Border Terriers are bright, perky, active dogs. Standing about 12" at the
shoulder and weighing 12-15 lbs. The ears and tail are natural length. They
are an ideal family dog for someone who wants a 'smaller' dog that doesn't
know it's small! The breed standard only has a weight description, no height limit, but they have to be small enough to easily enter and work in a 9" tunnel.
They have a hard wiry coat that requires some grooming. They should be
hand stripped rather than clipped. Clipping will give the dog an super thick
undercoat, softer top coat, and make future grooming/stripping much more
difficult. A good brushing regularly, as well as "tidying" helps keep the
Border terrier looking neat and tidy. Untidy, they look like a cross between a
monkey and a hedgehog. When very untidy and ungroomed, the coat can matt, but
the matts can easily be stripped out. See series of pictures below showing
various stages in grooming.
Borders are natural hunters and in England and the USA, still go out with
the hound packs. They get along well with other dogs, especially larger dogs.
The Border Terrier should be capable of being 'spanned' behind the forelegs as
their size allows them to get into culverts and burrows after foxes etc. They
love hunting around rock piles and wood piles, and enjoy swimming, will
retrieve game, and are excellent family dogs.
They are curious, and will check out every noise or movement. The Border
Terrier will chase anything that moves, and may bark at squirrels, cats, or
other intruders on their property. They can do well in obedience, and make
wonderful companions for active older people who don't want a big dog.
While happier on the ground investigating something, or hunting, when
picked up they tend to be quiet, and many will snuggle into your neck and be
very affectionate. They tend to lick, and give frequent 'kisses' when picked
up.
Their speed and size can get them into trouble. They cover ground fast,
and can get through small holes that one thinks are too small for them to
squeeze through. If a cat get get through, they can.
Pictured: Ch Wimberway's Border Ean
as a puppy, checking out a friend's pet 'coon.
The Border Terrier is a working terrier, bred to 'go to ground' to either
flush or draw the quarry after it has bolted to ground where the bigger hounds
cannot reach it. Originally bred in the 'border countries' in the north of
England and south of Scotland, the breed is gaining popularity in North
America and other countries around the world.
One of our breeding, 'Hogan', toured across North America with the Super
Dog team and has been active in Agility. Borders have gained all levels of
obedience titles in Canada, sometimes getting High in Trial awards. They also
do well at den trials, in terrier races, flyball, agility trials, and are a
great success as Therapy Dogs visiting Senior's Homes.
Ch Wimberway's Border Cox'n (Sam)
A LITTLE HISTORY
The first Border Terrier in Canada was registered and shown in the 1930's,
but it wasn't until 1956 that a litter was bred, whelped in Canada, and
registered with the CKC. The following year, the sire of that first litter,
became Canada's first Champion: Ch Maxton Medallion (Imp). Ten years later,
there were only nine Champion Border Terriers in Canada, and only a couple of
litters registered with the CKC. Many of the early Champions were imports from
England, or from the USA.
The breed has started to gain in popularity, and now many litters are born
and registered each year in Canada. Borders compete in shows, obedience,
agility, flyball, and working earth trials. They have earned titles in all
these facets.
In 2002, the CKC approved Earth Dog titles and their rules, and now earth
dog tests can be run under CKC rules in Canada. The rules are based on those
used by the American Working Terrier Association for many years.
We are developing a web site of Canadian titled Border Terriers. You are
welcome to visit it at: BT
Titles, .
The "little brown dog" has found favour in many environments, and adapts
readily to the situation at hand. While they can be active and keen hunters,
when picked up then tend to be quiet and well mannered, and like to tuck their
nose into your neck and shoulder.
Ch Standish's Kenny Rogers (Kenny), came to us from BC in 2004.
