Terrier Thursday: Holly, Small Dog, Big Personality in a Multi-Dog Home

Meet Holly: The Terrier With a Big Voice in a Busy House

The day started in a familiar way, with Holly snuggling up next to me while I enjoyed my morning tea in bed. This has become something of a cherished routine between us.

In our household, we generally keep the upstairs area as a dog-free zone. There are a few notable exceptions to this rule. If any of the dogs are unwell and need to be close by, they are allowed upstairs. Morning cuddles with Holly are another exception, and—if I’m home alone overnight—there’s an unspoken agreement that a dog on the bed provides both warmth and a sense of security. (Let’s keep that last bit between ourselves and not mention it to John.)

Holly on her throw on the bed

Holly enjoys a range of privileges, which seems only fair. She’s small, stands out as the only terrier among a group of border collies, and now holds the status of eldest dog in the house. These factors make her deserving of a bit of extra consideration and special treatment.

And once she finally trots downstairs and heads out into the garden, she wastes no time letting the neighbours know she has arrived, broadcasting her presence with that unmistakable terrier voice of hers.

What makes Terrier Training Different

As I’ve mentioned before, Holly is a delightful mix—half Jack Russell Terrier, with a dash of Yorkshire terrier and a hint of springer spaniel. While terriers are renowned for their independent streak, Holly is surprisingly attentive to her handler and thrives on close interaction. Her terrier instincts do come through, especially when she’s on patrol for rats in the garden. She’ll give chase at the slightest hint of movement, though she’s yet to actually catch one—something for which I’m admittedly grateful, as I suspect the outcome would not be in her favour. Training a terrier like Holly means balancing her natural drive with encouraging her connection to people, making each session uniquely rewarding.

Nothing delights Holly quite like a ball—her enthusiasm for it is unmatched. The only thing that tops her love of a ball is having me involved in the game alongside her. This does present a bit of a challenge at times; if Holly gets hold of the ball and suspects that playtime might be about to end, she’ll simply refuse to come back when called. However, being the supposedly clever human, I find the solution is straightforward—never let on that the game is nearly over.

Holly carries her ball whilst Jill & Kaytee attempt to herd her

 That said, my own memory isn’t always foolproof, and we’re both creatures of routine. Holly is incredibly sharp and picks up on the smallest cues, so she’s rarely caught out by my attempts at misdirection.  A second ball in my pocket is a sensible back-up plan.

Because of her intense fixation on balls, we are unable to use them as training rewards as they cause her to lose focus.  However, Holly responds well to food rewards and finds the training process itself highly motivating making her a pleasure to work with.

Revisiting Holly’s Early Training Challenges

Today we enjoyed a walk, just the two of us.  I had already walked the collies, on a lead walk locally, as they would be able to unleash some energy at agility training later on that evening.

 I set off with Holly and began our loose-lead walk, incorporating fun erratic turns and changes of direction and pace to keep her engaged.  Although Holly learned to walk nicely on a lead as a puppy, I admit that I’ve become more relaxed about her lead manners over the years, partly because her small size makes it less of a concern. However, I recognise the value in maintaining good habits so I’m re-visiting her earlier training to ensure her loose-lead walking skills remain strong and don’t decline further. 

Next, I removed her lead and she continued to walk to heel. I have taught all my dogs, that unclipping the lead is a non-event; they simply look to me for guidance on what we are doing next. Well, that’s the theory.  In practice, Holly’s recall is usually excellent – unless there’s a ball involved.  Then, suddenly, I become invisible and the ball becomes the centre of her universe. It’s a humbling reminder that, despite my training efforts, a terrier’s priorities can be easily swayed by a squeaky toy.  Still, treating lead removal as routine does prove a good foundation for recall…so long as a ball is not part of the equation!

We continue along the footpath and come across some broken branches which I cue Holly to jump over and balance on.  Despite her increasing age, she is still fairly agile and enjoys negotiating the obstacles.  I then send her off to run around tree trunks before finishing by throwing some titbits in the ground for her to sniff out.   Obedience, agility and scent work into her walks provides the physical and mental stimulation that a terrier needs, as much as a collie.

 After the fun and games, I clipped Holly’s lead back on and we headed home.  Her lead walking was flawless on the return journey proving that a bit of exercise and refreshing her memory on previously learnt skills can work wonders.

Holly balancing on a fallen branch

Grooming Holly the Terrier: Patience, Trust and Terrier Attitude

After a short break at home, I call Holly out to my grooming room.  Like the rest of our dogs, she is always eager to join me, leaping onto my grooming table with enthusiasm and happily jumping into the bath when asked.   The grooming room is a favourite spot, not least because it’s where the best treats are handed out.

Holly, in particular, looks forward to these sessions.  She leaps onto the table, eyes bright as she searches for the treat pot.  However, treats must be earned on this occasion.  Although I have regularly clipped Holly’s nails since she was a puppy, she suddenly developed a dislike for it one day.  I had never hurt her, at least not to my knowledge.  But like many small dogs, she has very sensitive paws.  

Holly sits on my grooming table patiently

To help her overcome this, I began a gentle process of desensitising and counter-conditioning, gradually getting her used to having her paws and nails handled.  Thanks to this approach, Holly now willingly participates in nail clipping – provided we stick to her rules: no more than three nails per session and plenty of treats throughout.  Having a grooming salon at home makes it easy to fit these short, positive sessions into our routine.

Once her nails are done, we move on to brushing and combing her coat.  I also use my fingers and a little stripping chalk to remove dead hair from her wiry terrier coat.  Regular grooming is essential, as her coat sheds heavily if not maintained.  Holly finds this part of the process relaxing, often lying down and dozing off while I work.

Holly’s Quiet Time: Independence, Balance and Settling for the Night

After a bite to eat, we head out to agility.  Holly stays behind, quite content with her own space and routine.  She is not completely alone in the house.  Cora is in her puppy-proofed room just a few feet away.  This wasn’t always the case, but we have taught the dogs that spending time alone, is nothing to fear.  By the time we return, both dogs are settled and relaxed.

It is time for all the dogs to wind down, and Holly curls up on the sofa for the night, quite confident in herself. 

Living in a multi-dog household is not always about doing everything together, but also about knowing, that sometimes, you’re okay on your own.