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?

@DinaDirvla

Alternately laughing and welling up at this thread, my twatterdale really was utterly vile and semi-feral but I loved her and I miss her terribly.

We had special arrangements with our vet as well, she had to be muzzled in the car park and the consultation had to take place outside! Our vet also told us that we had gone above and beyond for her and "given her more chances" than average, he was fond of her in the end - they had a careful understanding.

A Patterdale is hard enough to manage, so a Patterdale with chronic spinal pain is extra.

This made me laugh! Because mine has such a wee puppy face, if the vet hadn't met him before, they always questioned whether he really needed muzzled. On return visits it was never questioned!

Whilst we are here , can I ask what leads / collars you are all walking your dogs on ?

I have the perfect fit harness recommended by our behaviourist.. it has a D ring between the shoulder blades and another under the chest. It is great for reactive dogs. E cause it prevent lurching.

@Ethelfromnumber73 - can I ask how your border compares to your foxie in terms of terrierness?

Grew up with the lots of fox terriers and am definitely an terrier person, but don’t think my current life would suit a fox ( and tbh our male fox terriers were so loving at home but also a bit of a handful as well - kind of like a patterdale light!).

@Beakerandbungle Foxies are definitely much more of a handful - more wilful and stubborn I'd say. A border is def a bit 'lighter' but they can also tend towards neediness whereas a fox in my experience can be rather independent. They are time consuming in different ways 😬. BTs are my fave dogs though (don't tell the foxies)

@Beakerandbungle mine are wires by the way

They’re such fucking knobheads, and simultaneously some of the best dogs I’ve ever had. Brave, tough as old boots and the smartest ratters I’ve ever known. The bravery tho, it gets them into scrapes, I had one who would choose to go head to head with a fox, little twat.
They make terrible pets ime.

Thanks @Ethelfromnumber73 - yes mine were wires. Loved them to bits but definitely were a handful ( one was blind but somehow still managed to catch and kill seagulls ). I agree about independence - although we always had more than one

I love my patterdale, he is my baby and so sweet. However I wouldn't ever have another one, I'm pretty sure I had post natal depression after him as he absolutely destroyed the house and everything in it. I would cry wondering what mess I was coming home too ( he was like Houdini and would always get out of his crate , bite through the cable ties ). He also never listens to me ( my other dog picked up training so easily ) I also have a harrier, now he is amazing and I would get another one in an instant.

The current BT resident of number 73- he's just an absolute dream

That picture

@florentina1 thank you I'll look that up because lurching is a daily event as you will know
@Ethelfromnumber73 what a gorgeous BT 😍

And here are the fox terrierists...

@Ethelfromnumber73

And here are the fox terrierists...

They are stunning 😍😍❤️

@foxlover47 they are absolute wee shites, particularly the female. She's def the boss and doesn't like any dissent from that idea

Absolutely love Patterdales, Lakelands, Fox Terriers and Jack Russells. We had JRTs growing up and our first one was totally fearless, would take on any dog if given the chance and was an accomplished escape artist. Brilliant with people, especially children and would love the opportunity to show you that love by bringing you the largest rat she could find
I prefer larger dogs now and have a Lab, but I’ll always have a special place in my heart for a bold, bolshy little tyke.
We met a young female Patterdale on our walk the other day and she played quite nicely with my Lab. There was a definite edge of “I am Top Dog” to her, though, bless her fighty little soul.

I’ve had 2 one patterdale one patterdale x jack russell. Neither had a strong prey drive, both bred from family pets…think this is the big difference. The only thing I would mention is that they need long walks, a quick walk round the block once a day will not suffice

@foxlover47 .our behaviourist was excellent. She really helped with the reactive behaviour. In areas where I know she is likely to lurch, I keep her on a short lead. I pull up, rather than back, so she is on two legs.

She is 15 kilo and I am a 6stone weakling, so I could not hold her if she really went for it. When I first had her she was 9 and walks were a nightmare.

@florentina1 ah thank you , Elvis tends to go up on his back feet like a meerkat , I'll give them a try . I've gone though so many harnesses that just don't help
@Ethelfromnumber73 girls rule haha 🙌🙌🙌

@Ethelfromnumber73

The current BT resident of number 73- he's just an absolute dream

How gorgeous!!!

@foxlover47 mine wears an Indi dog Houdini harness , we have a couple of them and they wash really well and are very hard wearing . That said mine walks beautifully on a lead 95% of the time . He can’t wear a collar as he has tracheal problems .

I have a 16 year old patterdale who frankly is an absolute dick still. She’s brilliant with her pack and
Will tolerate visiting dogs in the house as long
As they are clear that she’s the boss. She’s blind, deaf has dementia and arthritis and would
Still fight anything at any time. She has no recall, never has and we spent a looong time with behaviorists. She could jump a six foot fence from standing, she killed a duck ,pigeon, squirrel and rat from the lead and slipped two
Leads, muzzle and harness to escape. Twice, once she was missing for 5 days and turned up in a builders van having jumped through the open window to eat his sandwiches (aged 8) and the other she went missing for 14 hours after she legged it from the dog Walker.

Having said that she’s fantastic with people and loves all kids. She’s a dick but my dick and my god Im going to miss her when she goes
Over rainbow bridge!!

I have a Patterdale who is utterly lovely in the house, never growls, snaps or is nasty in any way. Shares his food with family dogs and loves puppies and children…… as soon as he steps outside the house every muscle tenses as he sniffs the air to ascertain his first victim’s whereabouts. He is on high alert at all times when on walks and would love to murder most dogs (obviously I don’t let him) unless they’re one of his friends, but of course he doesn’t have many of these.

Tbh he was sweet up to about one year, then he gradually descended into the murderous beast he is today (he’s nearly 5). I’ve had dogs all my life, he was well socialised but now spend my time walking on lonely windswept moorlands.

You need to realise that Patterdales were used when normal hunt terriers couldn’t flush out their pray, and the ground was too rocky to dig them out. The Patterdales were sent in to kill the foxes (or illegally badgers) and it takes a very brave and ferocious dog to do this. Normally it would take 2 dogs to kill a fox, but a good Patterdale can do it single-handedly, and would thoroughly enjoy the experience.

I have to admit I didn’t do enough research, I’d met a couple of Patterdale crosses and thought how lovely they were, and I’m now left with my cuddly, soft Lapperdale in the house, and murderous monster outside. I love him to bits, but fantasise about what my next dog (which will be my old lady dog) will be, 10-12 years hence as Patterdales have few health problems and seem to live into their late teens.

So my advice is don’t get one!

@Ethelfromnumber73 - just seen the pics. All gorgeous but I’m the opposite of you - can’t help but have my heart with the foxies!

@MrsTimRiggins

They’re such fucking knobheads, and simultaneously some of the best dogs I’ve ever had. Brave, tough as old boots and the smartest ratters I’ve ever known. The bravery tho, it gets them into scrapes, I had one who would choose to go head to head with a fox, little twat. They make terrible pets ime.

Yup, total knobheads but brilliant ones! Loving all the pictures! The wee Lakeland terrier is fab-my friend had one, he was so well-behaved! Twatterdale a superb name for them, ours was known as the pinging patterdale as she would ping up and down on her lead when she spotted another dog! How many silly owners assured me their dog was friendly as it trotted up while I explaind the Pat and my dog weren't! Short lesson there!! Those friendly dogs quickly learned! They look so cute and fluffy but dear lord they're wee pyschos!!