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Recognising A Border Terrier

General Description

HEIGHT: Adult - 11 to 16 inches at the shoulder

COLOUR: light brown, red brown, dark brown, grizzle (mixture of brown and black, grey and black or grey and brown hairs) blue & tan (may appear black & tan) 

COAT: 1/2 inch to 2 inches. Hard or wirey in texture with a softer undercoat. May look like a small "Benji" if coat is ungroomed. If dog has been clipped, coat will tend to be soft and silky or woolly.

Click here for a simple PDF flyer you can download (please be patient - it may take a few minutes), print and distribute. If you have a color printer, you can also print this page of photographs (2 pages on most printers).

The following photos are provided to aid in identifying a rescue as a probable Border Terrier.
Please click on the images for enlarged view.
(This may take a few moments, please be patient).


Borders in the Rough
It can be exceedingly difficult to positively identify an ungroomed Border Terrier, especially when working from a photo.


Cute as a button and deserving of the good home he has found, but almost certainly not a BT

Standing 17 inches at the shoulder he is a good inch taller than even a big BT

Note also the profile, longish muzzle and low earset.
A visit from a CBTW Rep. confirmed that he was not a BT.

This woolly senior was listed as a terrier mix.

But when he was pulled from the shelter and groomed (clipped not stripped in deference to his age and condition), he turned out to be a venerable, if elderly, gentleman Border Terrier.

Another BT in the rough - this one is an eight year-old male

This cute little fellow was listed as a BT on www.petfinder.com. He has the correct ear set and typical BT expression.

He is also the right size and build for a youngster and although his muzzle is a a tad long, it is in correct proportion to his backskull.

A definite candidate for rescue. Fortunately he was adopted thanks to the efforts of "Lifeline For Pound Buddies"

A bit on the scruffy side but this Blue and Tan boy, turned into a shelter by his "owner", is a purebred BT.

Fortunately, excellent local support had him identified, pulled from the shelter, placed in foster care and his caring breeder notified.

Overweight and undergoomed, but fortunately this senior lady found her forever home through NABTW/CBTW cooperation

The dog in this photo certainly looks like a BT...

... another photo shot from a different angle raises some question marks....

... and the head shot could go either way. How would you call it?

Variations on a Theme
Despite the variety in coat and colour, the following are all purebred Border Terriers


Beneath this touzled exterior lurks a handsome multi-titled veteran Border

Not a typical "Otter" head but a purebred BT none-the-less

Another shaggy fellow with a pedigree as long as his hair
atypical head
Another atypical head but still a talented and titled BT
no top coat
Adult Border in his undercoat with fringes!
puppy
A Border puppy - cute but not the right choice for everyone.
show coat
Mature male in short, hard coat that has been stripped not clipped.
black and tan
A blue and tan may appear almost black and tan.....
blue and tan
......or "bluish" if there is more grey "ticking"in the coat.
bushy coat
A grizzle and tan female in "full" coat.
nearly white
Elderly Borders may appear almost white.....
shaved
....and may also have been shaved.