The first quote is the opening sentence in the UK Border Terrier standard and is echoed in the United States standard's opening comments on the breed, part of which is quoted above. Both standards are in absolute agreement that a Border Terrier must first be a working terrier before any other consideration, so anybody who exhibits, breeds or judges Border terriers must first understand what it means to be "essentially a working Terrier". While the Border Terrier standard may be brief, there is a wealth of meaning in this opening phrase.
David Kline and Patricia Hoffman, in their book "Border Terrier", begin their chapter on the Border Terrier standard with this discussion;
"First, foremost, and always to be remembered is that a working Terrier must be narrow through the shoulder, chest, and rib-cage. This is applicable to all Terriers that are used for work. The true, working Terrier must go-to-ground and be able to get himself through the same hole in which his quarry disappeared. Moreover, once underground, the Terrier must be able to maneuver the twists and turns and then exit from his quarry's underground tunnel, burrow or hiding place. This last phase of the pursuit - getting himself out - is the most important. Anyone who has watched a Terrier in hot pursuit of his quarry knows that in the excitement and frenzy of the chase, many a Terrier has squeezed himself through apertures he might not otherwise have attempted. But when the terrier has finished his work and is exhausted from the exertion, it is most important that his build allow him to turn around and exit easily.
For his work, the working Terrier must give the appearance of being narrow from all viewing angles. And, because a Border Terrier is a narrow, working Terrier, he must be capable of being spanned behind the withers by a man with average sized hands. The show ring is not the place to ascertain a Border's working ability; it is, however, the place to determine if he is built to work. Any judge who evaluates the breed and awards championship points without spanning the entries is doing a disservice to the breed and has obviously not read the standard. It can be stated unequivocally that a wide-chested, thick-shouldered, or barrel-ribbed Border Terrier is incorrect, and individuals of such type should end up at the bottom of their class's placings; they most certainly should not receive championship points.
The second of the two criteria for being a working Terrier (noted in both US and UK standards) ... is that the Border Terrier must be able to follow a horse and rapidly cover ground in the pursuit of his quarry
If breeders and judges are to remember that narrowness is the cornerstone for true working Terrier type, they must also bear in mind at all time that the Border Terrier must be up on leg (in order to) meet the ...two requirements."
As exhibitors, breeders, or judges of Border Terriers we each have a responsibility to maintain the standard to the best of our ability. To put it simply, if we do not breed, show and look for narrow, spannable dogs that are up on leg we are failing in our reponsibilities to maintain the essence of a working terrier.
What makes a Border Terrier a Border Terrier ? To describe Breed Type we have created a 5 point Judge's Checklist that we hope may prove useful to aspiring judges.