Border terriers

[Pumpkin5piced]

Tell me everything please..

Can they ever be off lead? For reference I live in a busy city so will see lots of dogs on walks and in parks

How are they with other dogs? Children? (I hear good with children, not so much dogs)

Do they bark excessively?

Are they clingy? Can they be left at home?

I was looking at companion type breeds so I guess a terrier will be less clingy and prone to SA than them

Ok here's mine

Nope can't post!

I have a 14yo border. He has been an amazing family dog. He was wonderful with our children as babies and they still adore him. I have often had him in a roomfuls of loud toddlers and he has never been bothered. He has been dressed in items from the fancy dress box on multiple occasions. He has always been very affectionate with me and DH and cuddles up next to us on the sofa every evening. We will be heartbroken when his time comes!

His only flaw- he is and has always been, absolutely rubbish with other dogs. We did puppy classes and have worked with behaviourists in the past. We have up and accepted it when he was about 8 and he hasn't been let off around other dogs since. He will usually just chase and bark but he has bitten other dogs in the past, which was really upsetting particularly as it is so at odds with his nature generally. I am part of a Reactive Border Terrier Facebook group and given the accounts there it seems to be a common trait with borders and you're either lucky or you're not. It's a shame because I really think they are otherwise the perfect dog.