Patterdales - what are they like? General Chat

Can someone who owns a Patterdale please tell me what they are like to live with and to own as pets.

I know someone who is thinking of getting a Patterdale or Patterdale x Border, and would like a bit more info.

Thanks.

I contacted the Patterdale Club once whenI was considering getting one as a second dog. Ill try and find their addy;-)

Patterdales are very very feisty little dogs(LOLOL live next door to one)They or a cross with them are usually bred to work & that work is actually killing foxes !(not just hunting them or flushing them out)

They need good socialisation & this book is excellent

thats what someone from the Patterdale Club toldme- Patterdales, Fell Terriers, Plummers,and Jack Russells- and to a lesser extent-Borders- have all been bred to kill rats, foxes, etc, and are all generally feisty with a killer instinct;-) but you can get laid-back ones too as with all breeds

We have loads near us, many of them seem intolerant of other dogs, pretty barky and there is one living in the area that gets lost or runs away a lot ... very often signs up looking for him.

They are still very much a working dog.

Thanks to everyone for their comments. Knowing the person who is interested in this breed, I may well be steering her away from the Patterdale - as I am not sure the temperament would be right for her.

There was a family who used to bring their Patterdale x Fell Terrier to dog training class- what a handful.....it became quite aggressive towards a lot of the other dogs, barked incessantly and pulled on the lead like u wouldnt believe. I think only an experienced terrier owner who had the time to work it could have handled that dog.They had to re-home it.
Mind you lots of jack russells are like that too- terriers are hard-headed/stubborn and usually need consistant obedience training and TONS of exercise to tire them out;-)

They very much are a working dog....i know many! But i have also known many folk who have problems with the patts n fells when keeping them purely as pet, problems that are more or less just these dogs exhibiting their natural behaviour. NOT a dog for the fainthearted i would say!

Our neighbours dog is quite anti other dogs however they didn't realise they should have socialised him, he's very smart & lives with a very laidback if somewhat dim lurcher. He can be grumpy with people but he's fine with me & often hops over the wall to visit whilst I'm gardening ;-)

They can make good pets but do need to be trained much like border collies

Steer them towards a show bred border terrier if that is the look they are after most have super temperaments

I agree- Borders are generally much more laid back than P.Dale/Fell's. I know several families with children who have them- no probs.

She did initially want a border, but then when she met a patterdale x border pup, was smitten! I will definitely let her read this thread and I am sure it will be enough to put her off owning such a feisty wee beastie A show-bred border sounds much more appropriate.

Thanks all.

Hmm, well she was most definitely put off owning a border collie when she saw how much effort, time and patience I had to put into mine, so a patterdale is sounding more and more like a dog she shouldn't own!

I have a patterdale cross- HES GREAT. dont be put off, I got him from a rescue, and hes brill, LOVES other dogs, and people. Gets on famously with my staff shadow. You would NEVER think hes a terrier, he's like a little lap dog, LOVES cuddling on your lap.

He kept getting looked overin the kennels, but hes my sweetheart.

Its all about socialisation, people generally think staffies are dog aggressive, but its about training and socialisation.

Any breed of dog can be hyper and dog aggressive, it all depends on how much exersize and training you give them.

I LOVE PATTERDALES!!!!

Show bred Borders have exactly the same temperament as any other Border, or certainly should do.

Borders are not laid back pet dogs, they are active working terriers, they will live as a pet provided they are given the correct mental and physical stimulation.
Dawn.

Patterdales and Border terriers are both very much working dogs and need lots of exercise and both are full of energy that has to be used up other wise you are left with a very bouncy dog thats here ,there and everywhere indoors .
I dont think Pats make very good pets and can be very hard headed and stubborn .
I do work my pair of Pats and they are out with me nearly all the time but if there is one day they dont get out for a run boy do i no it.
Borders are a better pet dog but again they are a working dog and need to be stimulated in a working way so that the dog feels that he has done his job for the day.
No way are Borders laid back.

That funny my friend has 11 & they are all laid back show bred dogs totally different to the working bred Borders her brother has at his racing stables

If your dog is from a rescue kennels how do you know his breeding as opposed to a guess from what he looks like ?

We had 2 Borders in dog training class- both were very laid back and family/pet dogs:smt002 I guess you can get laid back dogs with any breed My Jack Russell is also laid back- compared to some Jacks Ive come across Depends also on what your def. of "laid back" is too:smt002

LOLOL our GSD rescue lady breeds working Jack Russells & as they grow up with her very laid back GSDs they tend to be laid back as well & also think they are GSDs which is quite funny as they think all GSDs love them like Irene's & the rescues do

They are d*mn good working dogs when they need to be though

heh heh- yeah Jacks can be soooo lazy- when it suits them LOL...BUT.....say the word "BUNNY" to my jack and she starts howling, shaking, slavering........like a demented thing work hard, play hard and know how to chill:smt002 but I think most terriers are like that