SpikesPuppy

I find a definite difference in temperament- I currently have 3 males and 2 females. The girls are smarter and more independent, wheras the boys tend to be a bit sookier and more willing to listen to you, easier to train but perhaps not quite as intelligent and free thinking as the bitches! But both make great companions and both sexes are represented in various dog sports. Coat maintenance really depends on the individual dog and what look you want. When the coat is longer and starts to split apart, it needs to be pulled out for comfort. But it won't matt or knot. For show, different dogs again have different requirements. Some need finite, regular rolling, others can be left a little longer. When I was showing regularly, it wasn't unusual to spend an hour or 2 each week (depending on the individual dog and what stage the coat was at) going through each hair one by one to shape the dog. Then 3 hours per dog 1 or 2 days before a show. If the coat isn't or can't be rolled (not all are suitable for constant rolling), then you will have several weeks over the year when you can't show the dog or will be showing it in it's underwear. Personally I don't think the coat is difficult to maintain but it should be done regularly to make it easier. I just struggle these days as I have arthritis in my hands and an old injury so only show the Borders a few times a year. As for kennels, most on DOL are pretty good. Just make sure that they actually show or do sports with their dogs. I wouldn't recommend any of the ones who just breed. No health testing is commonly done or available for the breed at this stage.

*waves* here in TSD's command I currently have 5 Borders and reckon they would suit this situation pretty well- especially if it is just the one Border raised as a house/companion dog (the more you have- the naughtier they are ;) ). They are tough as nails physically, coats vary in terms of maintenance and what look you want but are not going to matt or tangle if you miss a grooming session. Mud and twigs fall right through the coat as well, a towel off if wet or a stiff brush if dry and you're good as gold. My non show dogs are generally hand stripped 3 times a year to let the new coat come through but I have one who barely needs any attention and just has a lovely short, hard tight coat with a few wispy bits! They tend to be good with kids and other peoples, they are not an aggressive or suspicious dog as a rule. Hunting and prey drive can be an issue so solid ir small guage wire fencing helps as well as recall training from day one. We are on acerage and our house/exercise yards are only 4 foot high - the runs they stay in when we aren't home are 2m high though and much more secure. Some are escape artists too but I find thisis more an individual thing. Activity level is moderate- mine are highly active, do dog sports, hike, carry weighted backpacks, climb trees, hunt etc but don't climb the walls if they miss a workout. They love to be with you and are highly adaptable! Just watch the food if not getting much exercise ;) We also have smooth collies and they could also suit but are a larger dog and may want to join in with the working dogs on the farm! Smoothies have the advantage of a lower prey drive andmore of a desire to stay around their "flock" than the terriers. They need a good run each day, but mental stimulation does absolute wonders for them. And some will play ball for hours. Ours also don't climb the walls if we are too busy.

For the Victorians, I can vouch for the girls at Scent Dogs Australia for both tracking and Noseworks and also highly recommend the Theory (tracking or noseworks) sessions they also offer. Sonja and Emma have both worked with SAR & detection dogs in a professional capacity and have a very positive "let the dog learn" approach. I have taken 7 different dogs to various SDA workshops over the last few years and love how every dog is treated as it's own individual, confident happy dogs and fearful or timid dogs are equally welcome. Even reactive dogs as everything is done individually (which I also love as I get to observe all the other dogs and handlers and pick up things that way as well).

They like to talk to you but generally aren't nuisance barkers/yappers. They aren't a silent dog ;) but I wouldn't say they "bark a ton". The males I know are generally more chilled and less bossy than the girls :D

I think there are only a handful of smooths around in NZ and I don't think there are any currently showing, may not even be any bred over there any more but we have some very nice dogs over here (and you mentioned you were open to Australia) - my mum breeds smooths and shows, does herding and obedience/rally O with them - we have quite a few now in the performance rings and they are proving very capable! Highly underrated and overlooked companion breed imho Check out this Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogsport/

If you don't mind a bit of shedding a few times a year look at the smooth collie :)

Thank you for posting this, Powerlegs! I had a few people let me know about her so it is definitely worth sharing the info. The breed community was ready to step up as well, so don't hesitate to let me know if you spot another one. Some pics of my girl as a thank you ;)

Yep they get the job done! My girl's parents work on fox, rabbit, sambar deer, once she finishes her show title she will be put to work as well- just gotta keep her pretty a bit longer LOL much to her distaste :p

update: the owner decided to surrender the bitch to the pound (including handing over the papers). Breeder has been contacted and I believe she will be rehomed with a friend of the breeder. Apparently she kept escaping and the owner had enough. Drives me nuts when people do not do their research! They arewwell known escape artists and will follow their drive to hunt whenever they can. They are notorious climbers as well. Oh well hopefully she will be in a more suitable home :)

They sure are! People always joke and ask if they hunt rats because they are so small.... when I tell them there is nothing they won't take on, they don't believe me. So I tell them to YouTube it hehe. They are a neat little package thoughnif you want an all around small hunting pal.

Yep they are like a cross between a terrier, GSP & teeny tiny Malinois LOL. Thanks for posting this :) I hardly get here these days but a friend let me know!

I have one and have put the word out to all my breed contacts, I am confident she will go home or the breed community will step up for her :) awesome dogs but not for everybody. Looks pure bred to me, they come in the same 3 coat types as the Jack Russell (smooth, broken and rough) & have a height range of 33-40cm so wide size range as well. As for numbers, there are around 50-60 regd dogs and however many other non ankc. They are a hunting dog, almost exclusively worked and are great escape artists or go missing on a hunt!

She has been mentioned on local radio and has a 12 week ad in the paper which will be renewed at least until the end of the year. Yes, people are checking the pounds, there are a few different flyers around, with different descriptions and sightings/impounds described as terrier, brown, shih tzu, Maltese x, Jack Russell etc are all checked out. Her owners have been volunteering for the local pounds for the last 20 years, for 15 of those their previous Border went with them so the staff are familiar with the breed (and all know Casey so that helps). Images of her invarious stages of coat growth have also been shared and included on posters.

Thank you, DDD. I agree, if we don't find her or her body/strong evidence of what has happened then I think we will all spend the next 10 years or so jumping at every small brown dog sighting. Still checking as many FB groups and pound websites but it is very time consuming and mentally draining, and not feasible. For the week after she went missing I couldn't focus, couldn't eat, was a zombie at work with stress and lack of sleep. Her owners were much the same. It's getting easier in some ways but harder in others (the longer it is, the more the hope fades). A lost pet is not something I would wish on my worst enemy.

Casey's whereabouts is still unknown, 5 weeks since she was last seen. We (myself and her owners) are moving on with our lives now- accepting that she may never return however we would like to keep her in people's minds for as long as possible, on the off chance that someone does have her or she has been strangely hiding out somewhere. She will never, ever be forgotten nor will we stop missing her but for all our sanity we want to know what has happened.