The Fox Terrier
a talent for mischief

The breed was developed in Britain and was taken on fox hunts, enjoying privileged transport in the saddlebags of the terrier train until the hounds lost the fox - then the fox terrier was released, to flush the fox out of its den or hiding place. As a breed they have an ancient history in Britain dating back to pre-Roman invasion times. Since then the breed has been refined and split into two - the smooth-haired terrier and the wire-haired fox terrier.

The American Kennel Club recognises a third type, the toy fox terrier, which is not recognised in New Zealand or in Britain.

Smooth fox terrier
The smooth fox terrier developed earlier than the wire-haired fox terrier and probably came from different stock. It may have emerged from various crosses of the greyhound, beagle, bull terrier and an old smooth-coated black-and-tan terrier. It is hard to discover the earliest breeders as early records were often changed because of feuds in the kennel business. Paintings have depicted dogs that resembled both smooth and wire-haired fox terriers in the early 18th Century, but the breed club was not established in England for both breeds until 1876.

Wire-haired fox terrier
The wire-haired fox terrier probably developed from a rough-coated black-and-tan working terrier common to Wales, Durham and Derbyshire in England. However, huntsmen wanted a dog that they could easily distinguish from the fox as they dug into the den where the critter was cornered, so they cross-bred with the smooth fox terrier to fix the predominantly white colour. This crossbreeding is no longer done, and the smooth and wire fox terriers are now different breeds with different standards.

In spite of the difference in ancestry, the two breeds are remarkably similar in type, size and temperament. The major distinction is the coat type. The wire fox terrier must be professionally groomed to keep his coat in top shape - unless the owner learns to 'strip' and 'pluck' the coat, procedures that require-the pulling of individual hairs to remove them. The hair can be clipped, but trimming dulls the colour and softens the coat.

Although the smooth fox terrier was Best in Show for the first four years that award was given at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Show, the wire fox terrier has 13 Best in Show wins, more than any other breed. Neither breed is used for hunting foxes today.

The wire fox terrier is alert, quick of movement, keen of expression, and on the tiptoe of expectation at the slightest provocation. Character is imparted by the keen expression of the fiery eyes and by the carriage of ears and tail. It is strong and well boned, but not coarse. Speed and endurance are essential as well as power. The coat of the wire fox terrier is predominantly white, appearing to be broken, with twisting hairs, dense, and wiry.

The wire fox terrier is certainly not a wash-and-wear dog, and show dogs must be stripped bare every six-to-seven months. This means that all the hair must be plucked out so that, when it comes back in over the next three months, the top-coat will be wiry and the colours will be bright.

Pets do not need such attention; patches of colour in the coat can be kept bright by plucking only those areas and clipping the white areas of the dog. Owners should be careful to choose a groomer who specialises in terriers, for the techniques are different from those used on other dogs.

At the base of this outer coat is a shorter, finer, softer hair termed the undercoat. Hair on the forelegs should also be dense and crisp. It sheds little so grooming once a week is enough.

The standard
The standard for each breed depicts the ideal dog of that breed. New Zealand standards are the same as the British ones. The following standards are a condensed version only, to give an over-all picture to the amateur. The full list of requirements can be obtained from your nearest Kennel Club, or can be read by visiting the club website.

The smooth-haired fox terrier

• The dog must be lively, with bone and strength in a small compass. Speed and endurance must be looked to, as well as power. The terrier must on no account be leggy, nor too short in the leg. He should stand covering a lot of ground, yet with a short back.
• The skull should be flat and moderately narrow, and gradually decreasing in width to the eyes. The cheeks must not be full. The jaw should be strong and muscular. The nose, towards which the muzzle must gradually taper, should be black.
• Eyes: Should be dark in colour, small and rather deep set, circular, full of fire, life and intelligence.
• Ears: V-shaped and small, of moderate thickness, and dropping forward close to the cheek.
• Mouth: The teeth should be as nearly as possible level - the upper teeth on the outside of the lower teeth.
• Neck: Should be clean and muscular, gradually widening to the shoulders.
• Forequarters: The shoulders should be long and sloping, well laid back.
• Body: Chest deep and not too broad. Back should be short, straight and strong. Loin should be powerful and slightly arched. The dog should be well ribbed-up.
• Hindquarters: Strong, free from droop or crouch, standing well up on the hocks and not straight in stifle.
• Feet: Round, compact and not large, the toes moderately arched, and turned neither in nor out.
• Tail: Set rather high, strong, and carried gaily, but not over the back nor curled.
• Coat: Should be straight, flat, smooth, hard, dense and abundant. The belly and under side of the thighs should not be bare.
• Colour: White should predominate; brindle, red or liver markings are objectionable. Otherwise, the colour is not important.
• Weight and size: Approximately 6.8-7.7 kg for a bitch and 7.2-8.1 kg for a dog in show condition are appropriate weights.
• Faults: White, cherry, or a spotted nose to considerable extent with either of these colours.
• Mouth: Much undershot or much overshot. Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

