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Fox Terrier Dog Breed
The Fox Terrier, both the smooth and wirehaired, was developed in England in the 18th century for "bolting" - or driving out foxes from their dens. He adapts perfectly both to city and country living. Fox terriers are alert, quick of movement, friendly, and fearless. They should be trained to prevent excessive barking or possessiveness with their toys or food bowls. There two different coats, the smooth and the wirehaired. The coat color is white with black, black and tan or tan markings.
It is believed that the Fox Terrier was developed from the old rough-coated black and tan working terriers. He was specifically bred to go to the ground and pull foxes and badgers out of their burrows. Today, Fox Terriers are mostly kept as family pets. Smooth and Wire Fox terriers are basically the same, except for minor differences in colors, markings and conformation.
Fox Terriers like to play games and hunt. Their keen sense of smell makes no hiding place safe for a small rodent, rabbit or lizard. His lively spirit, courage and tenacity made them a valuable asset in farmer's homes and a great playmate for children.
This busy, mischievous little fellow may not be a dog for everyone. Fox Terriers are remarkably healthy and there are no serious problems with this breed. They do not require eye, hip or personality test when being sold as pets. They hunt as a pack and the first one to find the prey barks. The rest of the pack rush to join and surround the game. They like to play with a rat or squirrel, but if it bites or tries to escape, they quickly kill it and tear it apart.
The Wire has a bristly coat that can have a light wave with a soft undercoat and requires considerable grooming. The Fox Terrier appeal spans all ages. Children are especially drawn to Fox Terrier because of its endearing appearance and small size. Being very adaptable, they enjoy living indoors as much as they love to play outside.
Photo courtesy of Crispy Kennels
Fox Terrier Breed Outline
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Country of Origin: | Great Britain |
| FCI Classification: |
Group 3: Terriers |
| AKC
Classification: |
Terrier Group |
| Utilization: |
Terrier |
| Personality: | Alert, curious, adventurous, loyal and very intelligent. |
| Size Category: | Small |
| Height: | 15.5 inches at shoulders maximum, females are slightly less |
| Colors: |
White predominates with black, black and tan or tan markings. Brindle, red, liver or slate-blue markings are undesirable. The Wires variety have sometimes black saddle markings with a tan head, and the Smooths are either black with tan points or all tan or have some black saddling. |
| Average Litter Size: | 4 |
| Life Span: | 13 years |
| Grooming Requirements: |
The Smooth variety needs little grooming. To maintain his rough coat, the Wire should be brushed twice a week and hand-stripped every few months.
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| Shedding: | Little |
| Social skills: |
Fox Terriers are extremely sociable dogs. |
| Suitability for Children: | Fox Terriers love playing with children and will tolerate more than most breeds. They are protective and make an ideal, trustworthy friend for a child. |
| Exercise Needs: | High. To prevent chewing, digging and other bad habits, Fox Terriers need lots of exercise and attention to keep them occupied. |
| Train Ability: | Fox Terriers are very intelligent and like to be clean, so housebreaking is usually fairly quick. They are very sensitive and respond well to firm, but gentle methods.
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| Health & Behavior Issues: | The Fox Terrier seldom needs to see the vet, but some may occasionally develop atopy, cataracts, cervical vertebral instability and epilepsy. |
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