Now, before anyone starts yelling at us that if we’re going to discuss the “Fox Terrier” dog breed, we need to break it up into two separate articles, one for the “Smooth” Fox Terrier and one for the “Wire” Fox Terrier. We should point out that we won’t spend much time “comparing” these two versions in this article. Instead, we’ll try to shed some light on what it might be like to own one of these little guys so that if you consider adopting a new animal, you’ll have a better idea of whether one might be right for you.
Because…
Aside from the fact that the “Wire” Fox Terrier will have a coat that will require more work to maintain, owning either one of these dogs is pretty much the same (same as in AWESOME). But just because we love these little guys doesn’t automatically mean they will be the “right” dog for everyone. So, without further ado, let’s find out if owning a Fox Terrier will be “right” for you!
Fox Terrier Dog Breed Fast Facts
Country of Origin: England
Original Purpose: Hunting vermin and fox bolting
Height: Less than 16 inches
Weight: 15 to 19 pounds
Dog Breed Classification: Terrier Group
Lifespan: 12 to 15 years
Origin of the Fox Terrier Dog Breed
Most folks will agree that the Fox Terrier dog breed has been around since the late 1700s, that part we know. We run into a bit of “controversy” when we look at the ancestors of these two different breeds. Some think the “Smooth” Fox Terriers are a mix of smooth-coated Black and Tan Bull Terriers with a little bit of Greyhound and Beagle.
While others…
Believe that the “Wire” Fox Terriers descended from the rough-coated Black and Tan Terrier of Whales. While agreed upon, these two different breeds were bred together rather extensively early on, which is why, other than their coat, both species are very similar.
Gradually…
Towards the beginning of the 1900s, folks stopped interbreeding the Smooth and Wire-haired Fox Terriers together, which made distinguishing them as “separate” dog breeds much more accessible but still didn’t lead to them being “officially” recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as separate until 1985.
Physical Characteristics
As we stated before, there are two types of Fox Terriers, and while they share many of the same characteristics, a few differences warrant mention.
The Smooth Fox Terrier
Smooth Fox Terriers have a short yet hard coat, which is mainly white. The dog is usually between 14 to 16 inches tall and weighs 15 to 19 pounds. This dog has small dark eyes and a long and wedge-shaped head.
The Wire-Haired Fox Terrier
Wire-haired fox Terriers are more popular and have a crisp and hard double coat with a coarse texture underneath for protection from the cold. The individual hairs on the dog’s skin are twisted and not exactly curly.
The dog is 14 to 16 inches tall and weighs 15 to 19 pounds. The physical features are similar to that of the Smooth Fox Terrier.
Temperament and Personality
Fox Terriers are lively, intelligent, and alert dogs. In other words, these guys are dogs that will keep you on your toes. They can easily outwit you and have you laughing at their antics. They’re sort of the “class clown” that you love rather than the one that makes you nuts! And since these dogs are pretty vigilant, they make excellent watchdogs and bark if they notice something suspicious. And since we mentioned “barking,” we might as well point out that they do LOVE to bark.
So…
You want to consider this if you live in an apartment or a neighborhood where your neighbors live pretty close to you. Because it’s certainly possible to train your Fox Terrier to bark less, you’ll never be able to teach him to stop barking entirely. And if you don’t try to prevent him from barking while he is just a puppy, you can bet you’ll have a loud and boisterous Fox Terrier when he grows up.
The excellent news is…
These guys aren’t, so training them usually isn’t a problem. You’ll want to be sure that you start your training early and try to begin socializing your Fox Terrier young so that we won’t like to “pick fights” with every dog he meets later on, as many of these little guys do! This early socialization will also ensure you have a great family that will behave great with kids of any age, even if your Fox Terrier never gets to the point where they can tolerate the household cat!
Potential Health Concerns
Fox Terriers are a generally healthy breed. However, like every dog breed, they are prone to developing a few genetic problems. Genetic problems such as Hip dysplasia: This heritable condition is caused when the femur doesn’t snugly fit the pelvic socket or the hip joint, which causes lameness and pain in one or more legs
And while it’s true that these diseases are not necessarily life-threatening, most,t if not all,l can become quite expensive to treat, particularly if they recur. This is why we here at IndulgeYourPet always advise any new pet owner to take a moment and see what it might cost to purchase a pet insurance policy for their new loved one. If they ever become sick or injured in the future, you won’t be on the “hook” for 100% of the cost of treatment.
For more information on who we “feel” currently offers some of the “best” pet insurance policies, check out our Top 10 Best Pet Insurance Companies article.
