Patterdale Terrier

[SJFarter]

We met a lovely little 12 month old Patterdale today. Instant best friends with DD and he was a friendly, funny little dog. We are planning on getting a dog and a Patterdale would seem to fit the bill. Anything I need to be aware of?

Our neighbour has a young Patterdale. Lovely dog initially, playful, let us pat it for months when ever we'd meet it. Next time, it randomly snapped at us and tried biting myself and DH with a loud growling noise! We did nothing different to normal and our neighbour said that it was being seen by the vet for either a hormonal or emotional issue- can't recall the exact issue.

It was such a shock! We haven't seen her out with the dog in months. Our neighbour is an experienced dog owner, exhibited at crufts with a great many years of dog ownership, breeds and experience. Our neighbour is older now, and the patterdale was bought my her son after she has a bereavement. She has said that its the hardest dog she has had and wouldnt have been in her choice for a dog at all.

@Wombat98

Yep, we own a Patterdale x and they are pretty hard work. She's still faster and brighter than my other dogs, despite being older now. I used to have to enlist help from strangers to catch her in the park, have seen her disappear and still watch her in the garden, in case she takes off...

I pretty much have ptsd from keeping her safe and am definitely hypervigilant. She needs happy pills to get her through November.

Bloody love her to bits but yeah, maybe read the terrier rescue page top tips. Wish my in-laws would, rather than be judgmental. :-)

Rescue

I personally wouldn't ever get a spaniel either. I never realised breeds were so different to each other until I became an experienced dog owner.

Sounds like you're the one who needs pills!

I have a rescue Patterjack (Patterdale x Jack Russell). She is amazing with the kids and very loyal. But she can be quite vocal and is often a nightmare out and about.
She’s not keen on other dogs, especially if they are big and fluffy and goes mental if she sees anything like a husky, German Shepherd etc. Although we have successfully managed to integrate my partner’s Cockapoo when he visits.
She is not keen on seagulls, too many people, too much noise…
She has a very strong prey drive and even managed to catch a rat while on her lead out on a walk. She was sniffing in some long grass and the next thing I knew there was a bloody rat in her mouth 😵
She is very stubborn.
I now know why they are nicknamed Pattertwats.
But despite all her downsides I wouldn’t change her for the world. She is highly intelligent, she’s been pretty easy to train and her recall is mostly pretty good as long as I can anticipate potential triggers early enough (mainly other dogs). She is great fun, loves a snuggle in the evening (especially if it involves being wrapped up in a blanket). She adores the kids and they adore her too.
Would I get another one? Probably not. But she’s part of our madcap family and I wouldn’t swap her for the world.

My parents have one. It killed their cat after living fine with it for years 😞

The only Patterdale we know is a grumpy thing and hates our dog. We know other terriers including an Irish Terrier who is best friends with our dog.

Border Terriers are fab terriers and much more friendly. I'm relieved to see that Patterdales actually aren't great and it's not just the one we know.

We have a 12 yr old twaterdale and while I wouldnt be be without her she is definitely bloody hard work!

She is a working dog on the farm (pest control) and she kills for fun, however she is fantastic with the dc. Doesn't bother with the cats and is quite happy pottering around in the lambing sheds with us.

She is very reactive especially with other dogs and I've spent years scanning the horizon when we go for a walk. Extremely vocal at every small noise and will not shut up! Near on impossible to lead train and her recall is definitely suss.

Being completely honest I will go for a jrt or border next time - getting too old to cope with another Patterdale.

Bear in mind that at 12 months a dog won't be socially mature. It will probably still be skittish and puppyish. Give it another 6-12 months (in some cases another 2 years) and then you can see.

I used to know a Patterdale X who was bitten by an almost toothless old Yorkie as a puppy. She bore a grudge against Yorkies for the rest of her days and would leg it off across multiple rugby pitches if she caught sight of one, just to have a go.

And her brother made the average JRT look like a saint.

I do occasionally joke I am half-tempted to take the dog's happy pills.*

Bloody love her but she is extremely bright & she spends a lot of the day training us.

*vet prescription & happy pills, not random dog dosing.

Honestly - don't do it. They are called Twatterdales for a reason!

They're bred to hunt badgers and foxes. They known to be fiercely stubborn and independent and they have exceptionally high prey drives.

IME they shouldn't be kept as pets - they are 100% working dogs that need tons of exercise and mental stimulation.

