Origin
Border Terriers were originally bred as working dogs and essentially that's what they still are today. The need to work is deeply ingrained in a Border Terrier's nature which means they are one of the most alert and quick dogs of their type around. With this said these little dogs adapt incredibly well into a home environment and quickly become valued members of the family. The one thing they do need, however, is to be kept busy mentally and physically otherwise boredom sets in which can lead to a Border Terrier getting up to quite a bit of mischief around the home.
These attractive little dogs have been around for a long time and as their name suggests they originate from the border between Scotland and England. They boast an interesting ancestry which they share with the Patterdale, Bedlington and Dandie Dinmont Terriers. However, it was only in 1920 that they were officially recognised by the Kennel Club as a breed in their own right.
Originally bred as working dogs on the borders between Scotland and England, the Border Terrier used to be known as either a Redesdale Terrier or a Coquetdale Terrier. It was later in the eighteen hundreds that these little dogs became known as Border Terriers. Some people think they earned this name through their close association with a Northumberland hunt called the Border Hunt.
As previously mentioned, they share their ancestry with other breeds, namely the Dinmont Terrier, Bedlington Terrier and Patterdale Terrier. These little dogs were bred to be strong, robust little terriers that were capable of coping with the often bleak climate of the Borders. They were used local shepherds and farmers to keep the fox population under control. When foxhunting became a popular sport, Border Terriers were used to chase foxes out of their lairs when they ran to ground.
These little terriers were renowned for their stamina being capable of following the hunt over great distances and still having the energy to continue working when the need arose. They are one of the UK's oldest native terriers with records of them dating back to the 18th Century. The dogs we see today are the same as the terriers that were bred back then with many enthusiasts believing them to be the "perfect" dog both in looks and nature, for the task they were bred to do in the borders between Scotland and England.
