Why do my border terriers lick so much?
Your dog licking you, especially on your face and mouth can easily be thought of as a loveable kiss from our affectionate Border Terriers. This is true as licking releases endorphins to the dog which can act as a form of comfort and calming mechanism for them so in a way if is a form of affection.
Start in a safe place
Start teaching your young off-leash commands in the early days. Practice in a confined area where your Border Terrier cannot move out. Begin in a small space similar to a room, then home, then lawn, then on walks on a long lead, then off-leash
Supervise your dog to come calling. Call your dog and offer her a treat when she comes to you. Once established in many different surroundings, vary, providing treats with toys, compliments, and play.
Train your dog to move to you and touch your hand with her nose by calling out “Touch.” Always provide a high-value treat. This isn’t an everyday command such as ‘come,’ which isn’t always compensate with a treat. In an emergency state, you can call out “Touch” and get a more sure answer as your puppy will always expect an excellent reward for returning. Also, because your dog really touches her nose to your hand, she is in proper close proximity to get a grip on a collar and restrain her in a critical condition.
Teach your Puppy ‘sit-stay’ and’ down-stay.’ Provide snacks to fortify. Start in a small area and work up to a wide area with distractions until stable.
Take out your dog on a long leash and provide off-leash commands in the presence of disturbances. Reward with play, toys, praise, and treats to keep your dog interested and never knowing how she is going to be rewarded, except for ‘touch,’ that’s an emergency recall, and should be rewarded with a high value treat such as hot or chicken dogs. After responding well, your Border Terrier can learn off-leash.
Most Border Terriers who have been extensively socialized are bouncy and kissy with strangers, though there is timidity in some lines.
Keep in mind that the inheritance of temperament is less predictable than the inheritance of physical traits such as size or shedding. Temperament and behavior are also shaped by raising and training.
Some individuals are more work-oriented (not good pets) while others are more mellow (can be good pets if their other needs are met).
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But he should not be let off-leash, for there is no terrier more determined to explore and pursue anything that runs (except, perhaps, for the Jack Russell). Border Terriers are so inquisitive they often get themselves wedged into tight holes or crawlspaces trying to find out whats in there.
Tommy the Border Terrier- Off- Leash Heeling
The agile and upbeat Border Terrier has many admirers that cherish the breed’s reputation as a tough and hard-working hound. These spirited, affectionate, and happy dogs are popular pets whether you look toward the city or the country! Borders are said to be ‘hard as nails’ when working, while retaining their good-tempered and affectionate dispositions at home.
The Border loves nothing more than exploring the great outdoors and making childhood playmates of other local puppies. Breeders originally designed these terriers to be country dogs, but they have adapted well to city living. They just need plenty of exercise and playtime. While Borders typically get along with other dogs, their hunting instincts are often aroused when squirrels or cats cross their path. Continue reading below for more information about this wonderful dog breed!
Border Terriers have unique physical features, including a peculiarly otter-shaped head, resulting from a broad skull, and a short, dark-colored muzzle.
They have coarse, short hair that most often comes in shades of red, blue, tan, wheaten, or grizzle and tan. The Border also has small, keen eyes that hide a mischievous expression. Their ears are folded and shaped like the letter “V”, and their little black noses often match their ears in color.
Sporting only a few short whiskers on the muzzle, the Border Terrier also possesses unnervingly strong teeth and a devastating bite. Their tails are thick at the base and relatively short compared to other dogs of the same size.
Border Terriers were built to be small enough to squeeze into tight spaces, but large enough to easily keep up with horse-riding hunters. Males can weigh anywhere from 13 to 15.5 pounds, while the breed’s females typically weigh somewhere between 11.5 and 14 pounds. These small dog breed terriers typically stand 10 to 11 inches tall.
Borders have a sturdy medium build with fairly narrow shoulders and bodies. They are active, medium-boned terriers that are strongly put together, suggesting endurance and agility.
