Size

While female Border Terriers are 30-36 centimeters tall, male Border Terriers, reach 33-38 centimeters. As for other physical data, the length of female and male Border Terriers varies between 43-51 centimeters.

Weight

Individual cases of Border Terrier weight vary according to genetics, diet, and health. However, as a rule, adult male and female Border Terriers weigh 5-7 kilograms on average.

Lifespan

The life expectancy of a Border Terrier ranges from 12 to 15 years and is equivalent to about 64-76 years of human life. But, remember, these figures are only conditional, and the life expectancy of an important member of our family depends on its healthy lifestyle and harmonious living environment.

Fur

The Border Terrier coat is thick and coarse. The top layer of fur is particularly dense, which provides the necessary protection against extreme weather. As for the lower layer, it is quite soft and perfectly retains heat in cold weather. Most often, you will meet a Border Terrier with black, brown, tan, and gray coloring. As a rule, a Border Terrier requires grooming once a week. Yet, in the spring and fall, their fur may need to be groomed every other day.

Despite their small size, Border Terriers have a great personality characterized by self-confidence and independence. Due to its hardy nature, the Border Terrier is one of the most capable working companions. It gets along perfectly with the family and easily adapts to life in the city. The Border Terrier is a loving and playful breed; it boasts a calm, self-reliant personality and often makes decisions independently.

In city conditions, active walking and playing are quite enough to keep the boundless energy and happiness of the breed.

These important members of the family are prone to chasing small animals like rabbits and squirrels, however, with proper training and socialization, harmonious coexistence with pets isn’t a problem for them. The Border Terrier is even one of the best terriers when it comes to children. They enjoy participating in family activities and have more patience compared to other terriers.

Border Terrier personality insists on an enthusiastic owner who is fascinated by the sovereignty of terriers but prefers their softer and more social version. Representatives of the breed are loyal and show a protective instinct without being overly aggressive. With this in mind, curious nature and brilliance make Border Terriers promising learners.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a disease of the central nervous system, which causes disturbances in the activity of brain nerves. Epileptic episodes usually last for a few seconds or minutes. A provoking factor of epilepsy may become a disease transmitted by a companion animal. Timely veterinary attention and appropriate medical treatment are the best ways to manage epilepsy. Timely medical intervention significantly reduces heart attacks.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a common skin disease in companion animals. It is an inflammatory process caused by an overactive immune response to allergens, which causes redness, itching, and skin infections. Symptoms of atopic dermatitis are often similar to those caused by other skin conditions, which is why it is important to get a diagnosis from a veterinarian.

Management of the problem involves identifying the factors that cause dermatitis and avoiding them as much as possible. Ideally, a companion animal with atopic dermatitis should be washed with a hypoallergenic shampoo and fed a balanced diet.

Gallbladder Mucocele 

A mucocele is a cyst filled with mucus formed in the gallbladder. The problem occurs when the gallbladder doesn’t empty properly and therefore, mucus and other fluids accumulate inside. Gallbladder can cause not only abdominal pain, but vomiting, and digestive problems as well. In severe cases, mucocele can also rupture the gallbladder, which is life-threatening. Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the gallbladder and prevent complications.

Border Terriers are known to have excellent appetites and will happily eat any food they can get their paws on. Because of this tendency to gain excess weight, feeding Border Terriers requires active control of portion sizes. How do we know if our companion animal is overweight? Visually assessing the weight of a Border Terrier is quite easy – the physical manifestation of obesity is an increased fat mass and a hard-to-see skeletal system (ribs, spine, limbs, and facial bones).

Obesity is especially harmful to older dogs. Compared to adult Border Terriers, seniors require fewer calories and more protein. Overweight companion animals need much more time to digest food and normalize blood glucose concentration. As a result, the risk of developing diabetes in older Border Terriers is quite higher.

If you wish to control the weight and health of your important family member, following the nutritional guidelines recommended by the best dog food manufacturer is a wise decision.

Ideally, your Border Terrier’s food should provide an ideal balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. It is a widely recognized fact that protein, like in humans, helps to reduce the hunger hormone, ghrelin, in dogs. This means that our companion animals will only feel satisfied after consuming a large amount of quality protein.

Like most terriers, the Border Terrier is prone to joint problems. This is why the best dog food recommended for Border Terriers should contain essential nutrients such as Omega 3, Vitamin D, Calcium, and Potassium.

Small dogs like the Border Terrier digest food more quickly than larger breeds, and therefore, their stomachs empty quickly. Eating high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (brown rice or oats) can help regulate this process. To correctly identify the individual needs of your companion animal and to get additional information on this issue, contact a nutritionist.

Just like a Border Collie, the Border Terrier breed has its origins in the borderlands between England and Scotland. These furry friends were bred in the 18th century to hunt rodents and vermin, and have since then become an important companion for farmers and shepherds.

The farmers and herders needed a terrier of medium size that could keep up with a horse during fox hunts, but also be small enough to pursue foxes into their dens. These dogs had to have weatherproof coats and be strong enough to withstand harsh weather conditions such as heavy fog and torrential rain.

To obtain these unique characteristics and to adapt to the tough landscape, the Border Terrier was probably developed by crossbreeding several local terrier breeds, including the Dandy Dinmont Terrier, the Bedlington Terrier, and possibly the now-extinct Northumberland Terrier.

These important members of the family were originally known as the Redwater Terrier and the Coquetdale Terrier. However, over time, due to the widespread recognition beyond the border region, they were given the new name “Border Terrier”.