Wire Fox Terrier - description of the breed and character of the dog

The origin of the Fox Terriers is an interesting story. For a long time, dogs were bred for a specific purpose, they were used for underground hunting. If translated from English, then “fox” is “fox”, and the word “terrier” is of Latin origin and translates as “land”. The main purpose of the breed is to hunt foxes underground, in fox holes.

History of breed origin

There are many breeds of dogs in which part of the word consists of terriers. They are relatives, their origin began in the British Isles. Images of dogs that have survived in our time are very similar to the modern smooth-haired fox terrier.

In the Middle Ages, people understood that such a breed is of great importance to humans, a dog can hunt a fox and a rodent. The animals of the first breeder who was engaged in fox terriers, besides the ability to hunt, were distinguished by activity, were decisive and vicious.

The second half of the eighteenth century is the peak of the popularity of the Fox Terriers. This is the time when fox hunting was extremely popular. The British made this not only a hobby, but a sport. There were clubs for lovers of hunting, a lot of attention was riveted on the fox terriers at that time. The dog was supposed to drive the animal out of the hole. The fox terrier could not run after his hunter, he was moved in a special bag or bag straight to the hole.

When the breed was bred, special attention was paid to the color of the dog and its ability to climb into the hole. The color should be more white so that when the fox ran out of its hole, the dog was not confused with it. It often happened that a brown dog due to the rush of the hunter could be shot. Especially for hunting, dogs with a narrow muzzle and not a wide chest were bred so that it did not get stuck in a narrow hole, but successfully coped with its task.

Toward the end of the nineteenth century, pets of this breed began to appear of a modern type. The ears are small, the head is narrow, the neck is long, the shoulders are narrower.

Fox terriers are constantly involved in every dog ​​competition in England. Starting from the first exhibition and ending today. After creating a club for lovers of this breed, back in 1875, they decided to divide the Fox Terriers into two types - smooth-haired and wire-haired. Only the standard was the one for the breed, and sleek-haired more preference was given. Today, wire-haired dogs are more popular, as evidenced by records from modern clubs of dog lovers.

Previously, hunters preferred foxes more smoothly, but the quality of the wire-haired terriers was the same. Dogs with hard hair became the favorites of connoisseurs of decorative animals, they were brought as partners and companions.

A representative of this breed was brought to Russia from England in 1860. After the fox terrier took part in the exhibition, he established himself well, and they began to breed. At exhibitions, the dog showed its working qualities, participated in field trials, which aroused the interest of Russian breeders.

Breed standards

The wire-haired fox-terrier has a dense coat of short length, an elongated elongated muzzle and a stiff beard. Both types of breed have a strong physique and muscular legs, this gives them the opportunity to move quickly, instantly respond to different situations.

The tail of the animal can not be called ordinary. If other dogs wag their tail, then the fox terrier shakes them.It is strong and is always directed upwards, if the dog is in trouble, then you can grab it by the tail and pull it from there. This is an active, cheerful dog.

If the owner starts a pet, which was previously taken on a hunt, then it will be difficult to deal with him. Today, hunting is not as relevant as several centuries ago, so breeders raise dogs with a softer and more complaisant character.

Fox terriers love space, they are energetic animals that are constantly on the move. Despite this, the dog can easily get along in an apartment or other not very spacious room.

The breed is considered independent, and the canine federation has adopted different standards for fox terriers. But the standards that apply to their coat are very similar.

Wirehaired Fox Terrier is more common, the breed is known for such standards.

1. The skull of the animal is flat, tapering to the muzzle. Narrow cheekbones, cheeks are not clearly expressed. The jaw of the animal is compressed tightly.
2. The eyes are rounded, dark in color. The eyes are not too close from the ears.
3. The ears of the fox terrier are small, their shape resembles triangles. The tips of the ears are slightly inclined forward.
4. This breed has a long, muscular neck. If you look at the dog from the side, you can see how the neck becomes much wider towards the shoulders.
5. The back is strong, but small. As for the chest, it is not wide.
6. The tails of the Fox Terriers are usually stopped, it is not very large, straight, upward.
7. In an animal, the limbs are strong, muscular and strong.
8. The shoulders are not wide, set obliquely.
9. On the hind legs, the knees are bent. Pads on the limbs are elastic.
10. Thick undercoat. To the touch, wool can be compared to wire, very stiff. On the shoulders and sides, the hair is shorter than in other parts of the body. The expression of the animal's face is interesting due to the long hair in the jaw area.
11. The color of the dog may be different, but the white color prevails the most. Spots of such colors as black, red, brown and black are located on a white background.

Dogs can reach a height of 39 centimeters, female dogs will be two centimeters less. Also with weight, for boys it will be about 8 kg, knots a little easier.

Animal character

The nature of the animal is friendly, the dog loves new acquaintances, behaves with dignity, when meeting a new friend, is bold and fearless. From the look it immediately becomes clear that the dog is smart and cheerful.

If the dog froze and stood in the rack, you need to be prepared that at any second he can break loose and run, his reaction is quite quick, although at first glance he gives the impression of a dog with a cheerful and playful temperament. The animal is constantly moving, it is difficult for him to sit in one place, if there is the slightest reason - the fox terrier rushes forward, will run or jump. The fox terrier can be compared with a yule, it starts from one turn. A lightning reaction to any movement from an animal that meets in its path or owner. It is difficult to accustom him to a calm lifestyle and endurance.

