Wire Fox Terrier is descended from the old English black and tan, rough-coated terrier from Durham and Wales. Although for many years the Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers were bred and shown together as one breed with two coat varieties, they were recognized as separate breeds by the American Kennel Club in 1985. The Wire Fox Terrier is first and foremost a hunting terrier and should be fit and fast.
Wire Fox Terrier stands 14 to 15.5 inches tall and weighs 15 to 19 pounds. Her head is long and wedge-shaped, with small dark eyes and V-shaped ears. Her body is shorter than she is tall. Her tail is docked. The coat is double, with a soft undercoat and a hard, wiry, broken outer coat. The color should be predominantly white with patches of color. This coat does require dedicated grooming, including regular brushing, combing, and trimming. The undercoat does shed. Wire Fox Terrier show dogs are hand-stripped, although most pets are groomed with clippers.
The Wire Fox Terrier is a very active breed that requires daily exercise. Walks are not enough; these dogs need to run, play, train in agility, or hunt for small animals and insects in the brush. All exercise should be in a fenced-in yard because if a small animal is flushed, Wire Fox Terrier will be after it in a flash.
Training Wire Fox Terriers is very important, as Wire Fox Terriers are very bright. Training that is fun yet firm and structured can help keep the dog’s mind challenged, and the dog will then be less prone to getting into trouble. When well motivated, these dogs enjoy many canine sports, including agility, flyball, and terrier go-to-ground tests.
Wire Fox Terriers do best in a home where the owner understands the terrier mindset. An active owner can best keep this breed busy and out of trouble. Wire Fox Terriers do well with older children but may be too rowdy for very small kids. They should not be trusted with smaller pets. Health concerns include hip and knee problems, allergies, and Cushing’s disease.
One reply on “Fox Terrier ( Wire Fox Terrier )”
The Fox Terrier is one of the most curious, intense, and impulsive of the terriers — indeed of all breeds.
Untiringly active and playful, he has a special passion for ball chasing — which really helps with exercise — and he seldom walks when he can run.
The Fox Terrier loves the outdoors but must always be kept on-leash (he is a fast, agile, independent chaser) or in a secure yard, preferably supervised, because his ingenuity and relentless hunting instincts may drive him over or under the fence.
This daredevil with the peppery personality does best with active owners who are firm, confident, consistent leaders. He has a marked stubborn streak, a mischievous sense of humor, and will take clever advantage if indulged.
Fox Terriers are scrappy and fearless with other animals. They won’t back down if challenged, and they may do much of the challenging themselves.
They have a high prey drive and extremely quick reflexes, so little creatures that run won’t get far.
This breed has keen vision and acute hearing and can be counted on to sound the alert when anything is amiss — sometimes even when nothing is amiss, but might be in the future!
Fox Terriers love to tunnel and dig and can be possessive of their food and cherished toys.