Border Terrier

The Border Terrier is a small, rough-coated British terrier. It is narrow-bodied and well-proportioned, with a broad skull, a moderately short muzzle and strong teeth. The V-shaped ears sit at the sides of the head and fall towards the cheeks. Whiskers are few and short, and the tail is moderately short, thick at the base and tapering.

Males stand 33 to 41 cm at the shoulder and weigh about 5.9 to 7.0 kg. Females stand 28 to 36 cm and weigh about 5.2 to 6.4 kg.

The double coat has a short, dense, soft undercoat and a harsh, wiry, close-lying outer coat with no curl or wave. It resists weather and dirt. Common colours are grizzle-and-tan, blue-and-tan, red or wheaten. The Border Terrier is a popular breed in the UK, ranking tenth in Kennel Club registrations in 2006 and eighth in 2008.

The Border Terrier comes from the area of the Anglo-Scottish border. It shares ancestry with the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and the Bedlington Terrier from the same region. It was first called the Coquetdale Terrier or Redesdale Terrier after the places where it developed. By the late 1800s it was generally known as the Border Terrier, probably because of its long link with the Border Hunt in Northumberland.

The dogs were used in fox-hunting. Their original job was to bolt foxes that had gone to ground. They also killed rodents and were used to hunt otters and badgers. They were bred with legs long enough to keep up with horses and foxhounds, yet bodies small enough to crawl into fox burrows.

The first Border Terrier registered with the Kennel Club was The Moss Trooper, registered in 1913. Formal recognition was refused in 1914 but granted in 1920, the same year The Border Terrier Club was formed. Jacob Robson and John Dodd wrote the first standard, and Jasper Dodd became the club's first President. The American Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1930.

The Border Terrier was bred as a working hunting dog. Its job was to follow riders and hounds across the countryside, then go into fox burrows and drive the fox out.

That history explains the breed's build, with legs long enough to keep up with horses and foxhounds and a body small enough to crawl into fox burrows.

Border Terriers have a long typical lifespan. A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 14.2 years, compared with 12.7 years for purebreds in general and 12 years for crossbreeds.

Canine epileptoid cramping syndrome is recognised to occur in the breed.

A UK study found Border Terriers are predisposed to gall bladder disease. They were 86.48 times more likely to develop gall bladder mucocele and 28.7 times more likely to develop other forms of gall bladder disease than other dogs. The same study found they were 12.07 times more likely to develop neutrophilic cholangitis.

This is general awareness only, not veterinary advice. Always consult a vet about your pet's health.

How long do Border Terriers live?

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 14.2 years. That is longer than the 12.7 years found for purebreds on average and the 12 years for crossbreeds.

How big do Border Terriers get?

They are small dogs. Males stand 33 to 41 cm at the shoulder and weigh 5.9 to 7.0 kg, while females stand 28 to 36 cm and weigh 5.2 to 6.4 kg.

What is a Border Terrier's coat like?

It is a double coat with a soft, dense undercoat and a harsh, wiry outer coat that lies close with no curl or wave. The outer coat resists weather and dirt.

What were Border Terriers bred to do?

They were bred to bolt foxes that had gone to ground. They were also used against rodents, otters and badgers.

Are Border Terriers popular in the UK?

Yes. The breed ranked tenth in UK Kennel Club registrations in 2006 and eighth in 2008.

The Border Terrier was once known as the Coquetdale Terrier or Redesdale Terrier.

The first Kennel Club Border Terrier registered was called The Moss Trooper.

The breed's legs were meant to be long enough to keep up with horses and foxhounds, yet its body small enough to fit down a fox burrow.

The Kennel Club recognised the breed in 1920, ten years before the American Kennel Club did.