History and Origin: developed in England and was the epitome of British foxhunts in the 1700’s. Probably were developed by crosses with white English terriers, bull terriers, beagles and now extinct black and tan working terrier of that early era.This breed had to be small enough to ‘go to ground’ to chase the fox from its den so that riders on horseback could give chase. Docked tail so that the dog could be pulled from the burrow. The wire and smooth coated fox terrier were bred together until the early1900’s when two separate standards were developed but essentially they are quite identical except for coat type.
General Appearance: Sturdy, rough coated breed, tough, active, energetic and agile. Smaller of the terrier breeds but no less feisty and with a determined and quite enthusiastic outlook on life. The coat is harsh and wiry looking. Tail is docked, and held upright when dog is in motion. Back is short, head is long and lean, ear flaps hang close to cheeks, and eyes are small and dark. Expression is keen, and intelligent. Size: Males 17- 19 pounds, Females 15-17 pounds Height 15 ½ inches. Termed in the official breed standard, ‘a well made hunter’.
Coat and Colour: double coated, harsh and wiry, crinkly or slightly wavy but never curly. Termed a broken coat. Hairs are twisted and so dense that skin cannot be seen. Coat is hardest on the back. Hair on legs is thick. Hair on jaws makes head look longer. Short crisp eyebrows. Coat predominately white with patches of tan or black. For show dogs, the coat is hand stripped. House pets may be clippered. Regular brushing will keep the coat tidy and remove dirt and any debris. Minimal shedding. Possibly non allergenic.
Feeding: a quality kibble is recommended either once or twice daily
Training and Obedience: an intelligent breed, it will thrive on training and keeping busy. Use patience, fairness and firmness. Can compete in earth dog tests, barn hunt, obedience, agility, rally and fast cat.
Activity: Loves family outings. Walks must always be on leash. If he sees small animals such as rabbits, squirrels, birds etc he will give chase. He is a born hunter. Must have a fenced yard. Vigorous, spirited and full of life. No to dog parks!!!!
Temperament: Happy, playful, inquisitive, eager and fun loving. Superb pet.
