SOLD!

I was shaking, I was so nervous as we stood there at the front door waiting for Teri, the breeder. I noticed the border terrier wind chimes, sign plates and decorations around the entry area and hoped that soon I would, too, become a collector of all things border terrier. 

A cacophony of barking followed the doorbell ring. Teri answered the door with a herd of dogs at her heels. They were adorable and it was hard to believe these were full grown dogs.  They looked like they were grinning from ear to ear and jumping around as lively as puppies. 

When we entered the living room, V, my husband, and I promptly settled onto the floor where we were greeted with a bevy of border kisses and wiggle butt dances. The dogs were so friendly and funny.  Totally uninhibited and eager to climb all over us. We were quick to realize that someone who doesn’t like to be licked all over would not like owning a border terrier. 

The dogs settled down rather quickly and, Bud, the man of the house, quickly endeared himself to us. He curled up right next to my leg as Teri showed us a video on border terriers.  We learned about “show dogs” and the different activities AKC offers for dogs and their owners. We learned that a fenced yard is essential to border terrier safety and what it’s like to live with the mischievous, inquisitive, bold and daring nature of a border terrier. This was definitely the kind of dog for us.  

We were in love. It was music to my ears to hear that Billie, one of Teri’s blue and tan bitches, was pregnant and that we could buy one of her puppies. The price was way more than I had dreamed of every spending on a dog, but I wanted one of these dogs. My husband wasn’t too sure about spending so much on a dog and didn’t think we could afford it. 

I immediately set to work figuring a way to pay for the little bundle of fur.  It was decided that this puppy would be our birthday, anniversary and Christmas gift to each other. I was ecstatic.  The border terrier information booklet we had ordered was covered with pictures of border terriers, puppies, adults, grizzle, blue and tan, with their families, etc.  I kept that booklet on the kitchen counter and looked at it all the time dreaming of the day we would bring home our very own little ball of fur.

I adored Teri and her husband, John, from the very beginning and we kept in touch throughout Billie’s pregnancy.  Teri loaned me many books about border terriers, breed information books, books on training, earthdog trials as well as books about the antics of some special border terriers.  I devoured them with the anticipation of a kid on Christmas eve.

For the dog enthusiast, and I was quickly becoming one, it’s exciting to learn of the history of “your” breed. I learned that the border terrier comes from the Scotland – England border country.  Farmers and shepherds selectively chose certain characteristics of several other breeds to develop a dog that would be good at keeping foxes out of the area so that their sheep would be safe.  This is how most breeds came into being, through selective mating.  Once the breed characteristics are defined, the specific breed clubs and organizations strive to maintain the integrity of the breed.

During the 19^th century as fox hunting developed into a sport, the breed became a vital part of the foxhunt. The mission of the border terrier is to “bolt” foxes when they “go to ground”.  In other words, when the fox flees from the hunters into one of its underground lairs, the border terrier hunts the fox underground and either chases the fox out and back above ground or corners the fox and barks until the hunters locate the border and dig down to the quarry.  This means the border terrier has a very, very loud bark.  It is a bark designed to be heard from ten feet underground and, though I have never tried with Vixen, there is no doubt in my mind that I could hear her should we be in that situation.

This kind of job makes the border terrier a fierce, fearless little bugger. It also makes them extremely prone to chasing any critter it thinks it should be hunting. Once a border terrier takes off after a quarry you can forget the dog remembering any obedience training it may have, even the most obedient of border terriers will instantly become single-minded in pursuit.  This is why breeders insist that a border terrier always be on leash or in kept within the confines of a reliable fenced in yard.