Border Terriers Shedding
Shedding is normal for most breeds of dogs. For example, shedding occurs naturally in the coats of many dogs, including Doberman Pinschers, Chihuahuas, Greyhounds, Pit Bulls, Great Danes, Boxers, and German Shepherds.
In fact, even purebred dogs like Golden Retrievers shed. However, Border Terriers do not shed as much as other breeds of dogs. This is because their coats are so thick that they require more frequent grooming.
Therefore, they don’t need to shed as much because their coats are already well taken care of.
However, you should contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice any signs of excessive sheddings, such as loose skin, bald patches, or flaky skin. Your vet can recommend a treatment plan to help you eliminate these problems.
To maintain their coat in great condition brush every three days and bathe them as and when required but try to limit this to once a month if your dog does not get too mucky, otherwise you may soften the coarse top coat, and also remove natural oils from their coat.
Before you start your shower and grooming sessions make sure you have all tools and materials required: –
For all Border Terrier’s we advise you to use the shower, (and use a non-slip shower mat) as washing in the sink or bath may result in your dog jumping out and potentially harming itself. If you do choose to use the sink or bath again a non-slip mat and if possible secure your dog to stop it jumping out and hurting itself. Ensure the water is a comfortable temperature not too hot or too cold use the shower attachment to thoroughly wet your dog’s coat and then apply the shampoo and knead it thoroughly into the coat, making sure you wash the soft undercoat. If your dog has got extremely dirty you may need to repeat this process, but wherever possible we would recommend one shampoo only. Now this is important when rinsing the shampoo out you must ensure that all shampoo is rinsed away as any residue can cause itchiness. Another key point we would make is to avoid getting shampoo into the eyes and try to keep the inside of ears dry away from shampoo and water. Starting from the head and working towards the tail can minimise the risk of shampoo in the eyes and ears. For washing of the face use the Mega Absorbent PVA Towel rinse it out thoroughly then squeeze out excess water and essentially use as a flannel, and if the face is very dirty rinse and repeat.
We look forward to hearing your experiences and of course receiving pictures of your dog after your Grooming and Pampering Sessions
So in between these visits keep your Border Terrier in great condition by having your own washing and grooming sessions at home, this can be a rewarding and fun experience and keep your pets coat in Tip Top condition and enable you to check the dogs skins for any problems..
Playful and clownish, the Border Terrier is best described as a three-year-old child in a dog suit. Given his muscular build, the Bull Terrier can appear unapproachable, but he is an exceedingly friendly dog, with a sweet and fun-loving disposition and popular in the obedience, agility and show rings. The Bull Terrier can be all white (markings on the head are permissible) or colored.
The Border originated in the border country between England and Scotland and may be one of the oldest kinds of terriers in Great Britain. Purely a working terrier, the Border was bred to protect the stock of their owners. They had sufficient length of leg to follow a horse but were small enough to follow a fox to ground. Borders on the farm in the 18th century also had to find their own food, so they had to be good hunters to survive.
Alert, active and agile, the Border Terrier is willing to squeeze through narrow holes and sprint across any terrain to capture his quarry: the fox. This persistence made him an excellent working terrier back in England, and allows him to succeed in Earthdog, Obedience and Agility trials today. Known for his “otter” head and game attitude, the Border is medium-sized with a wiry coat that may be red, grizzle and tan, blue and tan, or wheaten with a dark muzzle.
The Border Terrier has a wiry weather resistant coat with a soft dense undercoat. The Border Terrier has a face like an “otter”. As with most terriers, the coat is usually hand stripped or plucked to insure the coat retains its harsh texture, color and does not become soft. Nails should be clipped, and ears cleaned every 4 – 8 weeks.
Frequency of bathing your Border Terrier will depend on how much time you spend outside and how fast he gets dirty. Border Terriers require 2 baths, The first bath should be a general bath to get off the dirt and grime. The second bath is targeted for the need of your dog , if your dog has allergies or sensitive skin we would suggest a Hypo-Allergenic Shampoo and follow it with a Tea Tree & Aloe Shampoo or Tar and Sulfa Itch Relief Shampoo. Do not use a heavy conditioner, but choose a light conditioner to keep the coats natural hard texture, Plum Perfect Cream Rinse or Rainforest Conditioner are light and will leave a clean fresh scent.