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"Nothing would have stopped me getting into the drain to save
him," Dobson told The Times of London. "Sandy recognised
me straightaway. He was really weak, but he still managed
to jump up and lick my face because he was so pleased to see
me."
No one
knows how Sandy got into the drain or how long he had been
there, but the only nourishment he could have had below ground
was rainwater. "Most dogs would have died in the freezing
conditions," said Jennifer's mother, Lynn Dobson, "but Sandy
must have an incredible will to live. He's been checked by
the vet, who is amazed he survived so long."
The
Past Is Parable
Sandy's
adventure illustrates two of the paramount features of the
Border terrier: its durability and its instinct to follow
its instincts wherever they lead. This hardy and determined
little dog originated not far to the west of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
in and around the Cheviot Hills of the Border country, a rugged
and immensely scenic wilderness that forms an imposing natural
boundary between England and Scotland. Described by one writer
as a "hard, wild country," the Border territory was, for some
300 years preceding the union of the English and Scottish
crowns in 1707, a dark and bloody precinct that was seized
and reseized by the countries it separated. During that time
generations of Border people knew little else but war, robbery,
murder and blackmail.
In addition
to protecting their livestock against brigands, the farmers
and shepherds in the Border country had to contend with the
machinations of the fox. To keep this marauder at bay they
depended on small, long-legged, terriers to drive all manner
of game out of brush and thicket that was too dense for large
hounds to penetrate. Having been forced into the open, the
game was chased by the hounds, but they were often thwarted
in their pursuit when their quarry took refuge underground.
Re-enter
the terrier, whose talents in the undergrowth were matched
by its skills under the earth. Any animals caught in the terriers'
sights learned, to their dismay, that a den is not a home
when there's a terrier at the door. Indeed, more than one
British terrier man will tell you that terrier does
not have its roots in terra firma, but is, instead,
a reference to certain small dogs' ability to terrorize game,
particularly the fox, and to put it to flight.
A Families
Affair
Terriers
like the ones just described had existed in England as far
back as the 11th century, if the evidence of tapestries can
be credited, yet those early terriers cannot be authenticated
as Border terriers. It is safe to assume, however, that painters'
canine subjects were among the ancestors of the breed, for
that kind of dog was especially popular in the Border country.
The development
and preservation of the working qualities of the modern-day
Border terrier were undertaken by two families whose history
with terriers dates to the 16th century -- the Robsons and
the Dodds. Members of these clans farmed and hunted the Border
area, and developed two of the most successful hound packs
in the region. They merged their packs in 1857, forming the
Border Foxhounds. The importance of this pack -- apart from
the abilities of the hounds themselves -- is the Robson-Dodds
scrupulousness regarding the kind of terriers that worked
with foxhounds.
A hunt
terrier by definition, the Border had to possess sufficient
length of leg to follow a horse all day, yet be small enough
to pursue a fox underground. The Border terrier, which weighs
between 11 ½ and 15 ½ pounds, is structurally well
suited for these tasks. Moreover, the Border's weather-resistant
coat can withstand prolonged exposure to drenching rains,
mists and other environmental challenges, including the occasional
storm drain. The Robson-Dodds terriers were agile, lean and
fast, and their stamina is the hallmark of the breed.
Border
terriers were not the sole province of foxhunters. Farmers
and shepherds also owned and bred Borders to control the foxes
that threatened their livestock. Because no one of modest
means could afford to keep a dog that was anything less than
versatile, the stalwart little Borders filled in as herders
and hunters, bringing the latter talents to bear on otter,
badger and rabbits. Moreover, the farmers' dogs were expected
to shift for themselves, scavenging for food around the farm.
Namesake
Recognition
Although
Border terriers had been kept for decades in the Border Country,
they were not officially named after that region until the
late 1800s, about the time they were first exhibited in agricultural
shows. The breed, first registered with the Kennel Club in
Great Britain in 1913, was recognized in 1920. Eight years
later the first Borders came to the United States, where the
breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in
1930. No formal club was organized on behalf of the breed
in this country until 1947, when the Border Terrier Club of
America (BTCA) held its organizational meeting at the Westminster
Kennel Club show. The BTCA drafted and endorsed a breed standard
based on the British Kennel Club's. The AKC approved that
standard in 1950. Like the British version, the American standard
did not mandate redesigning the breed in any way. American
fanciers were just as determined as their British counterparts
to maintain both the look and working ability of the breed.
As a result the Border terrier has been subject to none of
the manipulations of fashion that have changed other dogs,
often to the detriment of their working abilities.
A Happy
Medium
The Border
terrier is lively but wise, brave but not foolhardy, quick
to learn but inclined to think for itself. Its equable temperament,
unusual among terriers, results in large measure from the
fact that it was originally a hunt terrier, expected to run
peacefully with foxhounds. Therefore, the Border does not
exhibit the dog-aggressive attitude of terriers that hunt
primarily on their own.
