Fox Terrier

Breed: Fox Terrier | Size: Small | Average lifespan: 12+ years | Temperament : Lively, brave, and wary | Coat: Short | Origin: Great Britain.

The Fox Terrier is widely known thanks to Snowy, the famous dog from The Adventures of Tintin. It is an energetic breed and excellent companion.

The origins of the Fox Terrier

A terrier known for a long time

This breed was most likely born in the 17th century and was used for hunting in the beginning. They were most commonly used to hunt foxes, which is where their name comes from, but also all types of rodents. This dog comes from England and shares common ancestors with the Manchester Terrier, Bull Terrier, the Dachshund and Beagles.

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There are two types of Fox Terriers: Smooth and Wire. The oldest type is the smooth coat that we can see in paintings from the 18th century. Brown-tan or black-colored dogs can be seen. Smooth Fox standards were established as early as 1876, after the breed was recognized by the Kennel Club a year earlier.

They stayed hunters until the 1930s when they started to get adopted as pet dogs.

A companion dog

One dog was found to have entered the royal family, a phenomenon that developed the breed as a companion dog. It was all the rage, and the Fox Terrier found itself living indoors, which was hardly suitable for the breed as it was at the time. Breeders improved the breed to make it suitable for city and apartment living. The wire-haired breed was then born. The two types were recognized as distinct in 1985.

The character of the Fox Terrier

The Fox Terrier has for a long time been a hunting dog and that can be found in this breed’s constant need to exercise and move around. They like moving and going outside, but also appreciate spending time with their owners.

A strong character

The breed’s hunting origins have given this little dog a lively spirit and an endless need to exercise. They love to move around and run. In addition, they loves to accompany their owner into the woods, where they cqn rediscover their primary characteristics: digging, searching, and galloping everywhere.

It’s a courageous dog, sometimes a little too intrepid, that has what seems to be unlimited energy. Their owners need the same spirit to follow this small thunderbolt.

It’s a dog that likes to analyze situations and protect its family. They do not trust strangers and warn their owners of them immediately. Once presentations are made, they are pleasant dogs.

A sometimes complex personality

The Fox Terrier is wary of everything. They need to create strong relationships with their owners, but once these are in place, they can stick to their owners like glue. Good training is important to make sure that your Fox Terrier is balanced.

Their taste for adventure can also cause problems because they can run away. To prevent this, you need to find occupations for them. Without this, they will not handle being alone very well and will make this known. For example, they might destroy everything they find.

If badly trained, the Fox Terrier can become particularly stubborn and authoritative. The bad character will make them jealous animals and not willing to cohabitate with other animals. They can sulk if they see that you get interested in someone else other than them!

The physical characteristics of the Fox Terrier

One breed, two Foxes

As we have seen, there are two distinct types of Fox Terrier.

The first is the Smooth Fox Terrier, with a dense coat. The second, the Wire Fox Terrier, has a slightly longer, wave-like coat.

General

The Fox Terrier is a small dog that is both elegant and powerful. These are ideal proportions for a well-balanced morphology.

Head

The head of the Fox Terrier is thin and the muzzle is long. We can notice that the muzzle is powerfully muscular. The skull is flat.

They have rounded eyes and their eyes are a dark color. Their ears are small, with the form of a V. They fall partially on the front of the head.

Body

The Fox Terrier has a solid body with a short and horizontal back. Their chest is not too big. The front ribs are noticeably curved, while the hind ribs are of harmonious length.

The tail is attached high and held straight. However, in the past, the tail was shortened. Nowadays, this procedure is not allowed in France.

Coat, colors, and grooming

Coat

There are two types of coats:

• Smooth Fox Terrier;
• the Wire Fox Terrier, with a denser coat.

These two types of Fox Terriers have a hypoallergenic coat.

Colors

The colors of the coat of these two types of Fox Terriers are identical. It is mostly white and decorated with tan and black. So all variants are possible and accepted and it is even possible to find sone dogs that are entirely white.

You might find this article interesting: White dogs: 10 dog breeds with immaculate coats

How do you care for a Fox Terrier?

The Smooth Fox Terrier is the easiest coat to maintain. A good brushing once a week is enough. This breed loses very little hair, even during molting periods. In fact, you should know that grooming a Wire Fox Terrier should be done by a professional. Indeed, the coat does not fall by itself and they need to be waxed to get rid of their dead hair.

Some owners prefer to shearing their Wire Fox Terrier. This method leads to the loss of color of their coat, but most of all their coat will not be waterproof after it starts to grow again.

It’s best to groom your Fox Terrier four times a year to avoid skin issues.

Did you know?

We all know the famous Snowy, the companion of the famous Tintin from The Adventures of Tintin. The name of this dog is Milou in French. But did you know that Milou was also the name of Napoleon Bonaparte’s dog? This Fox Terrier accompanied his owner on the Egyptian campaign at the end of the 19th century.

George Clemenceau was also a fan of this breed. He had several of them, the best known being his dog, Bif.