Welcome, we are a responsible Rescue who needs assurance we are placing our Fell Terriers in with responsible families. Please complete the short questionnaire below which guides you as to whether your instincts are alert enough and your homing setting is safe and secure enough. Many ‘working type’ terriers get killed on the roads every year; many are reported on doglost after running off and not seen again. We will only entrust families who recognise their safety needs and are able to offer their terriers and us that assurance to the best of their ability. We will refer to the ‘working type terriers’ as Fell Terriers from here on in.
Lynne this page on the website has to show the views that as well as completeing a HQ they will have to complete this min questionnaire
SO clear statement required showing this? Not sure what you want to do with the italics above?
In the Home: All family members need to be aware that Fell Terriers are excitable and need their energy levels kept under control during high emotional situations e.g. play, children running and visitors. Fell Terriers need a second door between them and the front door. They should never be allowed to have their nose to a front door while it is opened. Baby gates are NOT designed for dogs; dog gates are! A dog gate is 4’ as opposed to 2.6’ so a baby gate offers a false sense of security and is easily negotiated by a terrier. Open windows are often escape routes for a curious terrier.
Yes have read and agree. □
We have read and would like you to advise us with the right dog. □
No I do not have the right circumstance for a Working type terrier. □
In the Garden: All family members are aware Fell Terriers have an interest to explore and will take every opportunity presented to them a gate left open, a table placed up against a fence, a fox hole newly dug, a gap under a gate or through a wrought iron gate. 3-4’ fences pose no problems to them nor does hedging. A terrier proof garden is 6’ ‘non see through barrier’ e.g. panel fencing or wall. Fell Terriers get through very small gaps e.g. foundations of a garden shed to follow through on ‘vermin smells’ A terrier is alert to hearing and will try to get to a dog, fox or children’s cries coming from a neighbouring garden. A Fell Terrier should not be left in a garden unsupervised. A terrier should never be left in a kennel in a back garden; they can dig and work at walls. In our experience given time and determination a Fell Terrier can dig under, scramble over and break at a fence and go through it. A terrier owner should check their garden for weaknesses at least every week and never allow their terrier in other gardens without stringent inspection. Opening doors and gates are their easiest escape so this is why mindset of all entertaining a terrier has to be there!
Yes have read and agree. □
We have read and would like you to advise us with the right dog. □
No I do not have the right circumstance for a Working type terrier. □
Companion Pets: Working terriers i.e. the longer legged terrier’s instincts are to identify animal cries, sounds and smells and track toward them, and make a lot of noise on encounter to attract human attention. They will chase on movement and nip to slow their ‘prey’. They will tend to kill small prey but challenge and freeze large animals. People’s expectations of these terriers must be realistic. Asking them to live alongside very young children; ‘furries and/or feathers’ isn’t a given. These terriers were rarely free on farms they were kennelled and worked in specific locations at night. We have homed them in complex situations with variations but always when we believe a particular individual may manage it but we have to be aware it is not their fault if they suddenly chase a running cat or jump up/on someone to get a squeaking toy which sounds like an injured animal to them.
Yes have read and agree. □
We have read and would like you to advise us with the right dog. □
No I do not have the right circumstance for a Working type terrier. □
Out on walks: How often we are told how different the Fell Terrier is outside on their walks. They are ‘on alert’ antennae up and visually focused for movement. They will ’commit’ once convinced there is focused noises; smells or visual object. Their owner has to be one step ahead and distract before they commit and this is never a guarantee and so that is why if you truly love your terrier you are committed to allowing them to explore on their walks having the length of the extender, not restrained by a short lead. A terrier person’s walk is about the dog enjoying their encounter with nature; BUT is also all about anticipation. You are never far from a road. Terriers have no road sense and move fast, our roads are five times busier than 20 years ago so a danger is always on the cards should an off lead dog veer towards a road. We don’t want you to take a chance with our dogs’ lives, they can enjoy their walks within the freedom of an 8 meter flexi-lead and be closely locked on around streets and be back home safe and sound every walk. If you take the risk that is your choice but not with Terrierrescue terriers they have usually already had a narrow escape being found stray or handed in as their owners were unable to manage them outside.
Yes have read and agree. □
We have read and would like you to advise us with the right dog. □
No I do not have the right circumstance for a Working type terrier. □
Socialisation: Terriers are dynamic and not famed for being easily socialised with other dogs. They may have their dog friends but stranger dogs are never a given. Then there is the awareness, no matter how trusting your dog is many dogs that are not accomplished with other dogs, have a right to enjoy their walks outside. So can you trust your dog in all encounters, and can you trust each dog they meet? The dogs laws in this country have changed and we are seeing more and more dogs gaining control orders via dog wardens due to straightforward ‘dog on dog’ altercations. If any person gets bitten in the process of splitting dogs up, even if no blood is drawn between dogs, the injured person is likely to involve the police and seek a destruction order. It is happening more and more. We now all have to be ‘alive’ to this and make sure our dogs are fully under our control. If an off lead Labrador runs over with owner waving; ‘He’s friendly’, you have to ensure your dog does not take that friendliness the wrong way, you have to be there supporting the encounter. If your dog runs over to a dog who is not pleased to have a bouncing terrier in their face and you are not there to call your terrier away or show you have control you can easily end up with a control or destruction order; this will depend on how that encounter goes. If a dog gets injured, if your dog is off lead they/you are deemed responsible for vet bills. THIS IS WHY we insist all our terriers are retained on an extender outside the house and ALWAYS secured in the car so there is never any risk of them escaping through an opening car door or boot.
Yes have read and agree. □
We have read and would like you to advise us with the right dog. □
No I do not have the right circumstance for a Working type terrier. □