What Does a Fox Terrier Look Like?

What does a Fox Terrier look like? Where did it come from? How big does it get? What is its coat’s color? What is its overall mood for most of the time? Is it a healthy breed? How do you take care of it? What are the appropriate foods for such breed? How much exercise does it need to maintain its overall health? What about its behavior with children? How is it with other pets?

Those are some of the basic questions that you are definitely asking if you are considering getting a Fox Terrier as a pet as well as any dog in general. Moreover, asking such questions already proves one thing: you are certainly a responsible pet owner. Obviously, you are trying to research first on the dog breed that you have an eye on which is, indeed, the best first step to take. So good job on that part! This blog post contains all the necessary information about the Fox Terrier as well as some fun trivia about this dog breed. So make sure to stick around.

A Fox Terrier is a variation of the terrier dog. At the same time, it has two main kinds: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier.

Smooth Fox Terrier vs Wire Fox Terrier: Appearance

 For the main question which is “What does a Fox Terrier look like?”

A Smooth Fox Terrier has a long, sleek face and its ears fold toward its cheeks. At the same time, its body is short. On the other hand, a Wire Fox Terrier is a sturdy, symmetrical, as well as short-backed hunter. Its ears are V-shaped and are also folded forward into its face. Furthermore, a Wire Fox Terrier is widely known for its expressive eyes that show keenness toward everything in its surrounding.

Fox Terrier: Origin

A Fox Terrier’s history can be traced back as far as 54 B.C. in England where small dogs there tend to chase prey into burrows and dens in the ground. That was the main behavior of all terriers in general. Moreover, around the early 1800s, a dog named Pitch was owned by Colonel Thomas Thornton. The dog is the ancestor of most of the white terriers in the kingdom. Furthermore, as the century started coming to its end, the breeding of the modern Fox Terrier has finally started.

The Beagle, Old English Bulldog, English Toy Terrier, Pointer, as well as the Dalmatian are the dog breeds that were first thought to be the crossed breeds in order to develop a Fox Terrier. Then when 1870 came, a complete pedigree of the breed has finally been settled. The dogs are named Old Jock (from a black and a tan terrier), Trap (from Reverend Jack Russell’s dogs), and Tartar (believed to also be developed from the crossing of a black and a tan terrier).

Smooth Fox Terrier vs Wire Fox Terrier: Size

The question “What does a Fox Terrier look like?” may not only imply about its face and body, but also its size too.

A Smooth Fox Terrier can stand as tall as 13 to 15 inches. Moreover, a male Smooth Fox Terrier can weigh from around 17 to 19 pounds while a female Smooth Fox Terrier can weigh from around 15 to 17 pounds. On the other hand, a Wire Fox Terrier can stand as tall as 15 ½ inches. Moreover, a male Wire Fox Terrier can weigh as much as 18 pounds while a female Wire Fox Terrier can weigh as much as 15 to 17 pounds.

Smooth Fox Terrier vs Wire Fox Terrier: Coat

“What does a Fox Terrier look like?” can be not just about the dog’s face, body, and size, but more importantly about its coat which is certainly a significant detail for pet owners and/or dog lovers. 

A Smooth Fox Terrier has a coat that is dense and short as well as flat against its body. The main color is white with black and tan markings. Furthermore, its coat needs moderate grooming and remember that the daily brushing will avoid the excessive shedding.

On the other hand, a Wire Fox Terrier has a double coat that is mostly rough and wiry. The main color is also white with black and tan markings. Conversely, it doesn’t shed that much as compared to the Smooth Fox Terrier. For this reason, this one is a much better pet for people with allergies. Although, its grooming needs is way higher than a Smooth Fox Terrier. It needs clipping or hand-stripping (whatever you prefer for your pet) as well as trimming every few months.

Smooth Fox Terrier vs Wire Fox Terrier: Personality/ Temperament

A Smooth Fox Terrier has an impeccable sense of smell as well as eyesight because of the innate hunter inside of them. For this reason, this dog will always be alert towards preys. Without a doubt, there will be lots of digging around which can be difficult and troublesome for you, so you definitely need to train your pet dog. Clearly, this dog is an active and playful one!

On the other hand, a Wire Fox Terrier is an excellent athlete as well as an upbeat and friendly dog breed. And just like the Smooth Fox Terrier, it’s a natural hunter with a really intense prey drive.

Smooth Fox Terrier vs Wire Fox Terrier: Health

Every dog breed is more prone to specific diseases or health condition than the other breeds.

