Fox Terrier

Fox Terriers are special dogs from England.

There are two main kinds. One has smooth hair. The other has rough hair. Most of these dogs are white. They often have black or tan spots. Long ago, these dogs helped hunters. They would find foxes in their dens. Now, many people keep them as pets.

They are very fun dogs to know.

Fox Terriers are famous dogs from England.

There are two main types. One is the Smooth Fox Terrier. It has short, hard hair. The other is the Wire Fox Terrier. It has a thick, rough coat. This coat helps keep the dog warm.

Both types are mostly white. They often have black or tan spots. These spots are called piebald markings.

Long ago, these dogs had a big job. They helped hunters find foxes. The dogs would go into fox dens. Later, people bred them to be faster. They grew longer legs to run well. Many other breeds came from Fox Terriers. The Jack Russell Terrier is one example.

Other breeds include the Rat Terrier and the Toy Fox Terrier. These dogs are very smart and active. They can live for about 15 years.

Fox Terriers are famous dogs that come from England.

There are two main types of this breed. One type is the Smooth Fox Terrier. It has a short and hard coat. The other type is the Wire Fox Terrier.

This type has a thick and crisp double coat. The coat is so dense that you cannot see the skin. Both types are mostly white with colored markings. These markings are called piebald spotting. Most of these dogs are black and tan.

These dogs were originally bred for a very specific job. They were used in hunting packs to find foxes. The dogs would go into dens to drive foxes out. In the late 1700s, people wanted the dogs to move faster. They bred the dogs to have longer legs for speed. However, the dogs eventually grew too large for the original job. Because of this, their use in fox hunting began to go down. Today, they are often seen in dog shows instead.

History tells us that these dogs have changed a lot over time. In 1577, a doctor named John Caius wrote about English terriers. By the 1700s, most terriers were black and tan with wire hair. A famous white terrier named Pitch lived in 1790.

He was owned by Colonel Thomas Thornton. Some writers think Pitch was a mix of a terrier and a greyhound. This mix might be how the white color was added to the breed. Many other dogs like Beagles and Dalmatians helped create the modern breed.

Many important dogs helped shape the Fox Terrier we see today. Three dogs named Old Jock, Trap, and Tartar were very important ancestors.

Trap was related to the dogs of Reverend John "Jack" Russell. This is why the Jack Russell Terrier is a separate breed today. At dog shows, the Smooth Fox Terrier named Warren Remedy won three times. She won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club from 1907 to 1909. The Wire Fox Terrier has won that title fourteen times.

Fox Terriers are also the parents of many other breeds.

The Jack Russell Terrier is one famous descendant. In Australia, people made the Miniature Fox Terrier to hunt rabbits. The Toy Fox Terrier in the United States came from the Smooth Fox Terrier.

Other breeds include the Rat Terrier and the Japanese Terrier. These dogs are very active and can live for about 15 years. Most Fox Terriers live a long and happy life.

Fox Terriers are a distinct group of dogs originating from England. They are divided into two primary breeds: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier.

While they share similar facial characteristics, they are distinguished by their coats and markings. Both types are mostly white with colored markings, often appearing as black and tan. These markings are a form of piebald spotting. Although they were once interbred, pure-bred lines are now kept separate. The American Kennel Club officially listed them as two separate breeds in 1985.

The Smooth Fox Terrier has a short, hard coat. This breed is characterized by a long, wedge-shaped head and small, dark eyes. They also possess v-shaped ears.

In the United Kingdom, this breed is considered a Vulnerable Native Breed. This classification applies when annual registrations fall below 300. For example, in 2010, only 155 Smooth Fox Terriers were registered. This is much lower than the 8,663 registrations for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The Smooth Fox Terrier has a history of success at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. A female named Ch. Warren Remedy won Best in Show three times from 1907 to 1909.

The Wire Fox Terrier features a hard, crisp double coat. This coat has a coarse texture underneath that protects the dog from the cold. The fur is so dense that the skin cannot be seen or felt.

The individual hairs should twist, though they are not curly. An average Wire Fox Terrier has a body that is shorter than it is tall. This breed has been highly successful in competitions. It has won fourteen Best in Show titles at the Westminster Kennel Club. Notable dogs like Caesar of Notts helped popularize this breed at the turn of the 20th century.

The history of these dogs involves many different influences. In 1577, John Caius described the English terrier type in his work, English Dogges. By the 18th century, terriers were typically wire-haired and black and tan. A famous white terrier named Pitch lived in 1790.

Pitch was owned by Colonel Thomas Thornton. Some writers suggest Pitch was a terrier-greyhound cross. This cross may have introduced the white color into the breed. To create the modern Fox Terrier, breeders likely used many different dogs. These included the Beagle, Old English Bulldog, English Toy Terrier, Pointer, and Dalmatian.

Specific ancestral dogs helped stabilize the modern strains. Three dogs named Old Jock, Trap, and Tartar are ancestors to most modern white terriers.

Trap was descended from the dogs of Reverend John "Jack" Russell. This lineage eventually led to the Jack Russell Terrier breed. Another important forefather was a dog named Old Tip. Early terriers were short-legged and chunky with broad skulls. They were used in hunting packs to drive foxes out of their dens. As hunting became faster, breeders gave them longer legs for speed. Eventually, they became too large for their original purpose.

Fox Terriers have also given rise to many descendant breeds across the world.

The Jack Russell Terrier is a well-known descendant from England. In Australia, the Miniature Fox Terrier was developed to hunt rabbits and rats. The American Toy Fox Terrier was created from the Smooth Fox Terrier and several toy breeds.

Other examples include the Brazilian Terrier from Brazil and the Japanese Terrier from Japan. The Rat Terrier in the United States also stems from these lines. Even the Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz in Spain was created from Fox Terriers to hunt rats in wine cellars.

Understanding the health of Fox Terriers is important for owners. Both types can be susceptible to allergies. The Smooth Fox Terrier can inherit Myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease. They are also prone to cataracts. The Wire Fox Terrier may face megaesophagus, which can also cause symptoms of Myasthenia gravis. They are also predisposed to atopic dermatitis. According to a Kennel Club survey, the average lifespan is about 15 years. The median age at death was reported as 13 years and 2 months. The primary cause of death was old age, while cancer was the secondary cause.