| Trainability: | 4/10 |
| Shedding: | 5/10 |
| Energy Level: | 8/10 |
| Guard Dog: | 6/10 |
| Good With Children: | 10/10 |
| Popularity: | 1/10 |
Behavior
The Patterdale Terrier has a lot of the same behavior traits as a typical terrier. They have a fearless attitude, which is very helpful for this particular dog since it was bread almost exclusively to be used for hunting. One thing that does distinguish them from other types of terriers is that this particular breed does not necessarily do the excessive barking that is often found with terriers. The Patterdale thrives on two types of activities – hunting and being a watchdog. Its temperament is based around these two traits that it performs very well. For this reason, they are not good dogs to have if you keep other small pets. This breed is known to go after them with great aggression, so you may want to look into another dog if you have pets such as cats already.
The Patterdale Terrier is focused and stubborn, which can make it difficult to train. You want to be sure to establish yourself as the person in charge early on in the training so the dog begins to see you as the leader right away so it will take commands from you. If given the chance, this breed will take over if it seeks weakness, making it nearly impossible for you to train it correctly.
Appearance
Just looking at the Patterdale Terrier can give you the immediate feeling that the dog is powerful and strong. The wedge shape of the head and skull, the broad, strong shoulders and back and the muscular legs all give a clear indication that this dog was bred to hunt and work for you. This dog can have one of two coat types – broken or smooth. In either case, the breed always has a dense, short coat underneath a top coat. The broken coat will have slightly longer, rougher hairs than a smooth coat will have. It is also not uncommon for this dog to have a moustache and beard. The coat can be a wide range of colors and it is either solid in color all over or solid with just a few white markings on the chest. The dog itself normally only gets to be about twelve inches tall and weighs eleven to thirteen pounds when it is fully grown.
Grooming
Grooming is not much of an issue for the Patterdale Terrier. Since it has a relatively short coat, regular brushing can help to keep it free of debris and from getting matted. You will want to brush him at least once a week just to make sure that the coat stays healthy and bathing should really only be performed on an as needed basis. Many owners actually simply use a dry shampoo or damp cloth to clean the dog regularly.
History
The origins of the Patterdale Terrier are similar to that of many other terriers. It is thought to have come from breeding in a small village in the northern part of England. It was bred and still is bred primarily as a hunting dog for foxes and rabbits. The dog breed is rarely seen outside of Great Britain and it was not brought to the United States until the late 1970s. Even then, it is really only bred in the U.S. as a hunting dog.