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 About My Dog | Realities | Activities | Things to Learn | Selection | Do's & Don'ts | Health | Links |
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About My Dogs  Click
for a larger pictureThat's a picture of one of my dogs, MacDuff (at 6 months of age). MacDuff is a Border Terrier. He was born on October 20, 1995 and entered my life in December of 1995. He's my pride and joy. Check out MacDuff's official name and, also, his pedigree. The newest addition to my household is Robbie. Robbie, like MacDuff, is a Border Terrier. He was born on June 7, 1999 and I brought him home on August 6, 1999. Check out Robbie's official name and, also, his pedigree. I came to the world of Border Terriers quite by accident in early 1995. I have always been a lover of dogs but did not have the time to devote to raising and caring for one until I finished my graduate degree. Well, with graduation on the horizon, I set about to add a little bundle of trouble to my household. My pursuit included a dog that had certain characteristics like higher activity level, socialability, etc. I wanted a smaller sized dog since, at the time, I lived in a one-bedroom apartment. After sifting through books and magazines, my friends suggested a breed I never heard of, a Border Terrier. Well, after looking up the dog, it seemed perfect for me, at least on paper. The breed also possesses a very doggy look, almost mutt-like that is so endearing. Since I had decided to devote a lot of time in searching for the dog because I wanted a healthy pet for my household, I took the time to write to the national breed club (Border Terrier Club of America) and obtained a list of breeders. From there I called breeders within a 200-mile radius of me. Fortunately, a dog show was approaching in a suburb of my town so I decided to venture out and actually meet the dogs and breeders in person. The rest is history. I met MacDuff's breeder at the show in June and waited, sometimes impatiently, until MacDuff was born in October. Though I didn't receive him until December, I would go to visit him. Since picking him up I have continued to maintain a good rapport with his breeder. In fact, we're friends. When the time came to add dog #2 (Robbie) to the household, I went back to MacDuff's breeder.  Back to the Top of the Page Realities of Border Terriers You'll find plenty of information about Border Terriers from books and through the links found below. However, here are a few quick tidbits about some of the book information on Borders that may be misleading: "Border Terriers don't shed" That's incorrect! They do shed, some of them quite a bit. They are normally not heavy-shedding dogs. However, a few of them, like mine, can have a perfect coat that is very coarse and somewhat short Borders with these coats shed more than other Borders. But, regardless of coat, they are not a non-shedding breed. "Border Terriers are good with children" Yes, there are, but within reason. No dog should be left unsupervised with children. Dogs and children are not natural playmates. Children almost invariably, without knowing it, do things that antagonize dogs. They put their face right in front of the dog's, grab the dog from behind, growl at it. etc. This is not to say that dogs and children don't belong together. But they don't belong together alone. Proper supervision and teaching both children and dog on how to behave is a normal part of making the dog part of the family. With that said, Borders do love children but are somewhat less tolerant of little hands grabbing at them than other breeds, like the Golden Retriever. "Border Terriers are easy to train" Well, that depends on how you define "easy". If you assume that you have a dog that trains as easily as a Golden Retriever or Labrador Retriever, think again. Borders are terriers. Terriers by their very nature tend to be difficult to train. Add stubborness to intelligence and you have some work cut out for you. They do tend to be easier to train than most terriers but terriers, in general, are very challenging to train. Borders respond best to motivational training where positive reinforcement is used heavily. Relying only on negative reinforcement will not work with these dogs. They love and need praise for their work. They are easier going than most other terriers and will listen to commands, if they think you've asked them nicely. However, they don't respond to bullying style training as can commonly be misunderstood by trainers assuming that one terrier is the same as the next. Back to the Top of the Page Things We Can Learn from a Dog Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy When loved ones come home, always run to greet them When it's in your best interest, practice obedience Let other know when they've invaded your territory Take naps and stretch before rising Run, romp and play daily Eat with gusto and enthusiasm Be loyal Never pretend to be something you're not If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently Thrive on attention and let people touch you Avoid biting when a simple growl will do On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout run right back and make friends Delight in the simple joy of a long walk from Dave & Virginia of HAND Back to the Top of the Page Links to Other Dog Sites American Kennel Club (AKC) The Border Terrier Club of America Border Terriers Border Terrier Resource Page Don't Shoot the Dog (all about Clicker Training in obedience) rec.pets.dogs FAQ Homepage (this is one of the best and most comprehensive website available for you)
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