"Nothing would have stopped me getting into the drain to save him," Dobson told The Times of London. "Sandy recognised me straightaway. He was really weak, but he still managed to jump up and lick my face because he was so pleased to see me."
No one knows how Sandy got into the drain or how long he had been there, but the only nourishment he could have had below ground was rainwater. "Most dogs would have died in the freezing conditions," said Jennifer's mother, Lynn Dobson, "but Sandy must have an incredible will to live. He's been checked by the vet, who is amazed he survived so long."
The Past Is Parable
Sandy's adventure illustrates two of the paramount features of the Border terrier: its durability and its instinct to follow its instincts wherever they lead. This hardy and determined little dog originated not far to the west of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in and around the Cheviot Hills of the Border country, a rugged and immensely scenic wilderness that forms an imposing natural boundary between England and Scotland.
Described by one writer as a "hard, wild country," the Border territory was, for some 300 years preceding the union of the English and Scottish crowns in 1707, a dark and bloody precinct that was seized and reseized by the countries it separated. During that time generations of Border people knew little else but war, robbery, murder and blackmail.
In addition to protecting their livestock against brigands, the farmers and shepherds in the Border country had to contend with the machinations of the fox. To keep this marauder at bay they depended on small, long-legged, terriers to drive all manner of game out of brush and thicket that was too dense for large hounds to penetrate. Having been forced into the open, the game was chased by the hounds, but they were often thwarted in their pursuit when their quarry took refuge underground.
Re-enter the terrier, whose talents in the undergrowth were matched by its skills under the earth. Any animals caught in the terriers' sights learned, to their dismay, that a den is not a home when there's a terrier at the door. Indeed, more than one British terrier man will tell you that terrier does not have its roots in terra firma, but is, instead, a reference to certain small dogs' ability to terrorize game, particularly the fox, and to put it to flight.
A Families Affair
Terriers like the ones just described had existed in England as far back as the 11th century, if the evidence of tapestries can be credited, yet those early terriers cannot be authenticated as Border terriers. It is safe to assume, however, that painters' canine subjects were among the ancestors of the breed, for that kind of dog was especially popular in the Border country.
The development and preservation of the working qualities of the modern-day Border terrier were undertaken by two families whose history with terriers dates to the 16th century -- the Robsons and the Dodds. Members of these clans farmed and hunted the Border area, and developed two of the most successful hound packs in the region. They merged their packs in 1857, forming the Border Foxhounds. The importance of this pack -- apart from the abilities of the hounds themselves -- is the Robson-Dodds scrupulousness regarding the kind of terriers that worked with foxhounds.
A hunt terrier by definition, the Border had to possess sufficient length of leg to follow a horse all day, yet be small enough to pursue a fox underground. The Border terrier, which weighs between 11 ½ and 15 ½ pounds, is structurally well suited for these tasks. Moreover, the Border's weather-resistant coat can withstand prolonged exposure to drenching rains, mists and other environmental challenges, including the occasional storm drain. The Robson-Dodds terriers were agile, lean and fast, and their stamina is the hallmark of the breed.
Border terriers were not the sole province of foxhunters. Farmers and shepherds also owned and bred Borders to control the foxes that threatened their livestock. Because no one of modest means could afford to keep a dog that was anything less than versatile, the stalwart little Borders filled in as herders and hunters, bringing the latter talents to bear on otter, badger and rabbits. Moreover, the farmers' dogs were expected to shift for themselves, scavenging for food around the farm.
Namesake Recognition
Although Border terriers had been kept for decades in the Border Country, they were not officially named after that region until the late 1800s, about the time they were first exhibited in agricultural shows. The breed, first registered with the Kennel Club in Great Britain in 1913, was recognized in 1920. Eight years later the first Borders came to the United States, where the breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1930. No formal club was organized on behalf of the breed in this country until 1947, when the Border Terrier Club of America (BTCA) held its organizational meeting at the Westminster Kennel Club show.
The BTCA drafted and endorsed a breed standard based on the British Kennel Club's. The AKC approved that standard in 1950. Like the British version, the American standard did not mandate redesigning the breed in any way. American fanciers were just as determined as their British counterparts to maintain both the look and working ability of the breed. As a result the Border terrier has been subject to none of the manipulations of fashion that have changed other dogs, often to the detriment of their working abilities.
A Happy Medium
The Border terrier is lively but wise, brave but not foolhardy, quick to learn but inclined to think for itself. Its equable temperament, unusual among terriers, results in large measure from the fact that it was originally a hunt terrier, expected to run peacefully with foxhounds. Therefore, the Border does not exhibit the dog-aggressive attitude of terriers that hunt primarily on their own.