Borders are decently well-tempered, obedient, affectionate, and easily trained, considering that they’re terriers. Their high intelligence allows them to quickly learn the various cues that may signal when it’s mealtime, what specific items that you may or may not want them to chew, or when you’re going to the office or outside for a walk.
While this is a generally loving and affectionate breed, that same affection doesn’t often extend to other small animals. When it comes to running down prey, these fox-hunting hounds are relentless and seemingly incapable of fear, even if you don’t keep them as hunting dogs. They will chase, attack, and even kill squirrels, neighborhood cats, or other small animals (though this can be stopped with behavior training).
To lessen the damage caused by their tendency to chase, make sure your yard is securely fenced, and don’t let your Border off their leash in an unfenced area.
Like every dog, Border Terriers need (and will likely thrive from) early socialization when they’re young. Exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences can help ensure that your Border Terrier pup grows up to be a well-rounded adult dog.
Terriers are fantastic diggers, so any backyard fencing meant to keep them in should extend at least 18 inches underground. Rather than fighting their digging instinct (which won’t end well for you), perhaps give your pup a specific place of his own to dig. Even better, consider putting his drive to dig to work with various fun games! Border Terriers also enjoy canine sports such as flyball and participate in activities like lure coursing, earth dog, and tracking.
Your Border will enjoy at least a half-hour of exercise daily. This can include a good game of fetch, off-leash play in a fenced area, or a simple walk on a leash. Border Terriers are prone to boredom and weight gain without proper exercise. If you’ve owned a dog before, you know all too well that boredom can lead to lots of barking and even destructive behavior.
When training a Border Terrier, you’ll need to use a gentle touch; they are quite sensitive and respond very poorly to negative training techniques. Harsh training will quickly break their spirit. To properly train your Border Terrier, you’ll want to look for a trainer with a deep understanding of the terrier mentality. Positive reinforcement techniques such as food and dog treat rewards, play, and praise go a long way when training this gentle but hard-working breed.
While the Border quickly learns house rules and other important forms of dog etiquette (such as greeting people politely, walking on a leash, and house training), they may never give up the habit of jumping up to greet people.
Border Terriers are relatively easy to house train, as long as they’re given plenty of opportunities to go to the bathroom outside and a regular schedule. Border Terriers, like many dog breeds, love to chew on things. We suggest providing them with plenty of appropriate chew toys, as this is the best way to avoid unnecessary vet bills and expensive furniture replacements.
Crate training can help keep your Border Terrier from chewing up your entire house while you’re out and about. Dog parents of every breed must understand that a crate is a tool, not a jail. Your pup loves you, and the best place for them to be is by your side! Avoid keeping your Border locked up in their crate for long periods.
Leash training is also a must. The speed with which a Border Terrier can run off searching for prey or adventure is just as amazing as it is terrifying. This drive to chase things does not fade with age. In fact, many Border Terrier parents report that it becomes stronger.
The Border Terrier has its origins in the northeast corner of England during the 18th century, near Scotland’s Border. This breed is a product of an eternal feud that will likely never end: the battle between foxes and farmers.
Breeders wanted the Border Terrier to have flexible, narrow bodies and legs long enough to follow horses during a fox-hunt. These proportions made it easy for the dog to squeeze through narrow holes, flushing foxes out of their hiding places. This breed faced no shortage of stamina and sported thick, loose skin that wasn’t easily pierced by the teeth of their foxy arch-enemies, as well as a weather-resistant coat.
While the Border Terrier was prized by people in Scotland for its relentless determination and fearless nature, the Border Terrier was little known beyond the UK. Spectators would have certainly seen the Border in Northumberland’s various agricultural shows in the late 19th century.
Still, dog fanciers generally took little notice of this handsome little breed until early on in the 20th century. England’s Kennel Club recognized the Border Terrier in 1920, and a breed club was formed. And in 1930, an impressive hound by the name of Netherbyers Ricky became the first US registered Border Terrier in the world.