Patterdale Terrier Champions bred for hunting, show,
working, performance, and companions for more than twenty-five years.

By Pamela Mettrick

Patterdale terriers are a unique breed developed to hunt in the harshest environments. They are hardy, loyal, with tremendous tenacity, an uncanny intelligence with the ability to problem-solve. They are not a breed for everyone! It’s important to understand the Patterdale's temperament and needs before choosing your new family companion. The Patterdale is smart, fearless, and highly driven, thus requiring thorough training. He is also an extremely loving and attached to his owner and family. It is not a dog to be left for long periods of time alone as “yard art” and is certainly not a “lap dog,” or “couch potato,” especially as a young dog. The Patterdale terrier is a very handsome breed which gives the impression of a big dog in a little package; however, he is not a “miniature lab.” Selection of this breed should not be made on his appearance alone. Before purchasing a pup you should thoroughly understand the breed and buy from a knowledgeable breeder who will give you guidance and support. To raise him properly will take time and training skills. Before bringing a puppy home, the family should have a well-developed plan for training, caring for, and protecting the puppy and should become knowledgeable on the breed.

After deciding to own a Patterdale and selecting your new companion, your relationship begins. From the day you bring him home you are responsible for his every need. Choices on feed and feeding, housing, expectations, goals, and training will ultimately determine the quality of the bond with your dog.

You bought him to keep for his entire lifetime and proper training will help to ensure this. 

Before bringing home your pup buy a wire crate. Decide on a location where the first few days of crying and complaining won’t interfere with YOUR sleep. Make the pup stay in his crate overnight on your normal schedule. Do not respond to his complaining, even yelling “No” just shows him he can demand your attention. After the puppy is content to stay in his crate overnight you can move him closer to you.

The first thing you do when you take your pup out of his crate is carry the puppy to the area you want him to do his business. Do not let the puppy follow you down the hall, it’s a long walk and one accident will inevitably make for more in the same place.

Stay with him. If after a few minutes he has not eliminated put him back in his crate and try again in a few minutes. Sometimes a drink of water will stimulate him. Do not turn him loose in the house until you know he’s done. Once he is, he can be supervised loose to eat, drink and interact with his family. Every time he has been confined to his crate you need to repeat this. The fewer the accidents, the faster your house training is complete. In my opinion a pup should sleep in a crate for many months. But the need for the crate never is done. There will be many times for the life of the dog that you will need the crate for his safety.

I like my pups to wear a flat nylon collar. From day one, for brief periods I let them drag a short leash and I pull them towards me saying their name and a lot of reward of treats and love when they reach me. In just a few days your pup will understand the leash and you can begin to formalize it; walking on your left, not pulling or straining, and calmly waiting when you stop.

I never allow the pup to chew on me or my clothing, shoes, or shoelaces. I keep plenty of the pups own toys available as an alternative. Plush toys with squeakers are good for very young pups, but they quickly need durable chew toys. My favorite is the Galileo by Nylabone. You can satisfy some of the prey drive with pull toys, but make sure he gives it to you when you ask.

Patterdale terrier puppies are fearless, however, without proper socialization with people and other dogs, they can grow up to be aloof with strangers and dog aggressive.

The first three months is when sociability outweighs fear, this is the best time for puppies to adapt to new people, animals, and experiences.

I recommend that owners take advantage of every safe opportunity to expose young puppies to the great variety of stimuli that they will experience in their lives.

Exposure to a wide variety of experiences can include carefully planned outings to places such as the Local Park, shopping center or family get together, focusing your effort to have pups meet as many and as wide a variety of humans as possible. Introduce your pup to people both old and young, people of different skin colors, people using canes or wheelchairs, people in hats, carrying packages and so on. Every type of situation can be an adventure for you and your pup. A family pool party can be a puppy party! While there are risks for your pup in every new experience there is always a way to make it fun, safe, and a learning experience.

It is also crucial for pups to meet a variety of other dogs during this period. However, it can be tricky to ensure that meetings with strange dogs will be safe and unthreatening to the pup. Many dog owners force their puppies into interactions when the pup is showing signs of fear. This forced interaction only serves to convince the dogs that the particular situation or person is terrifying and to be avoided in the future.

What about the risk of having a pup among a group of strange dogs before she has completed the full series of puppy shots? If you purchased your puppy from me, your pup went home only after receiving two sets of shots, so carefully planning is important. The puppy’s immune system is not fully developed, so you need to be careful not to take her where many dogs congregate, she should be fine and the need for socialization out ways the risk. Remember that your pup may be exposed to disease far more at the vet office than a trip to your friend’s house.

Simply taking a puppy to a dog park and turning it loose with a group of dogs does not socialize it. Proper socialization means exposing the animal in a way that does not cause fear and should always be an enjoyable, positive experience. Many dog owners force their dogs into interactions when the dogs are already showing signs of fear. This forced interaction only serves to convince the dogs that the particular situation or person is terrifying and to be avoided in the future. Puppy kindergarten classes are widely available. A well-run puppy classes can provide safe interaction with other people with dogs in a controlled environment and get you and your pup started in obedience training. Equally important is that you now have a support group in case you have trouble with any aspect of your training.

The first step in owning a magnificent and obedient family member is learning all about the Patterdale terrier and effective training methods. The best owners understand they need plenty of diligence to raise and train the pup. The second step is planning for the puppy’s needs. The third, and often neglected step, is researching and carefully choosing a breeder.

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