The Border is also exceedingly versatile. If there is any challenge a Border is not up to meeting, it certainly isn't for want of trying. The Border is a hunter, earth dog, show dog and obedience dog, a whiz at agility trials, ratting in the barns and tracking. There's little this fellow can't do, but as rugged as the Border's constitution may be, this is not a breed that bears up well under harsh criticism from its master. Its interior is as soft as its exterior is rugged. Also, Border owners should expect their pups to go through a bashful period when they approach adolescence. Continuing socialization is important at this time so the youngster does not become a total introvert.
To its breeders' credit the Border is not a dog that is sought after for its appearance alone. Its plain coat and self-effacing manners appeal to those who don't consider dogs status symbols or fashion statements. Anyone who has the time and determination to provide this engaging breed with the exercise its heritage commands will be repaid with the devotion and companionship of a most remarkable dog.
Moderation Is a Virtue
The Border terrier is arguably the most understated of pedigreed dogs. It is neither so glamorous nor so grotesque that it attracts attention. It looks, in most respects, like an ordinary, everyday dog. Its coat needn't be teased into configurations nature never intended, and unlike other terriers that strike sparring, gangsta poses, the Border is a quiet dog that doesn't feel the need to call attention to itself. The most noticeable differences between the Border and other terriers are its head, which resembles that of an otter, and its hide, which should be loose fitting and thick in order to protect the Border from scratches and bites while allowing him to weasel his way in and out of narrow underground openings in pursuit of his quarry.
Although most Borders have dark ears and muzzles, their coats may be grizzle and tan, blue and tan, red or wheaten. (Grizzle refers to the dark-tipped hairs in the coat.) The Border has a naturally hard, wiry outer coat and a dense, short undercoat. The coat requires no glamour trims. A semiannual trip to a groomer to have the coat taken down so the hard texture can be maintained is about all that's necessary beyond routine maintenance.
Hunting the Hunter
Border terriers have been known to remain hale and hardy into their midteens, but despite their longevity, they are, as most breeds are, subject to genetic diseases, the most troublesome of which are hip dysplasia, heart defects and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).
Hip dysplasia is a malformation of the hip joint resulting in a unthrifty fit between the head of the femur bone and the hip socket, in which the femoral head normally lies. This condition, fortunately, can be alleviated by surgery.
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is the wasting away of the vessels in the retina. Initially manifested as night blindness in young dogs, as PRA progresses, its victims become totally blind.
A responsible breeder is willing discuss these problems prospective buyers. Anyone who evades the issues or denies they exist should not be given any consideration when it comes to purchasing a puppy.
Unholy Dramas
The Border terrier was once described in Britain as having an ancestry that was equal parts "monkey, lion, hedgehog and frog, with none of their redeeming features." What's more, the Border, like all other terriers, has been made redundant in the work force by the progress of civilization and housing tracts. Borders were bred to hunt, but there is precious little hunting to be done these days. Still the Border needs regular exercise in fairly large quantities.
If the truth were known, Sandy, the Border terrier who had to be rescued from the storm drain after a three-week absence from home, was not the first of his tribe to get into mischief. A border terrier named Paddy, after vanishing for two weeks, turned up smelling as if he had spent most of that time in a rabbit hole. Genghi, a six-year-old Border outfitted with an electronic collar, managed to elude his owner for 17 days. He had been tracked with the collar on a previous excursion when he and his son had gone missing down a fox earth. "They were very cold and in a coma, but the vet managed to revive them," their owner reported.
Rastus, a five-year-old border, was rescued after "after a six-day operation involving the effort and equipment normally associated with a pit disaster," one British paper reported. He had gotten himself trapped 25 feet below ground level after chasing a rabbit into an abandoned quarry. A thermal imager, fiber-optic camera, sensitive listening devices and a 14-ton crane and thousands of pounds expense were required to unearth him. Miss Pepper, a two-year-old Border terrier belonging to Queen Beatrix of Holland was not so fortunate. On a walk with her mistress, the dog bounded after a rabbit, got stuck head first in a rabbit hole and perished before she could be found.
Small wonder that one Border owner cautions, "Borders are not safe off lead except in securely fenced areas. The best trained Border will bolt after a cat or squirrel despite your commands, and the older they get, the more ready they seem to do this. More Borders are killed by cars than die of disease or old age. If you enjoy walking with your dog running freely by your side, choose another breed."
Rank Observations
The Border terrier ranked 88th among the 143 breeds registered by the AKC in 1997. There were 768 new registrations of Border terriers that year. In the Great Britain, where the breed originated, and in the Scandinavian countries the Border terrier enjoys great popularity, both in the show ring and on the farm.
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