THE PACK:
Our first Border Terrier, Bernfield's Chelsea, (Chelsea) was a daughter of
Am,Can Ch Penfawr Pepper (Imp), (Floss). 'Floss' had a Res CC in England
before being sold to the USA. She was the top winning Border Terrier in the
USA,(handled by Peter Green), before being sold to Canada where she also
became the top winning show Border Terrier. We obtained her a couple of years
after getting her daughter. She loved to play soccer, and had a great outlook
on life. Before coming to North America she daily went on ten mile walks in the
Welsh mountains.
To see the pedigrees, click on their names.
At the farm, our pack currently includes: three males, "Sam", pictured above, Kenny, , pictured above, and Badger, pictured below as a
puppy, plus five females:
"Pretzel", "Breeze",
who came to us from
B.C. in September/02, "Rosie","Sparky". , and our
import from England, "Peachy".
"Breeze" and "Peachy" are direct descendents of "Lucilady of Rubicon", an
adult bitch that we imported from England many years ago. 'Lucy' had had a
litter in England before we obtained her, and a female from that litter became
an English Champion. There have been several English Champions in a direct
line from 'Lucy'.Unfortunately, Ruth Jordan (Rubicon) has now retired from breeding,but still has a litter sister to Peachy who is being shown in England.
We kept a female puppy from "Peachy's" litter by "Kenny". Banjo is an affectionate, gentle dog. Banjo , and we also have a young male "Joey", by "Sam", out of "Breezy". Joey .
'Badger' loves swimming and retrieving and no-one has yet told him he
isn't a Retriever. We have introduced him to "quarry" and to tunnels.
The pups
grow up in the house with the house dogs, other puppies, the house
cats, etc., and enjoy their free time and cuddling up to watch TV in the
evening.
The adults all have eye certification, are heart checked, and have OVC hip certification. To see
the pedigrees of the dogs, click on their names.
The terriers enjoy running in the fields with the bigger dogs, and swim
with them as well.
We have tunnels that we work with in the better weather, and they also get
a chance to hunt around the round bales of hay, and we encourage them to hunt in
the rock piles around the farm.
We show our dogs, and also do visiting with them. 'Gofer', started
visiting as a Therapy dog when she was 9 weeks old. She was a firm favourite
with some of the residents. She was Best of Breed at the Terrier Breeders
Specialty in Sudbury in September/00, and completed her Championship with
Group placings in May/01. She is now retired from breeding and in a private home.
'Sam' (Ch Wimberway's Border Cox'n) completed his Championship in March
1998, and has sired some very nice litters for us and other breeders.
'Breezy'completed her Championship as a puppy in 2003, with 6 Best puppy in Group wins, plus
several Group placings. 'Badger' completed his Championship the same year with a Group
placing.
'Peachy', who arrived from England at the end of February/04, went to her
first show in May and earned her first Championship point, and a Best of Breed
win. By the end of 2004 she had 8 points towards her title and a Puppy in Group and a Group 3rd placing. She completed her title in March/05 at the Sudbury shows.
'Sparky' and 'Pretzel' were shown in 2004 and 2005, and both gained points towards their titles. "Pretzel" completed her title in Aug/05. "Sparky" completed her Championship in May/06.
Ketka's Wimberway Badger at 3 mos.
LITTER INFORMATION
Thankyou for your interest.
We have a litter born on April 10/08, that is from a repeat mating of Ch Ketka Wimberway Badger to Ch Trekhond Bright and Breezy.....the same breeding as "Roxy" pictured below. We may have one pup available in the litter.
Our next litter is due late May.
"Roxy" pictured at 5 months. By Ch Ketka Wimberway Badger x Ch Trekhond's Bright and Breezy. Owner A. Stelsovsky, Man.
RECENT WINNERS
"Pip", Wimberway's Border Wendigo, owned by Ian and Lisa Fettes of North Bay, Ont., completed her Champiosnhip at the Sudbury shows, mid Sept/06. By Ch Standish's Kenny Rogers (Kenny) x Ch Quirinus Wimberway Spark (Sparky). En route to her title, she took 6 Best Puppy In Group wins as well as a Gr 3rd and a Gr 4th, and finished her title at 10 mos of age.