The Border
is also exceedingly versatile. If there is any challenge a
Border is not up to meeting, it certainly isn't for want of
trying. The Border is a hunter, earth dog, show dog and obedience
dog, a whiz at agility trials, ratting in the barns and tracking.
There's little this fellow can't do, but as rugged as the
Border's constitution may be, this is not a breed that bears
up well under harsh criticism from its master. Its interior
is as soft as its exterior is rugged. Also, Border owners
should expect their pups to go through a bashful period when
they approach adolescence. Continuing socialization is important
at this time so the youngster does not become a total introvert.
To its
breeders' credit the Border is not a dog that is sought after
for its appearance alone. Its plain coat and self-effacing
manners appeal to those who don't consider dogs status symbols
or fashion statements. Anyone who has the time and determination
to provide this engaging breed with the exercise its heritage
commands will be repaid with the devotion and companionship
of a most remarkable dog.
Moderation
Is a Virtue
The Border
terrier is arguably the most understated of pedigreed dogs.
It is neither so glamorous nor so grotesque that it attracts
attention. It looks, in most respects, like an ordinary, everyday
dog. Its coat needn't be teased into configurations nature
never intended, and unlike other terriers that strike sparring,
gangsta poses, the Border is a quiet dog that doesn't feel
the need to call attention to itself. The most noticeable
differences between the Border and other terriers are its
head, which resembles that of an otter, and its hide, which
should be loose fitting and thick in order to protect the
Border from scratches and bites while allowing him to weasel
his way in and out of narrow underground openings in pursuit
of his quarry.
Although
most Borders have dark ears and muzzles, their coats may be
grizzle and tan, blue and tan, red or wheaten. (Grizzle
refers to the dark-tipped hairs in the coat.) The Border has
a naturally hard, wiry outer coat and a dense, short undercoat.
The coat requires no glamour trims. A semiannual trip to a
groomer to have the coat taken down so the hard texture can
be maintained is about all that's necessary beyond routine
maintenance.
Hunting
the Hunter
Border
terriers have been known to remain hale and hardy into their
midteens, but despite their longevity, they are, as most breeds
are, subject to genetic diseases, the most troublesome of
which are hip dysplasia, heart defects and progressive retinal
atrophy (PRA).
Hip
dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint resulting
in a unthrifty fit between the head of the femur bone and
the hip socket, in which the femoral head normally lies.
This condition, fortunately, can be alleviated by surgery.
Progressive
retinal atrophy (PRA) is the wasting away of the vessels
in the retina. Initially manifested as night blindness in
young dogs, as PRA progresses, its victims become totally
blind.
A responsible
breeder is willing discuss these problems prospective buyers.
Anyone who evades the issues or denies they exist should not
be given any consideration when it comes to purchasing a puppy.
Unholy
Dramas
The Border
terrier was once described in Britain as having an ancestry
that was equal parts "monkey, lion, hedgehog and frog, with
none of their redeeming features." What's more, the Border,
like all other terriers, has been made redundant in the work
force by the progress of civilization and housing tracts.
Borders were bred to hunt, but there is precious little hunting
to be done these days. Still the Border needs regular exercise
in fairly large quantities.
If the
truth were known, Sandy, the Border terrier who had to be
rescued from the storm drain after a three-week absence from
home, was not the first of his tribe to get into mischief.
A border terrier named Paddy, after vanishing for two weeks,
turned up smelling as if he had spent most of that time in
a rabbit hole. Genghi, a six-year-old Border outfitted with
an electronic collar, managed to elude his owner for 17 days.
He had been tracked with the collar on a previous excursion
when he and his son had gone missing down a fox earth. "They
were very cold and in a coma, but the vet managed to revive
them," their owner reported. Rastus, a five-year-old border,
was rescued after "after a six-day operation involving the
effort and equipment normally associated with a pit disaster,"
one British paper reported. He had gotten himself trapped
25 feet below ground level after chasing a rabbit into an
abandoned quarry. A thermal imager, fiber-optic camera, sensitive
listening devices and a 14-ton crane and thousands of pounds
expense were required to unearth him. Miss Pepper, a two-year-old
Border terrier belonging to Queen Beatrix of Holland was not
so fortunate. On a walk with her mistress, the dog bounded
after a rabbit, got stuck head first in a rabbit hole and
perished before she could be found.
Small
wonder that one Border owner cautions, "Borders are not safe
off lead except in securely fenced areas. The best trained
Border will bolt after a cat or squirrel despite your commands,
and the older they get, the more ready they seem to do this.
More Borders are killed by cars than die of disease or old
age. If you enjoy walking with your dog running freely by
your side, choose another breed."
Rank
Observations
The Border
terrier ranked 88th among the 143 breeds registered by the
AKC in 1997. There were 768 new registrations of Border terriers
that year. In the Great Britain, where the breed originated,
and in the Scandinavian countries the Border terrier enjoys
great popularity, both in the show ring and on the farm.
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