I think you need to have join breed specific list to get a fuller picture. Two I would recommend are:

TheBorderT-L@yahoogroups.com (worldwide - interesting variation of opinions!)
and
http://groups.msn.com/OrenbergBorderTerriers/
(varied membership, but UK based in the main)

hth

Im here!

Firstly well done on doing a bit of research.

I have Borders and if i am perfectly honest (which most know I am) they often do not make good first dogs, or even pets in general if you dont know what you have got. The first line of the breed standard says "Essentially a working Terrier" and thats exactly what they are.

They are very active, dogs that require a lot of mental and physical stimulation, they dig, they chew, can be very hyper and nippy if novice owners do not catch these things early. They are likely to go down Fox or Badger holes, which will land you in prison and the dog destroyed if caught and you cant prove it was an accident, they chase small furry creatures like Squirrels and Rabbits and the pet Cat next door too. Training is absolutely paramount, they reatin ALL their working instinct and will use it at any given opportunity. They require a LOT of socialising, meeting people and other dogs. They are very "full on" dogs, in your face type, wrapped round your neck type, that were bred for stamina and to be out all day with packs of Foxhounds in rocky mountainous areas, if they dont get this type of exercise they are either ill or not a typical Border in any respect. Have I put you off?

Ok, now the good part.

Given what I have said, if you adhere to the exercise and socialising regime, you will not want for a better dog. They are by far the most wonderful breed I have ever known and I doubt I will ever own another breed of dog again.

They crave human company, and personally I wouldnt leave an 8wk old puppy on its own for 5hrs a day. This is the time the puppy NEEDS YOU to teach and mould him into the dog you want as an adult. House training will be far more difficult if he is left alone, he will become bored and unhappy and will start those nipping and wrecking behaviours I told you about. Borders are people dogs, some breeds take well to being left, but I can tell you know and you can telephone Border welfare and varify it, one of the main reasons Borders go into welfare is because they are being left alone and barking, chewing and generally behaving like a yob and its become too much for the owners, the other main reason is, people buy them having been told they are an ideal pet and they get to about 10mths and find they have a dog that takes off, chases and in some instances catches and kills small animals, digs craters in the garden and is generally doing all the stuff a Terrier does, but it becomes unmanageable because the owners are not really suited to the breed.

Borders are just fantastic, they are everything I could wish for in a dog, but have unfortunately become a victim of film, media and Vets, all of which have contributed to their popularity, meaning that loads more are being bred, often from rubbish stock, just for money and no other reason, poor quality that hardly resemble a Border when mature at all.

A Border will walk all day, and be at your side all night, friendly, outgoing, playful, generally very good around children, they are devoted companions. A handy size, a coat that will stripping about twice a year, but otherwise not much more, they are manageable in all respects.

When looking for a puppy, PLEASE be aware of what you are buying, pet breeders will NOT do health tests for the most part, mating Jessie to Billy is not the way to go with any breed, and its proving to be the downfall of the Border. These are the people to avoid like the plague as they in all probability do not have the breeds welfare at heart, just a nice few quid on the side, knowing the pet market is thriving.

So, if you are still interested, send me a personal message if you want to and Ill point you in the right direction for a quality puppy bred by people who have the breeds best interest at heart. Its worth remembering the people taht say they are fine left alone and have no problem with it, are probably those who are out to sell their pups to the first buyer, I do know a couple of people that may sell to someone that works, but being a human oriented breed, there are not that many. I also agree waiting till you have been on holiday is a good idea, there isnt a lower limit to boarding a dog, it just must have been vaccinated, but we reccommend about 5mths at the earliest for a first time.

A couple of pictures for you.





And to show, that given the correct rearing and socialising, Borders live very happily with other pets.

Excellent response borderdawn.

Mo