Size
Narrow-bodied and well-proportioned, males stand 13 to 16 inches at the shoulder, and weigh 13 to 16 lbs, while females stand 11 to 14 inches and weigh between 11 and 14 lbs. Identifiable by their otter-shaped head, Border Terriers have a broad skull and short, strong muzzle with a scissors bite. Their "V" shaped ears are on the sides of the head and fall towards their cheeks.
Coat and Color
The Border Terrier has a double coat consisting of a short, dense, soft undercoat and harsh, wiry weather and dirt resistant, close-lying outer coat with no curl or wave. This coat usually requires hand stripping twice a year to remove dead hair. It then takes about eight weeks for the top coat to come back in. For some dogs weekly brushing will suffice.
Acceptable colors are grizzle and tan, blue and tan (sometimes looks almost black), red grizzle, and wheaten. All colors with a dark muzzle is preferred. White is not often found, except for a small patch on the chest. Whiskers are few and short. The tail is naturally moderately short, thick at the base and tapering.