The wire-haired fox terrier

• The terrier should be alert, quick, on the tiptoe of expectation at the slightest provocation. The character is imparted by the expression of the eyes and the carriage of ears and tail. The dog should be balanced and in proportion. The height at withers and length of body from shoulder-point to buttock should measure the same.
• Movement is the crucial test of conformation. The terrier's legs should be carried straight forward while travelling and when approaching, the forelegs should form a continuation of the straight of the front, the feet being the same distance apart as the elbows.
• Head and skull: The top line of the skull should be almost flat, sloping slightly and gradually decreasing in width towards the eyes. In a well-balanced head there should be little apparent difference in length between skull and foreface. Nose should be black.
• Eyes: Dark in colour, moderately small and not prominent, full of fire, circular in shape and not too far apart. A yellow eye is objectionable.
• Ears: Small and v-shaped and of moderate thickness, the flaps neatly folded over and drooping forward close to the cheeks. An ear that is semi-erect is undesirable.
• Mouth: Both upper and lower jaws should be strong and muscular, the teeth as nearly as possible level and capable of closing together like a vice - the lower canines locking in front of the upper and the points of the upper incisors slightly overlapping the lower.
• Neck: Clean, muscular, presenting a graceful curve from the side.
• Forequarters: Shoulders when viewed from the front should slope steeply downwards from their juncture, with the neck towards the points, which should be fine. When viewed from the side they should be long, well laid back, and should slope obliquely backwards from points to wither.
• Legs should be straight, elbows should hang perpendicular to the body.
• Body: The back should be short and level, with no appearance of slackness. The bitch may be slightly longer in couplings than the dog.
• Hindquarters: Free from droop or crouch; the thighs long and powerful; the stifles well curved and turned neither in nor out.
• Feet: Round, compact and not large - the toes moderately arched and neither turned in nor out.
• Tail: Set high and carried gaily but not curled. A very short tail is suitable neither for work nor show.
• Coat: Appears to be broken - the hairs having a tendency to twist. The best coats are of a dense, wiry texture - like coconut matting. At the base of these stilt hairs is a shorter growth of finer and softer hair - the undercoat. A curly coat is objectionable. The hair on the forelegs and face should be dense and crisp. The coat should average in length from 1.90 to 2.54 em on shoulders and neck, lengthening to 3.81 cm on withers, backs, ribs and quarters.
• Colour: White should be predominant; brindle, red, liver or slaty blue are objectionable.
• Weight and size: Dog should not exceed 39.3 em at the withers - nor should the length of back from withers to root of tail exceed 30.4 cm, the head should not exceed 18.4 cm or be less than 17.7 cm. A dog with these measurements should weigh 8.1 kg in condition - a bitch 7.2 kg.
• Faults: White, cherry or spotted nose; ears prick, tulip or rose.
• Mouth: Faults are much undershot or much overshot jaws.
• Old scars or injuries, the result of work or accident, should not be allowed to prejudice a terrier's chance in the show ring, unless they interfere with movement, work or stud duties.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Temperament
Terriers generally are happy, buoyant and stubborn, and the fox terriers fit that bill quite well. While these qualities are undoubtedly endearing, they can also be quite frustrating if the dog gets the upper paw in the household.

Like all terriers, they like to dig and can quickly tunnel their way under a fence or through a sofa if the spirit moves. Outdoors, they need a well-fenced yard or a pen. Once they get loose, they're gone, and they don't even say goodbye.

Fox terriers are active indoors as well as out. They need tolerant, patient owners with a sense of humour. Since they were bred to hunt small animals pet rabbits, cats, guinea pigs, rats etc are at risk. A secure fence or dog run is essential; chain link should be sunk into the ground to prevent tunnelling underneath.

Fox terriers do not know that discretion may be the better part of valour - they back down at nothing, even a dog several times their size. Terriers are expected to show some spunk in the ring - they are the only breeds encouraged to do so, for without an exhibition of terrier fire, they do not win. Outside the terrier rings at a dog show can be noisy as the dogs challenge each other at the end of their leashes. Handlers of large breeds try to avoid the area, for feisty terriers will harass big dogs without fear.

In spite of their fired-up characters, fox terriers can be wonderful family pets. They enjoy children even if wary about younger ones, they love to play, and their perky attitude brightens the darkest days.

Obedience training is necessary to teach them who is boss, and a crate is needed for confinement when the family is not home. Fox terriers enjoy a fair amount of exercise. They can play ball or frisbee longer than most, and they may get into mischief if their exercise needs are not met. If given enough opportunity for exercise, they can adjust well to apartment living.

Fox terriers are hardy breeds. They suffer little from the genetic diseases that seem to afflict breeds that skyrocket to popularity and become targets for puppy mills and backyard breeders.

Some are prone to digestive upsets, some need to have their tonsils removed, and some get thyroid disease, but hip dysplasia and other serious illnesses seem to have passed them by. Like others in their canine family, the fox terriers can be barkers and this is the quality that makes them excellent watchdogs - not guard dogs but alert watchdogs. Their somewhat high-pitched bark can also be quite irritating, so must be taken into consideration when purchasing these breeds as close neighbours could become annoyed.