Border terrier as a family pet?

[Thebeastofsleep]

We've considered getting a dog for a number of years, me more than DH. We have 2 cats and 2 kids 3&6.

My very good friend is a vet. She has the most lovely natured border terrier. Absolute dream of a dog and she's planning to bread from her later this year. It'll be the dogs first and only litter. She's offered me second pick of the litter (she gets first). But I know very little about the breed in real life. My friend has had many breeds of dog and thinks this border is the best of them. I'm much more familiar with labs and collies.

I've researched the breed and it would seem they make good family pets but can anyone with lived experience comment? Particularly about them with kids (yes, the kids would be taught to be dog savvy and the dog wouldn't be alone with them, regardless of breed). My friend has good knowledge of dogs, but doesn't have kids so lacks that real experience with kids & dog.

Thanks.

What are your cats going to think?
So many of my friends with cats have gone on to buy dogs, the cat hates the dog and is promptly rehomed, which I think is unreasonable and unfair to the cat.

i think they're lovely. I'd have to get a dog (not a bitch) as they're just furry old men!! Needs a proper old man's name too!!

I've not known one to be bad with kids (or cats) .

That's unusual, most cats are very good at putting dogs in their place. Especially puppies!

I have a terrier (jrt x yorkie) and he's absolutely fine with our cat, we had him from 8 weeks and taught him from day one that he needed to leave her alone and chasing was not allowed.

The BTs I know are lovely dogs, they can be stubborn but I think that's all terriers tbh.

I have a BT she is lovely with people and children. She's never been around cats so will chase them .
They are the best family dog IMO

We have a border, he's 15 and has been an absolutely amazing family pet. He loves the kids, so gentle and tolerant and has always been absolutely wonderful with any visiting children, has mingled in kids parties, everyone loves him. He's so affectionate, has never chewed, has never messed in the house, just an A+ house dog!

He has one major flaw - he absolutely hates other dogs and has done since he was about 1 year old - was ok as a young puppy it came on gradually and as a result of his dog reactive behaviour he hasnt been off lead for most of his life. He will chase and bark until he either exhausts himself or someone catches him. If he meets other dogs on lead he barks and snarls - it really shocks people because as I said he is such a cuddle gentle old boy in any other situation. We have had professional behaviourist work with him and got nowhere, we gave up when he was about 10 and just lived with it. Behaviourists we worked with said it was common in borders, one I called even said she wouldn't come and see him because in her experience borders with the behaviour I described were unlikely to improve.

So it's a shame because in every other way he's been the perfect dog and we'll all be devastated when the time comes but we have said we will have another breed if we have another dog because I just can't do another 15 years of avoiding places there are other dogs!

Oh and to add - he's actually fine with cats, rabbits and chickens!!! No aggression at all. It's bizarre and possibly fear based

@captncrunch one of ours was like that. So for the others we worked with a behaviourist from day one and then found a trainer that trains police dogs so we worked with him to help them be confident and neutral around dogs (positive based before anyone yells at me) so far the 2 we've done that with are genuinely the most perfect dogs.

No issues with prey drive
No issues with dogs on or off the lead
No issues with recall

I'm not trying to make you feel bad just tell you that it is very doable with borders to have a lovely rounded dog if you wanted another one!

Oh thank you @QuidditchThroughtheAges that's encouraging. He was our first dog so we just did the standard 6 weeks of puppy classes! I will look into it further when the time comes for sure 🙂

I would expect the cats will soon put a puppy in its place . Mine always have done .

They'll be fine. They're not lap cats, quite aloof and independent and our house is big enough that they'll have space to get away from a dog. I'd never re-home them.