Hello again,

BT are another breed we are looking at. I have never owned one so dont know a huge amount about them.

1) are they easily trainable?
2) being a terrier have they a tendancy to run off as would hate a dog i could not let off the lead when out on walks?
3) is is easy to keep their coats stripped and short?
4) are they ok with cats?

Trainable - yes, like any dog given the correct amount of time and attention - mine was very easy because he was a real food fan.
Running away - again, you train recall. Mine went through a naughty stage but it didn't last.
Coats - very easy. Mine was stripped a couple times a year, three times max.
Cats - we had a cat, they were best friends. Again, you will have to teach right from wrong, as you would any breed.

The basics are the same whatever the breed. Borders are very bright and easily bored. They are very active - a huge consideration.

Well, for what it is worth the Border is the most biddable of terriers (well the ones I know well) but all dogs need training there is no such thing as the 'easy' dog they all pay for their early training and continued attention and all dogs have a different outlook on life and the amount of notice they need to take of you their owner.

Some dogs can be very clingy but never the less disobedient and difficult to train, even simple house training (ask some of the toy owners) Others are independent but will be only to happy to do as you ask and do it quickly, then you have breeds like mine independent and loyal who know what you are asking but like most men will do as you ask but in their own time.

> independent and loyal who know what you are asking but like most men will do as you ask but in their own time.

That describes my husband perfectly, but the time can be very looonnngggg!!!!

Agree, in my limited terrier experience Borders are much more laid back and easygoing than Westies, Cairns etc. If I had to pick a favourite terrier it would be Norfolk, Norwich or Border. :-)

My friend has a BT, Bruce, I'm afraid Bruce has been a little so and so all his life, he's 13 now, and deaf, it's only now he can be trusted out on walks with other dogs as he doesn't know the other dogs there, in his youth he'd charge at another dog and hang from it !. He would even go for dogs he knew well, he got all of my dogs a few times.
My friend was told by a BT breeder that Bruce was so bad because he came from a certain line, so I'm sure they're not all like him.

In general they are nothing like a feisty as most of the terriers the BT always reminds me of the hounds as they seem happy to work in a pack something most terriers would not consider.

My Great Dane is bad with other dogs due in no small part to being assaulted by a variety of BT and JR. They appear out of the bushes or round a corner and go in for her face. She rags them and tosses them away. This has led her to believe that it is better to bite first and ask questions later.

The BTs I've met tend to be one of two varieties; those who love people and other dogs, and those who love people and hate other dogs. The former are a delight - the latter are a liability.

> If I had to pick a favourite terrier it would be Norfolk, Norwich or Border. :-)

ditto

> The former are a delight - the latter are a liability.

This is the problem due to the explosion in popularity and hence every tom dick and harry breeding without taking temperament into account.

Genuine Border people will agree with you, a quarrelsome Border is untypical, a liability and no good for it;'s original function as a terrier that ran with hounds, so needing to be sociable.

I've got a 2yr old bitch, had from 12weeks old. For the first year I must say I thought what have I done. I made a point of puppy classes to socialise her, tho she seemed to be the worst in the class lol.
Now I wouldn't swap her for the world. She loves people and other dogs, in fact she really hasn't got a nasty bone in her body. I was quite strict with her tho for the first yr but it has worked and now she's very obediant for a terrier that is. It's all been done with rewards, she loves her food.
The only problem and its not that bothersome is her coat. She was spayed at 6mths and it has affected the coat. there's a strip along her back that can be stripped but the rest has to be clipped. She's not a show dog, she's just my friend and I rather like a shaggy dog. Most of all, after my last little dog who lived at the vets, the BT is a healthy dog which is why I went for the breed.

I must say Louise, our BT seems to do this too and I have no idea why. He goes for other dogs faces so we have to pull him back which is a shame as he needs to learn limits and he taught to some extent by older dogs. There are some that don't mind him doing it and play around with him but older dogs don't like it at all. He's only 4 months though so he has a bit of a "puppy pass" but it's something we're trying to stop him doing as otherwise he'll have no friends!

Obviously we don't let our puppy off the lead yet and won't be for a while (I'm utterly terrified) but we've found that he's very attentitive and willing to learn new tricks (for a treat of course!). He was living with 13 other dogs before we collected him and he did miss his litter mates an awful lot when he got home which makes me think he'll be great with any other border terriers we get in the future.

Don't have a bad thing to say about BT's but I can't think of a bad thing to say about any dog! It's all about the owners! 

I have 3 BT's, and with training and socialised as any other dog should be there great, ours love to hunt, but do come back (sometimes) there great with cats, our hens etc and love people!
But I have one who was off working strain and will kill anything that move.  She has mellowed slightly being 12yrs old.