Start grooming your Border when he’s a puppy to get him used to it. Handle his paws frequently — dogs are touchy about their feet — and look inside his mouth and ears. Make grooming a positive experience filled with praise and rewards, and you’ll lay the groundwork for easy veterinary exams and other handling when he’s an adult.
Some breeds are brush-and-go dogs; others require regular bathing, clipping, and other grooming just to stay clean and healthy. Consider whether you have the time and patience for a dog who needs a lot of grooming, or the money to pay someone else to do it. Some dogs will let a stern reprimand roll off their backs, while others take even a dirty look to heart. Do you have young kids, throw lots of dinner parties, play in a garage band, or lead a hectic life?
But for the right people, Border Terriers are wonderful dogs who play hard and love harder. They’re ideally suited to active families who can give them plenty of exercise and prevent them from practicing their escape-artist skills. Low-energy dogs are the canine equivalent of a couch potato, content to doze the day away.
They’re also resilient enough to bounce back from your mistakes or inconsistencies. Even so, use a light touch; they’re sensitive and respond poorly to harsh training techniques, which will break their spirit. To train your Border Terrier, look for a trainer who understands the terrier mentality and uses positive reinforcement techniques such as praise, play, and food rewards.
If your Border Terrier has a heart murmur, it may indicate that he has a heart condition that will need to be monitored and treated. Heart murmurs are caused by a disturbance in the blood flow through the chambers of the heart. They’re graded on their loudness, with one being very soft and six being very loud. If disease is evident, as diagnosed through x-rays and an echocardiogram, the dog may require medication, a special diet, and a reduction in the amount of exercise he gets.
I am Kraig Wharton, a wildlife conservationist and a television personality. I am 30 years old. I was born and raised in the small town of Marion, Alabama. I have always had a love and respect for nature, which led me to pursue a career in wildlife conservation.
I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel all over the world, working with some of the most endangered species on the planet. My work has taken me to some of the most remote and dangerous places on earth, including war-torn countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
I am passionate about educating people about the importance of conserving our natural resources, and I am committed to doing whatever it takes to protect our planet for future generations.