In a nutshell:
Happy, independent, carefree, active,
creative
 Description:
Compact, around 15 inches and 17-18 pounds, square (length of leg to body), long nose,
no stop in muzzle, almond shaped dark eyes. Tail is docked and stands straight up. Must be
51% white. Comes in tan, black or tri (black and tan), can be patched or have ticking.
Short coat that does shed.
Temperament:
Easy going, but can get testy. Strong willed. Multiples can be problems – terrier
fights are no fun.
Advantages as an agility dog:
-
Very agile
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Smart
-
Can be fast
-
Easy to
train if you use positive methods
-
Love to work
and be with you
Disadvantages as an agility dog:
-
It is a terrier and will hunt vermin so if you train
in a barn you will have to train a no hunt command.
-
Straight shoulders.
-
They were developed to be independent of us and so at
times may tell you where to go.
-
Can be snappy.
-
Can’t do a lot of repetition will get bored.
-
They can be soft – harsh corrections will cause many
to shut down.
-
Many do not want to make a mistake and thus will slow
down to ensure they are right.
Rating out of 10:
8/10 If you use positive methods to train they are easy. They love to learn. Just don’t do
a lot of repetition as you will bore them. Once they learn something they have it, but
watch out - the class clown may come out.
Examples of dogs that have done well in agility:
In The States, some have done well including
Lexie – high drive, very focused, fast – when she Q’s in 16 inch EX B she places (many
times with first), Gidget – first MACH, Rerun second to earn MACH, Randall only third SFT
to earn MACH Tango – Earned OA OAJ, AX, AXJ, MXJ in just six months.
 What's
it like to live with as a pet:
They are fun
to live with, but can be trying at times. They love to be held and are very affectionate.
Easy to train if you use positive methods. They love to work, and many are willing to
please the one they love. Will follow you every where you go. Must work as they need the
exercise and the mental stimulation. Nothing is safe. They can even open zippers and
will solve problems to get what they want.
Terriers are not for everyone.
They are very active and need to be trained from the beginning.
You must establish alpha role of pack.
Do your homework as there are many health issues in the breed today (including hip
dysplasia, luxating patella, heart, eyes).
Not many puppies are whelped per year (usually around 600 in the USA.)
Would you buy another one for
agility? Yes.
Source: Denise
Visco
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