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Should I let it upstairs?
It'll be 12 weeks and fully inoculated. How far can I walk it at first?
What's a decent extendable lead?
If a border terrier wants to go upstairs it will go upstairs!
Shorter lead walks would be best for a start, but they are active dogs, they will want to be quite busy.
The flexi leads are good, if we use an extending lead, we use it with a roughwear harness to separate it from normal lead walks. They will pull on an extending lead, but we always try to keep the dog close if we are using a standard lead.
Border terriers have a really bad reputation for running away, and they are very determined little dogs. We only let ours off the lead on the beach so he can run about with our Lab and Collie.
They are great little dogs though, our one is a real character. Keep them away from cats and chickens, our one had to be removed from the In-Laws hen house and by the time I got in there he had a mouth full of feathers!
I got two borders; 15 & 16 year old now.
Never had a problem with either running away, they are more placid than most terriers ... they just as happy to run all day as sleep all day (my eldest dog now prefers to sleep all day).
I personally would start a puppy on a short lead to teach it to walk at heal. And if you allow it upstairs once - it will expect to be allowed up there all the time.
They are, in my opinion, the best breed.
As for length of walk; just take it out, and if it starts struggling, pick it up and carry it ... they only small.
Do not allow if upstairs. Do not get an extendable lead
See mooman for a more detailed rationale
If you're happy with a dog upstairs then go for it, extendable leads encouraging pulling, yes they can run away if they get the scent of something, yes if a border devices to do something it'll do it even if it has to wait 6 months for you to look away. Just short walks are you'll wreck its legs.
As above, extending lead is a bad idea, also as it is a terrier then expect it to hold it's ground on almost everything 🙁
My two have been great, frustrating, & a pain in the arse in that order, the SO hates walking "my dog" (the only other male in the house) but when I walk him he is (nearly) as good as gold off the lead, but a total PITA with other dogs on it.
Strong characters take strong handling.
HTH, enjoy.
Borders like to be social so it's good to get them around other people and dogs as soon as practical .
We have two with different characteristics - a dog that is placid and doesn't stray anywhere and a young bitch that chases everything small that moves, and everything on TV.
No issues with extendable lead or pulling. We don't let her off much so it allows a bit of sniffing freedom.
Get your garden fixed with a couple of gates and fenced up where possible.
Mostly though Borders like to be engaged with an activity. Build up your walking gradually their joints and pads need to used to different terrain.
Ours just did it's second Munro.
Our Border Terrier is 13 years old. Tried letting her off the lead when we first got her and she buggered off. Tried recall training, but if she sees something to chase she just won't come back. Extendable leads are rubbish, so we use a Police Tracking lead. 12 foot long rope lead, just brilliant.
http://www.prodogz.com/Rope_Tracking_Line.htm
Forgot to mention ours suffers from CECS which is common in Border terriers.
http://www.canineepilepsy.co.uk/cecs.html
Oh and ours is upstairs looking out the bedroom window for the periods we are not in. They love to look at stuff.
OP btw photos, many photos 😉
Aye they love to watch the world go by, they also have to be involved in what you're doing no matter what it is.
We are on our third BT. Really high quality treats are great for recall training.
All I can say is that they are much easier to train (in our experience) than a Patter(devil)dale.
[url= https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7582/28146133926_24674daa89_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7582/28146133926_24674daa89_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/JTbi29 ]IMG_1139[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/94658862@N08/ ]Martin Robbo[/url], on Flickr
No, the scissors in the photo weren't used to cut those stupid bloody claws, you know the all black claws that you have no idea where the blood pissing out all over the place ends & the dead stuff that makes a really annoying noise on solid floors stops.
I have just uploaded a good few pics if you click on the above, but this sums up the hassle of a Boarder like no other 😉
[url= https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7451/27564528563_b3705e4bb0_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7451/27564528563_b3705e4bb0_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/HZMq1t ]DSC00013[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/94658862@N08/ ]Martin Robbo[/url], on Flickr
I think the most important thing is to take back control of our borders.
Bloody EU telling them to "sit" all the time.
When picking anything up, including a dog, even a small one... Always bend at the knees.
If it's a boy, make sure he mixes with other friendly male dogs in his first year.
Ours can be a bit snappy with other boy dogs now he's a grumpy 9 years old, but he's a hell of a tart with girl dogs.
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Archie
And you can't train a Border Terrier, they train you 😉
A good rule of thumb is 5min walk on lead per month of age, so at 3 months you could do 15min on the lead. Off the lead is different as they will run around and pace themselves - it's the repetitive non-stop walking on lead that can do the damage, because they won't stop.
Don't pick it up by the tail....
Research good food and you should get a starter pack from the breeder, it that's where you're get it from. What goes in must come out. With my dog if she eats cheap high grain dog food the output is horrendous.
Nylabone or deer antler for it to chew on rather than your socks, shoes, furniture etc
2unfit2ride - I reckon there is another dog under all that fur.
We want puppy pics.
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Homer...
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http://i1280.photobucket.com/albums/a491/loddrik1/Mobile%20Uploads/D5C96199-E39C-49A8-9F0E-0133ADDFA9B8_zpshmxqjmz4.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
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http://i1280.photobucket.com/albums/a491/loddrik1/Mobile%20Uploads/8596AA7B-BA32-49DB-8BE1-2BE579E69E7E_zpsabyt8kaq.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Awwwwwhhhh!
Our experience with puppies is let them off lead in a safe area when they've been innoculated - very young their instinct is to stay with the pack (you), you can practise recall (tasty treats) and they can't run very fast (easy to catch). Leave it until they're adolescent and raging hormones, let off lead and 'boom' they're gone!
Welcome to the forum Homer !
Been a busy day. Dog seems to play for half an hour then sleep for two or three. Cats not happy. Cats not happy whatsoever. Alarm set for 3am to let him out for wee. Kids over the moon. Barks a lot though.
Pro tip: teach him to let you inspect (and later, brush) his teeth from an early age.
Alternatively, start saving up for massive doggy dentist bills.
Earplugs. They have a piercing bark that goes right through you.
If he is barking about being left alone - do not go to him. Otherwise he will think he only needs to bark to get you. They clever breeds, it will learn this very quickly.
Ours whined for a week or so, only time they sing a bit is when they hear our car pull up.
No just when excited. He barks at plants. And wants to eat flowers. Any flowers.
Spent the night sleeping in his crate without a peep though.
You've had a whole day and have not put up any more pics?? Disappointing 🙁
Lovely 🙂
Puppy classes booked in for a couple of weeks. Taking him to park to meet some dogs later. First thing I noticed was he's obsessed with balls so going to get him some different sized ones today. He just let us know he needed to go outside for a poo. Getting him at 12 weeks was a good move I think as he's come crate and house trained and ready to go out.
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