Border Terrier care on Cape Ann

Border Terriers are small, 11.5 to 15.5 pounds by the AKC's figures, yet longer in the leg than most small terriers, with an otter-shaped head and a hide the breed standard calls very thick and loose fitting. The AKC's temperament words are affectionate, happy and plucky. Its history notes that Borders were bred to hunt in tandem with foxhounds and are still known as terriers that get on well with other dogs, though their hunting instincts wake up the moment a cat or squirrel crosses their path.

The AKC rates the breed three out of five for getting along with other dogs, a reminder that friendly is a tendency, not a promise. Exercise needs are moderate by terrier standards: a brisk half-hour walk or a session with a ball or flying disc each day, the AKC says. It also quotes the breed's parent club, which warns that a Border was bred to think for himself, will stay for as long as he considers enough, and that harsh punishment will break his spirit. Patient, reward-based training suits this dog.

The AKC describes a double coat, a hard, wiry outer jacket over a soft, fluffy undercoat, and says the outer coat repels dirt but bathing compromises that ability. Usually, it says, a dirty Border can be cleaned up with a towel and a brush, and a quick brushing every week or two keeps the coat in shape. The standard asks for a dog that can be shown almost in its natural state, with nothing more than a tidy of the head, neck and feet. After a wet spring walk on Dogtown Common, that is very good news.

Borders shed seasonally, and the AKC says that during a shed owners can expect to spend about half an hour a day stripping out dead hair, by hand or with a rake or stripping tool. Whether our groomer hand strips or uses another method is confirmed with you at check-in, so ask when you book. In our up-to-25-pound band a bath is $55 and full service $75; a face trim, $10, tidies the eyes, muzzle and ears, and nail clipping is $16. Dog grooming needs no evaluation.

A reputation for getting along with other dogs is a good start, not a placement. The free evaluation, held on weekdays between 6:30 and 9:30 AM by appointment, puts your dog through a temperament test and a few supervised hours in a group, and the team then matches it with dogs of a similar size and temperament in playgroups of 7 to 10. A terrier that plays fair joins a group; one that fixates on chasing or bosses smaller dogs may do better with a different plan.

That plan has options. A full daycare day is $42 and a half day $33, and a Dogtown Academy day at $89 adds a trainer session and fitness work for a dog that likes to think for itself. The sniff room, a $7 add-on, gives a hunting nose find-it games in a quiet room. If your Border is new to Dogtown, the code FIRST15 takes 15 percent off its first daycare day. Bring Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records and a current city license; Gloucester licenses come from the City Clerk at 9 Dale Ave.