Love my boys with all my heart I really do but they are the hardest dogs to work around / with I've ever known ! I used to be able to walk six racing greyhounds past cats much easier than I can get my two Patterdale x jack Russell brothers past ANY dog on a walk! They hate anything with fur, bigger , smaller , can't have a rabbit , cat anything like that , they try to get the fox when she waits outside for her chicken leg every evening 🙈 they hate my daughters budgie , they can spot or smell a squirrel up any tree, wouldn't ever let them
Off their lead in public because they would have no recall once they had a scent or had seen something "interesting " and everything is interesting! I had them neutered in October , has calmed them down but if anything they still bark the same at other dogs , the door, the neighbours door , they are what my vet calls the gorgeous terrorists of the terrier world !! The little jack Russell pup is their only friend and I think that's because she's sassy as hell , they are loyal though I'll give them that and they guard who they love , they guard me and my 9 year old from the postman , the doorbell , the squirrels lol they're really protect who they love , they also are really loving dogs and easy to train for sit and people etc , they wouldn't dream of stopping me or her removing their food etc but at 47 they have been my best "ongoing project dogs "
They are 2 next month so still young but the prey drive is off the hook x

Borders are far cuter and have a great family temperament or Norwich Norfolk tho they are pretty rare

Also can I just say , I've loved reading this thread and hearing about the other twatterdale terrors you all know or own 🙈🤣

Lovely dogs. I have one. Adores kids. Yes he has an immense prey drive.

Typical terrier stubbornness. I've got a jrt too and he's a bit more willing to listen, but not a lot.

They are hardy little things.

I can't believe all the negative comments! We rehomed a gorgeous Patterdale when he was 18 months old. He gave us years of pleasure and the only issue was (like the airedale we had before) was his dreadful sense of recall and we kept him on his lead when out walking. He had a wonderful temperament even though he had been a stray before we got him.

I have respect for them but would never have one.
My late GMIL had one, she was as formidable as the dog. She used to take him out for impromptu walks all hours of the night when she couldn't sleep. No chance of anyone mugging her as he'd have fought to death to protect her. He savaged a lovely new tree we got her after growling at it suspiciously for a week. He was hard as nails, totally fearless and complete mad lad but she adored him.

Oh - one has gone missing near us after it slipped it's collar and disappeared after a fox.

It's still on the run fourteen DAYS later. It's been sighted regularly and is perfectly healthy looking but will not come anywhere near anyone as it's too busy hunting and disappearing down holes

I had a rescue patterdale died last year 17 years.Amazing dog so friendly wih humans, amazing with my kids growing up. She didnt like litle dogs loved big dogs , got n great with my other 2 dogs including a husky and lurcher.I would have anther like a shot, she was beautiful slept in bed with us and was so obedient, please dont brush the this little one off, are yu able to try her/him at home

@fairylightsandwaxmelts my two love living near the fields , they are always putting their head down any random hole in the woods / fields and rolling in fox poo!
That loose one is prob having the time of its life bless it but I hope it gets back to its owner soon

[quote foxlover47]@fairylightsandwaxmelts my two love living near the fields , they are always putting their head down any random hole in the woods / fields and rolling in fox poo!
That loose one is prob having the time of its life bless it but I hope it gets back to its owner soon [/quote]
It's definitely out living it's best life but it's traveled miles from where it ran off - they are seriously such hardy little things!

@fairylightsandwaxmelts yes the absolute energy they have .... I'd pay for a quarter of that 🤣

We met one while out on a walk. I don't think he's up for sale 😀.

He made friends with DD and was rolling on his back letting her stoke his tummy. His tail never stopped wagging.

My mum had a rescue Pattie, she died last year at 18.
She was a typical Pattie in that her prey drive was very high, she could clear 6ft from standing, recall wasnt great-we had to pull her out rabbit holes on occasion.
They are not beginners dogs. We've had terrriers but even so, Patties are jack russells to the power of 10.
She killed seagulls, ducks, and a pigeon. Whilst on a lead. This is what she was bred and trained for and she jumped to take them out the sky. She was also very dog aggressive and bloody quick!
Having said that, we adored her, she learned to be part of our pack. she was loyal but would snap if she decided she wasnt happy.
We loved the bones of her but would not recommend them to a first time dog owner. Get a Westie. or even better, rescue a wee soul.

@SJFarter

We met one while out on a walk. I don't think he's up for sale 😀.

He made friends with DD and was rolling on his back letting her stoke his tummy. His tail never stopped wagging.

We got one just before i found out I was pregnant. Was a little nervous of how she would be with a baby and hand on heart she was amazing!!!

She was very good with my dsc but with dd it was a while different thing. She would lay on my lap under dd and support her weight as I get her (have a disability that makes lifting or holding something in one position hard). If dd murmured in the night our Patterdale would come and nibble my fingers if she thought I wasn't getting up fast enough.

As dd got bigger and learnt to crawl and walk she would walk behind her and frequently ended up as a crash mat and never once showed any displeasure. She was a cracking dog and amazing with dd. They really were the best of mates.

You will hear good and bad about all breeds.

Do your research.

Interview breeders.

See the parents.

Ask for testimonials from previous litters if you can

@SJFarter they are such gorgeous little dogs , I wish mine were as laid back as that one when out , they would be like that indoors but I'm sure outside is hunting time for them
And what a lovely experience for your little one too

Just because.....here's the wily wee one! long legs, no tail (docked back to nothing before she was rescued) and classic broken coat.
She also grew white spectacles as she aged, something I've seen in other Patterdales.
lets see pictures of your Patterdales! :)