I must say that the breed is difficult to learn because of the combination of obstinacy and its view of the environment around it, since the dog has its own vision of what is happening. The dog is smart enough and smart. A good reaction contributes to the rapid execution of the host commands, which cannot be said of other breeds. Disobedience usually occurs due to the fact that some dogs of this breed in their character have greater independence, and see the situation differently, which is why there is a mismatch of situations and commands of the owner.

A dog can be a faithful and faithful friend. A very friendly animal and is always attuned to communication. But, if they do not reciprocate, or aggression from another dog or person comes, then the fox terrier will not leave it like that, and after friendship it will not work out.The appearance of the dog is pleasant and appeals to itself, but if you decide to tease and offend it, remember that the blood of the bull terrier flows in them, so it’s better not to do this so that there are no consequences.

From some owners you can hear that the dog is hostile towards other unfamiliar dogs. The fox terrier will not tolerate, if he did not like something, he will by all means show discontent. Will growl, can create what is forbidden to him. So he shows the owner that you need to look for other ways to control the animal. The main thing in his training is not to use physical force, he certainly will not tolerate this, and will resist.

It is important to wear a leash when walking. The dog will be constantly distracted by different animals, passers-by, as this is a very curious animal. It can easily cross the road or drive a cat. If the fox terrier is fond of something, then he stops hearing the owner’s commands, it is difficult to stop him shouting, hunting excitement wins, which is why walk with him on a leash.

Such dogs are not quiet animals, they behave noisily, like to bark and run a lot, do not sit still. Probably one of their favorite hobbies is the pursuit of cats or other small animals.

If such a pet appeared in the house, do not get a rabbit, hamster, or other animal. They find a common language with children easily, like to play with them, since they themselves always remain a child and never refuse to play, but if a child hurts a dog, it can bite him. The Fox Terrier will not think whether it is a child or an adult, it doesn’t matter to him, which is why you should not leave a small child alone with such a dog.

Be that as it may, one of the advantages of this animal is that they can cheer up their master. They will not allow him to be sad or depressed, he will quickly transfer his charge of vigor to the owner. Just lie on the couch and do not get sad, the dog will not allow this, he will make you look at the world with your eyes cheerfully and cheerfully. Having a fox terrier in the house - you don’t have to be sad.

Usually their life span is more than fifteen years.

Fox training

The fox terrier is an independent animal and in the process of training it is difficult to cope with it, the animal does not really like to obey. The opinion of those people who think so cannot be called erroneous. To make the dog more obedient, it needs to be given a lot of attention, and it is necessary to start when it’s a puppy - to train it, train teams and explain how to do it, but not how.

Breed health

In general, judging by the health of the fox terriers, we can say that it is good. But, everyone cannot be perfectly healthy, some dogs have problems with the pelvis, shoulders or cataracts.

If you do not perform proper hair care, then the skin of the animal can become inflamed, it is necessary to trim.

Proper maintenance and care

The small size of the dog allows him to be kept in the apartment. But due to the fact that the animal prefers an active lifestyle, in order to preserve its repair and furniture, during a walk you need to load it as much as possible with physical exercises. Train him, train with him, do not just walk along the street, but let him train on the run, overcome obstacles, and execute commands. This will tire him a little, and he will not be so energetic at home (although it is difficult to imagine a quiet fox terrier).

If you live in your house, then be prepared for the fact that the land in the yard will be torn. Fox terriers love to dig the earth, therefore the dog needs to be protected from a flower bed, a garden or other land. He will have enough strength to dig through a large area, so that in all possible ways he will interfere with the growth of flowers and vegetables. Also, these animals love to dig under the fence, and then get out through them.

Caring for a fox terrier is not difficult, but special attention will have to be paid to wool. Unlike other dogs, the fox terrier does not fade, but it needs constant combing. To do this, you will have to get a stiff brush. It is forbidden to cut off wool that has already died off with scissors, otherwise the animal will become like a sheep.

If the dog participates in exhibitions, it is worth contacting a specialist who will do everything at the highest level and emphasize the sporty appearance of the fox terrier. Such a procedure can, of course, be done independently, as a matter of fact, there is nothing complicated to pluck out dead hair from your pet. To do this, you need a comb and a knife. Such procedures should be done from an early age so that the puppy gets used to it, or then it will show strong resistance. By the way, trimming is done not only to make the animal beautiful and have a well-groomed appearance, it is also useful for its health. Without removing the hair in a timely manner, the dog will comb the skin, which may well lead to skin diseases and eczema.

Fox terriers are not picky in food; they can eat natural food and special feeds. Adult fox is fed with low-fat cottage cheese, raw beef, vegetables, fruits, they are given vegetable oil, steamed cereal flakes, preferably in bone broth and, of course, minerals and vitamins (as top dressing for the body).

Do not overfeed a dog of this breed, the portion should be calculated depending on its weight. If you have already got such a pet for yourself, then do not save on its diet, for example, if you constantly feed it with porridge and do not give vitamins, meat products and dairy, it is not good to affect its health.

Buying a puppy

Each person chooses the purchase method for himself, you can start actively looking for a puppy, or you can leave an ad on a special forum and you will be sent interesting offers. This dog has activity and energy since early childhood, so when you get to the breeder, see how the puppy will behave. The tail should already be docked. Take an interest in how the puppy is fed, what has already been done to eliminate parasites, what they did to make the dog healthy and full.

Cost of Fox Terriers

If you are going to buy a puppy of a fox terrier from a standard litter for which there are documents, then this will cost about 18 thousand rubles. Prices can be different, even taking into account one litter. If documents and a pedigree are not important for you, then a puppy will cost less than 10 thousand rubles.

Having bought a fox terrier, you will have a reliable friend, companion and fun guy who will never make you bored.

Video: Wire Fox Terrier