Create Your Fox Terrier's Shop
Fox Terrier Breed Summary
Intelligent, Mischievous, Lively, Cautious and Playful
These dogs were bred in Yorkshire in the 1800's and are thought to have been created by crossing old English Terriers with Bull Terriers! They were highly prized as fantastic hunters around this time and were able to indicate when foxes had gone to ground.
Unfortunately, they are now a fairly vulnerable breed and although well-known across the UK and other parts of the world, the number of puppies born is very low.
Fun Facts: It's thought that Charles Darwin owned one of these dogs!
Kennel Club Group | Terrier |
Lifespan | 13 - 14 Years |
Height (at the withers) | Males 36cm - 41cm, Females 33cm - 38cm |
Weight | Males 7kg - 9kg, Females 6kg - 8kg |
Coat | Flat, Straight, Thick and Hard to the Touch |
Colour | Black & White, Tan & White, Tricolour, White, White & Black, White & Tan |
Eye colour | Dark |
Common health issues | Degenerative myelopathy, Allergies which includes atopy, Glaucoma, Cataracts, Myasthenia gravis, Wolman disease, Pulmonic stenosis, Ataxia, Patellar luxation, Haemophilia B (Wired haired), Epilepsy (Wired haired), Cancers (Wired haired) |
Other Names | Smooth Fox Terrier, Wire Fox Terrier, English Fox Terrier. |
Fox Terrier's are very intelligent and are often known to outsmart their ‘hoomans’, but somehow leave us all laughing at their antics! This does, however, mean that they are relatively easy to train. They make excellent watchdogs due to their cautious natures and will bark at anything they deem unusual or strange. This can, however, lead to having a rather yappy pooch, so it’s best to train your dog to only bark when needed! Outside of this, they are very active and love to go on lots of walks and play games of fetch in the garden. They adore people but can often act hostile towards other dogs, so it’s vital that your dog is socialised from a young age, this way they will grow to be a very well-rounded adult!
The Fox Terriers, unlike many breeds, have a very-well recorded history. They were a cross most likely between Bull Terriers, Greyhounds or Beagles and were first pictured in a painting of Colonel Thornton in 1790. King Edward Vll loved the breed and a had one called Caesar, who had a collar with the engraving ‘I am Caesar. I belong to the King’. His dog even accompanied him on his own funeral procession and marched behind the casket of his king. They first appeared in the states in 1879 and were registered by the Kennel Club in 1885. This breed has won more ‘Best in Show’ awards than any other breed at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show!