Please show me your Patterdale terriers

[Rainandclouds]

We are hopefully getting one of these next month, does anyone else have one? We already have a Jack Russell so are used to the terrier ways! If anyone had both, how do they compare? We also need a name for the little chap, he is a light brown / gingery colour

They are working dogs but mine doesn’t do any of those things when we are out. Loads of people keep patterdales quite happily so I really don’t agree with this. Mine definitely does not need a specialist home. She’s a joy to have.

I do recommend looking at some of the patterdale groups on social media as you’ll get a wider breadth of experience on there

Maybe the people on this thread who have well-behaved, happy and contented Patterdales are already providing them with specialist homes, and they just don't realise it?

Lots of people say similar about my own breed - beagles. MN is full of threads criticising them and saying they're nightmares and shouldn't be kept as pets. But in my experience, if you can provide the right home for one, they're no trouble at all.

So maybe you're both providing good homes already?

Mine was well socialised and I’ve had dogs all my life, but, despite loving him to bits, I’ll definitely not be tempted by a second one.

This is exactly the same for me. Mine has a fab recall, walks lovely on a lead, can be off the lead and walks lovely with me, fine with 99% of dogs but I can’t trust him with other dogs because of the 1%. Plenty of socialising but I wouldn’t trust him with strangers and people coming into the house he’s awful. He’s required a lot of work and training to be a remotely decent dog to be around and I think in another home he’d probably have bitten by now.

Floral your dog is gorgeous - I notice she’s a cross so perhaps the input of another, more civilised breed has contributed to her good behaviour! You can get lovely patterdales of course, I’d say they’re more the exception than the rule though, and if someone’s getting one, they should know what they’re getting themselves into!

I think my issue with patterdales is that if you get one with an issue, it’s really hard to train it out of them as they’re extremely clever but also stubborn and these behaviours are often innate parts of their temperament. So for example, my dog, there’s nothing I could have done differently to make him okay with other dogs, it’s part of his genetic make up. Similarly with the way he is in the house with strangers - it’s more about controlling it, keeping him away from strangers visiting, or having him on the lead etc, than doing something that fixes the problem because it’s so engrained in him. Other breeds are more biddable, and so issues can be addressed more easily. If you get a patt with no issues then they’re fab, but I’d say issues are more likely and they’re hard to address, because they’re almost a bit less domesticated than other breeds - it’s literally in their blood to be feisty!

Mine’s happy and contented and excellent at the vets’ etc ( here he is enjoying this morning’s sun) but does have this mega prey drive which makes him far more challenging than other dogs I’ve had. Many who meet him think he’s perfect, great size, nice looking (super handsome actually) and delightful personality. One thing is I’ve never been fitter; we walk for miles!

I agree @SkeletonSkins, 95% of the time he is perfect, my God, the 5%! Made worse at the moment as I live on a dog walking route in a national park and every man and his dog is out at the moment. The locals know him and he is rather better with dogs he meets frequently, but the “oh he’s very friendly” types with sweet little whatevers off lead approaching my snarling devil are the bane of my life at the moment. I do think, from the ones I’ve met, the Patterdale crosses seem to be a notch down in the aggressive league table.

Literally mines the same and my god he takes it too far - I’ve seen dogs that have been reactive but they’ll snap and if the dog backs off they will too, not my boy 🙄 he’d keep going to the death if given the chance.

Totally agree that out and about, at agility shows etc people are like, wow he’s such a good dog, and he is! But lord it’s taken a lot of training and still requires a lot of management.

To clarify - 90% of dogs he’s fine, was socialised as a pup, had no issues with dogs until about 2 years old, and now I just don’t trust him at all, even those most of the time he’d be fine, it’s not worth the risk.

he’d keep going to the death if given the chance.

To be fair, a dog that's bred to hunt and rip apart foxes is unlikely to have much fear

So so so true! What did I get myself into 😂 he’d have been a fab ratter/working dog!!

I agree you can’t train out a dog’s Innate nature. Collies herd, Jack Russells bark, labradors do what they’re told, spaniels sniff etc.

My Patt needs loads of exercise, walks mainly off lead with good recall, I call him to heel when we see another dog and he gets a treat every single dog we see as a reward for not killing them. (Joke...with a trace of truth in it) He never approaches other dogs but if one bounds over to him he will snarl and give notice to ”piss off ...or else”

Small furries like squirrels, rats and mice and occasional rabbits are an utter magnet.

Very very affectionate but on his terms. Sits on lap, snuggles in and in bed at night (sneaks in at about 5) he lies tight against me with nose resting on my shoulder.

I’d never trust him with children. He’s never grown up with any to be fair.

All my friends adore him.

I didn’t get mine until she was approx 5yrs old so was very cautious about her being around the children. She was very nervous, underweight and it was clear that she hadn’t been treated well (has a few scars but fur has grown over most of these). However, she absolutely adores my kids and just wants them to play ball with her or snuggle with her in front of the tv. The prey drive is there and the stubbornness about not wanting to get up in the morning or go out when it’s raining/ cold- so I see the stubbornness but that’s the extent of it with her so we did get lucky to some extent. I keep her on the lead because she would try to chase a squirrel in the park and I’m more concerned about her daftness if she got near the road. She lobes other dogs and all people she’s met in the year we’ve had her. Same as above all who meet her, adore her

And he’s doing the famous patt splat 🤣

Imo, they are one of the rare working breeds that in most cases are completely, utterly unsuited to being pets.

A lot of the other working dogs; gundogs, collies, other terriers etc can often adapt quite well but in my experience the Patterdale/Fell (I do believe that as a brown one yours would be called a Fell terrier not a Patterdale although they are the same dog) are really gritty, full on working terriers with that true tenacious working terrier temperament; intolerant of other dogs, aloof, sky high prey drive, stubborn etc.

My NDN had a very ancient Patterdale.
He was that old he sort of gruffed instead of barked.
He was a sweet old thing but he was that old I doubt he could have aggressed at anyone even if he wanted to!

This is out Patterdale/ border cross. She's gorgeous. 12 now but has always been a fantastic family pet.

She's lovely with kids. She's obedient and great on walks. She is calm when the family is calm and yet has the energy when we need her to. She's a terrier though so chases rats , squirrels etc.

Plus she gets on really well with most other dogs except ones in jackets!