- Breed name: Fox Terrier
- Original breed name: FOX TERRIER (FOX TERRIER – WIRE, FOX TERRIER-SMOOTH)
- FCI classification: Group 3 – Terriers
- Origin: Great Britain
- Size: Small dog
- Average life expectancy: about 15 years
The Fox Terrier occurs in two varieties – fox terrier wire, and fox terrier smooth. This dog was originally bred for hunting, and nowadays it is common as a pet. This breed is a good choice for families with children, but it is not good for households with more pets. Fox terrier has great energy, can withstand any amount of physical activity.
ORIGIN
Both types of fox terriers, both short-haired and wire-haired, originate from Great Britain. It is assumed that they come from the same group of dogs from which both the Bull Terrier and the Manchester Terrier originated. The unique characteristics of the Fox Terrier breed were established approximately at the end of the 19th century, and the official standard was made in 1876. It is a very lively, but also cautious terrier that can withstand any amount of physical activity. It was originally bred for hunting rats, rabbits and of course for fox hunting.
APPEARANCE
The Fox Terrier is small in size, but extremely strong and has a strong skeleton. He has a skull with an almost straight upper line, which falls slightly, gradually reducing the width towards the eyes. He has a mild stop and a black nose. He has strong jaws with a proper scissor bite and dark moderately small eyes. The ears of this dog are small, v-shaped, of moderate thickness with the front part falling forward towards the cheeks. The chest is deep, not too wide. The tail is docked, set high and carried upright. When it comes to color, both types of this terrier are dominated by white with black or flaming markings. In short-haired terriers, the hair is short, straight and smooth, and in wire-haired, the hair is very sharp, as its name suggests. The height should not exceed 39 cm for males, while females are slightly smaller. The ideal male weight is 8.25 kg for a wire-haired terrier. The short-haired terrier is slightly lighter with an average weight between 7.5 and 8 kg when it comes to males.
CHARACTER
He is a very curious and active dog. He is lively, agile and loves to run around. He is cute and cheerful, he especially likes to run and play with children. He has a pronounced eyesight and hearing, and is also considered a good guard dog, regardless of its small size. It is not recommended for keeping in a household with more pets, because it will consider smaller animals and cats as its prey, and it can show “boss behavior” towards larger ones. He needs a strong hand and an experienced owner because he can be very stubborn. It requires early socialization.
HEALTH AND CARE
It is necessary to provide him with a large space where he will have the opportunity to play and run to a sufficient extent. The yard with a lot of space would be ideal for his needs, but he can also be kept in an apartment. To maintain the hair, it is enough to brush once a week and bathe as needed. With the wire-haired terrier, it is recommended to take him to a professional groomer at least twice a year, who will shape and shorten his hair nicely. Of the health problems, this breed has a predisposition to epilepsy, and they can also be prone to eye problems such as cataracts.
Statistics
- Energy level: High level
- Playfulness level: High level
- Attitude towards other dogs: Can be hostile
- Relation to other pets: May be hostile
- Attitude towards strangers: Distrustful
- Ease of training: Can be difficult to train
- Protection: High level of protection
- Maintenance required: Easy to maintain
- Heat tolerance: Moderate tolerance
Read also: