Sheds]

I'm trying to be realistic Zaz, but he says I'm just negative all the time. I'm not, I just look at the cons as well as the pros to anything

I think this would be a better choice for us. I've sent him the link & will have to leave it at that: if I pester him he'll just dig his heels in

[zazen999]

No offence chuck - but which part of his life is he prepared to give up in order to walk and care for a dog?

I suspect this might be the answer to his dreams....



It's a bit like getting a child to carry round a bag of sugar - can you get him to go out for a 30 minute walk every morning and evening, tidy up a spilt bag of smelly soil on the kitchen floor 3-5 times a day and get up to prepare a dish of food for it at feeding times?

And is he still working away for long periods? What then?

If he does the above for a week/fortnight, perhaps then you might think about it.

Plus train it properly, and not undermine your training. etc etc etc.

[Jeanied]

TS I would worry about a border terrier and other pets. One of my cousins had her cat killed by one when they left them alone in the house - thinking it would be safe as it had been many times before. You would never be able to let your other pets free range in the same space without tight supervision.

[SarzWix]

I'd like to see Mr TS put in a restraining chair whilst the members of this forum all bombard him with reality. He certainly wouldn't think you were a nag then...! In fact if we could just put Mr Wix in a chair next to him, that'd be fab..

Seriously though, if you're going to get a dog and then neglect to do anything with it, this isn't the sort to do it with! There are a lot of them round here, I see at least half a dozen every day when I'm walking Pads, and with the exception of one, they're all bloody horrible, yappy, disobedient little b*****ds. 2 of em are nasty, snarly, snappy things too. The only one that is okay is a working dog, and is constantly busy.

Suggest finding some horror story of one hurting a child and show him that in an 'OMG, and I thought they were so cute!' way...

[Hilary B]

Friends of mine have a border terrier, now pretty old. He's a loveable well behaved little dog, and I've met others similar. They can be excellent dogs, but only if you are prepared to put in the effort in the early stages.
A daily walk to the park would be OK, if it included 20 mins of 'fetch the ball' while there (or the ball game was in the garden, but it sounds like your garden is not suitable for much of that), and a quick 5 mins in the evening, but the training is a very important factor.
It is one of the few 'smaller breeds' I might actually consider (I like dogs to be 'real dog' like, and a lot of little ones don't have that character, although they can be fun, just not what I want), and certainly my favourite among terriers, but the work involved should not be under-estimated!

[abby]

Hi I have a border terrier and they are great little dogs but he still digs and chews and he is 6 years old and I wouldn't trust him near hens, cats or anything that runs away. Also you have the pleasure of stripping the coat twice a year which is a back breaking job. But I love him :@)

[Florence Fennel]

Hi I have a border terrier and they are great little dogs but he still digs and chews and he is 6 years old and I wouldn't trust him near hens, cats or anything that runs away. Also you have the pleasure of stripping the coat twice a year which is a back breaking job. But I love him :@)

TS, I think it comes down to whether you are prepared to have this dog, not Mr TS, because you are the one it's going to belong to. I have no doubt that you could train it to become a well behaved and loving dog, but they are really for life, even children grow up and become independent, dogs don't. You never know, it may turn out to be a companion for you, but how will the birds react I wonder? Will not nag you any more now, I hope it turns out how you want it to.

[Patchninja]

You have to think about whether or not you want the next 14 to 16 years of your life looking after this dog!

[Seahorse]

TS, if you don't want to look after a dog but feel you can't tell Mr TS 'no' (or that if you did, you'd be ignored anyway ) perhaps getting him to agree, preferably in writing, that if he hasn't walked the dog, or fed it, cleaned it's bowls etc for 'x' amount of days, then it has to find a new home? It's not a nice option but it's better than it being ignored and/or resented all it's life

[Florence Fennel]

You've just invented a Pre-Canine Contract Seahorse!