HISTORY: The Border Terrier was originally bred in the Cheviot Hills area near the border between England and Scotland. Farmers bred this dog for hunting foxes, otters, vermin and badger which preyed on their livestock, in the 18th century. DESCRIPTION: The Border Terrier is a medium sized spunky terrier with a coarse, wire double coat. The coat type of a Border Terrier has a lot of variations across individual dogs, some develop longish, shaggy hair and others never go on to develop a full coat and remain relatively smooth in coat. The Border Terrier comes in red grizzle, blue & tan, tan, grizzle & tan or less commonly wheaten. Small patches of white are permissible on the chest. Border Terrier coats are smooth up to about a year (see Merlin) - then surely develops into a wire coat such as that of Baardjie. Some breeders selectively pulls the wire hairs of their border terriers for 'showing' purposes which gives them, once again, a 'smooth' look like that of the younger dogs. The Border Terrier has a “otter” shaped head with dark lively eyes, a short muzzle, black nose and small ears, which fold forward into a “V” shape. The tail is relatively short and tapers from a thicker base to the tip. Height: Dogs - 33-41cm. Bitches - 28 – 36cm. Weight: Dogs – 6-7kg. Bitches – 5-6kg. Their average life span is 12 – 14 years. TEMPERAMENT: Border Terriers are friendly, smart, energetic and playful. They can make wonderful family pets as they are good with children and thrives on human interaction and attention. They are big-hearted and very affectionate little dogs that love their owners and if they know that something pleases you, then that is what they will do. The Border Terrier will alert you of strangers on your property but are generally not aggressive. Border Terriers generally get on well with other dogs. However, if they dislike another dog, they do not hesitate to start a fight and, as with most terriers, it can be difficult to stop them. However, you should not trust this breed with a pet rabbit, hamster, bird or other small creatures. They will get along well with a family cat that is in the home, but stray cats or your neighbor’s cat may soon learn that your dog is not their friend. Border Terriers must be trained carefully from the beginning to learn proper social behavior with other animals and dogs, especially larger breeds. TRAINING & ABILITY: They will not respond to harsh or heavy-handed methods that break their spirit and make training them more difficult. Border Terriers are quick learners, but training must be done with praise, motivation, reward, respect, patience and consistency. Border Terriers must be trained carefully from the beginning to learn proper social behavior with other animals and dogs, especially larger breeds. Today the Border Terriers are used for tracking, agility, competitive obedience, showing and hunting. EXERCISE: As they were bred to hunt, they need plenty of exercise. If you are taking your Border Terrier for a jog or walk in the park, make sure it is on a leash, as they are notorious for chasing small creatures and any moving object. The breed will do well in an apartment dwelling provided they receive sufficient physical exercise and mental stimulation. GROOMING: The durable, wiry coat needs brushing from time to time and the coat should be stripped by hand (not clipped), as the top coat becomes long and shaggy and eventually dies. The Border Terrier sheds little to medium hair. Only bathe them when necessary.