Border Terrier Temperament
Border Terriers are playful and friendly. They make great family pets
especially with children. The best owners are ones that have had other
dogs and know the proper way to demonstrate social dominance with them.
They are very energetic dogs therefore if you do not have a lot of time
to spend with them, then you should have other dogs that can spend time
with them. The best dog companions for Border Terriers are Spaniels and
Collies.
 Border Terriers are easy to train for the most part; however, they
have the potential to develop dependence similar to cats. Should they be
part of a group of dogs, they can get confused in recognizing that each
individual dog has their own name. Some of these terriers are very good
alternatives to doorbells because of their keen hearing and their
frenzied barks, when someone comes to the door. They are happiest when
kept two or more at a time either of the same breed or various breeds.
Border Terriers have dominant personalities, which can be an advantage
if you have bigger dogs. As with any terrier they like to have the lead
position in the pack but the subordinate to you.
If you have an adult Border Terrier and a large breed puppy is
brought into the home, they will definitely take the lead position over
the puppy. However, if you bring an adult large dog into the family your
Border Terrier will test that dog and if there is no resistance your
terrier will retain the position as leader. Border Terriers do not
make good housemates if you have cats, rabbits or any other breed of
small dogs or other small pets. These terriers will attack and possibly
kill any animal that is smaller than they are. After all this is exactly
what the breed was intended for. The only exception to the cat family
that would be compatible with a Border Terrier would be a Maine Coon cat
since they tend to be larger than Border Terriers. The only way this
terrier can get along with other smaller animals is if they are raised
together when the terrier is a puppy.
Border Terriers as a rule get along with other dogs quite well and
usually will develop strong friendships with other dogs they meet on a
regular basis. However if they do not like a dog whether they live with
them or meet them regularly will start a fight that is not easy for
anyone to stop. The only way to stop this is to train the terrier at the
beginning when they are puppies to have the proper social behavior for
other dogs. Especially, larger border terrier dogs require the training
early.
 Toys need to be practically indestructible. Rubber toys that
are tough and solid such as hard rubber rings are best. However, be
aware that there may be other items in your home such as your terrier
prefers, even though you may not prefer them to let them have, as “chew
toys”. Border Terriers are inquisitive and friendly by nature. They
are bred to hunt and love their independence. However, these terriers
also love to please their owners so training is basically easy to do.
Border Terriers are naturally very affectionate, obedient,
intelligent, and very even tempered. They are always on the alert and
will never show fear of any kind. They are wonderful with children and
love to play with them, and the rest of the family. They do tend to bark
a lot but are never aggressive. If you plan on having more than one
Border Terrier, it’s best to have a female and a male combination.
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