In Alberta, Bev Embley had three of our Border Terriers to show, and all three completed their Championships this year: Wimberway's Border Venture, ("Chance") completed his Championship in August, while still a puppy. He is by Ch Ketka Wimberway Badger (Badger) x Rosecrest Border Celtie (Rosie). Wimberway's Border Top Secret, ("Ewok"), completed her Championship with a Group 1st. By Ch Standish's Kenny Rogers (Kenny), x Ch Wimberway's Border Legend (Pretzel). On the w/e of Feb 4-5/06, "Fluff", (Wimberway's Border Party Girl), took Best of Winners both days to complete her Championship in three weekends of showing. By Ch Standish's Kenny Rogers,(Kenny), out of Ch Wimberway's Border Goferbroke, (Gofer).
At the May shows at Sault Ste Marie, Ont., Quirinus Wimberway Spark,("Sparky"), completed her Championship. By Little Man (Liam) out of Wimberway's Border Guinevieve, she was bred by Barbara Burns in Tenn., USA.
At the Temiskaming KC shows in Aug/05, "Pretzel", (Wimberway's Border Legend), took a Best of Breed and completed her Championship. By Ch Wimberway's Border Cox'n x Rosecrest Wimberway Ruf N Redi.
At the Sudbury KC shows in March/05, "Peachy", (Rubicon Remedy), took a major win to complete her Championship.
At the Temiskaming Shows at New Liskeard in Aug/04, "Peachy", "Pretzel", and
"Sparky" took turns winning. All had Best of Breed wins, and Peachy had a Group 3rd and a Best Puppy in Group.
"Loki" (Wimberway's Border Loki), owned, trained, and handled by Julie
Johnson, Illinois, USA. earned his first two legs to his Am CD title in mid
March/04, with a 4th placing and 195 score, then earned his third leg, and a
first placing with a 191 score, a few weeks later to complete his American CD
title in style. He is now working towards his CDX.
GROOMING
While many people keep their Border Terriers well groomed, tidy, and with
a short coat, through regular brushing and stripping, the following pictures
show progress in grooming from 'unkempt' to 'tidy'.
Hand stripping is not an art that should intimidate the pet or working
terrier owner. When a terrier's coat is dead, it can easily be stripped out.
Most terriers need to be stripped ever 6-9 months, and between strips, should
be brushed out, and longer hairs can be removed as they appear.
There are various stripping knives available, but not vital to regular
work on the coat. Some people use scissors around the feet, but a terrier that
is used to being groomed and stripped from puppyhood, can be hand stripped
there as well. If the dog is on a hard surface, there should not be a build up
of hair between the pads.
The Border Terrier Club of America has a print out available on their web
site with pictures and instructions for grooming. This can be obtained at:
BTCA coat care.
A very shaggy dog has been thoroughly brushed out.
Some dogs need to be restrained on a grooming table, but others are
content to stay on a table that has a non-slip surface while you work. Before
any stripping can be done, the dog has to be brushed out - right through to
the soft undercoat.
Stripping has been started,
Some people groom from the head to the tail, then down to the feet, others
start at the tail and work forward, and some start with the feet and work
upwards. In this instance, the back has been stripped from the shoulders to
the tail.
Fully stripped
Once the body has been stripped, (back, sides, chest, and belly), the
legs, head, and tail are also done. After a strip, it takes a while for the
coat to settle, and it needs to be worked daily to get it into peak condition.
After a full strip, the length of time it takes to come into "show
condition" will vary with the individual dog. Some dogs require a strip every
6 months, others may only need to be done once a year.
Regular brushing and "plucking" of stray hairs help to keep a Border
Terrier looking need and tidy, but some people like a slightly longer coat and
do not keep their dogs in "show trim".
