Border Terrier

ORIGIN : Great Britain. DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 24.06.1987. UTILIZATION : Terrier. CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : group 3 Terriers. Section 1 Large and medium-sized terriers. Without working trial. GENERAL APPEARANCE : Essentially a working terrier. Capable of following a horse. BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Combining activity with gameness. HEAD : Head like that of an otter. CRANIAL REGION : Skull : Moderately broad. FACIAL REGION : Nose : Black nose preferable, but liver or flesh-coloured one not a serious fault. Muzzle : Short, strong. Jaws/Teeth : Scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Level bite acceptable. Undershot or overshot a major fault and highly undesirable. Eyes : dark with keen expression. Ears : Small, V-shaped, of moderate thickness, and dropping forward close to the cheek. NECK : of moderate length. BODY : deep, narrow, fairly long. Loins : Strong. Chest : Ribs carried well back, but not oversprung, as a terrier should be capable of being spanned by both hands behind the shoulder. TAIL : Moderately short; fairly thick at base, then tapering. Set high, carried gaily, but not curled over back. LIMBS FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs straight, not too heavy in bone. HINDQUARTERS : Racy. FEET : Small with thick pads. GAIT / MOVEMENT : Has the soundness to follow a horse. SKIN : Must be thick. COAT HAIR : Harsh and dense; with close undercoat. COLOUR : Red, wheaten, grizzle and tan, or blue and tan. WEIGHT : Dogs 5,9-7,1 kg (13-15 ½ lbs); bitches 5,1-6,4 (11 ½ lbs-14 lbs). FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect on the terrier’s ability to work. N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.