For the Smooth Fox Terrier with a life expectancy of about 10 to 13 years, the health conditions that you should look out for are the following: cataracts, lens luxation, distichiasis, legg-calve-perthes disease, patellar luxation, myasthenia gravis, as well as the mitral valve disease.

On the other hand, for the Wire Fox Terrier with a life expectancy of about 12 to 15 years, the health conditions that you should look out for are the following: legg-calve-perthes disease, patellar luxation, myasthenia gravis, mitral valve disease, congenital heart conditions, other eye abnormalities, as well as some allergies.

  • Cataracts

This health problem that usually occurs in senior dogs is characterized by an opacity on the lens of the eye(s) which then results into a difficulty in seeing. If your dog’s eye(s) have a cloudy appearance, it certainly may be suffering from a cataract. On the other hand, this condition is treatable through surgery.

  • Lens Luxation

This health condition is characterized by the displacement of the lens of the eye(s) because of the deteriorating of the ligament that is securing it in place. For mild cases, this is treatable with either medication or surgery, but for severe ones, they eye(s) may need to be removed.

  • Distichiasis

This is a health condition characterized by the formation of abnormal eyelashes. Moreover, these extra eyelashes usually rise from the margin of the eyelid through the duct or opening of the Meibomian gland or adjacent to it. Furthermore, this is a tolerable condition for dogs without clinical signs. On the other hand, for those with mild cases, ophthalmic lubricants can be used. For severe cases though, surgery may be recommended.

  • Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

This is a health condition characterized by the spontaneous degeneration of the head on the femur bone which is located in the dog’s hind leg. It then results into the disintegration of the hip joint as well as bone and joint inflammation. Furthermore, mild cases can be managed with therapy using pain medications. On the other hand, for severe ones, surgery may be recommended.

  • Patellar Luxation

This is a health condition characterized by the dislocation of a kneecap. For Grades II-IV patellar luxations, surgery is certainly highly recommended.

  • Myasthenia Gravis

This is a health condition characterized by a malfunction in the transmission of signals between the nerves and muscles. For this reason, the dog can experience extreme weakness as well as excessive fatigue. Furthermore, this condition is managed through medications.

  • Mitral Valve Disease

This health condition is a cardiac disease that is managed through medical therapy.

  • Deafness

This is a hereditary problem that can be aided by training the dog or using vibrating collars.

  • Canine Hip Dysplasia

This is a hereditary problem characterized by the thighbone not fitting perfectly into the hip joint. Furthermore, this may lead to arthritis as time passes by. This can be dealt with using supplements, medications, as well as surgery.

For these reasons, you should certainly be in regular contact with your pet dog’s veterinarian in order to track your dog’s overall health as well as to detect any bad health condition in advance.

Smooth Fox Terrier vs Wire Fox Terrier: Care/ Grooming

Since the grooming routines of both the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier with regard to their coats are already mentioned in the Coat section of this blog post, the other basic and general grooming that you need to be reminded of is about trimming their nails regularly. Both of the dog breeds are so jumpy, and you don’t want them to scratch you with their long nails once they decide to play with you.

Smooth Fox Terrier vs Wire Fox Terrier: Feeding

Both the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier should be given a high-quality dog food that is divided into two meals a day. Of course, the food can either be commercially-manufactured or home-prepared.

Smooth Fox Terrier vs Wire Fox Terrier: Exercise

A Smooth Fox Terrier is a very active and energetic dog breed that is why it needs to have a daily exercise that can last for about 20 to 40 minutes. To make this dog happier, play a lot of games with it! On the other hand, a Wire Fox Terrier should also have a daily exercise that takes up to a maximum of 40 minutes. Furthermore, its excess energy should be burned off by a walk outside which is indeed something that this dog will really like!

Smooth Fox Terrier vs Wire Fox Terrier: Behavior with Kids and Other Pets

The Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier are both outgoing dogs that is why they are very compatible with kids who are very playful and almost running around everywhere. Once you let them be a part of any activity that includes moving as well as messing around, they will most certainly not back out! On the other hand, they won’t do well with smaller pets because of their innate hunting persona. You will definitely be in tons of stress because of the chasing that will frequently take place inside your house. So if possible, avoid mixing the said animals.

Other Fun Trivia About the Smooth Fox Terrier and Wire Fox Terrier

  • The Fox Terriers have won more “Best in Show” awards in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show than any other breeds (15 as of year 2020.) Furthermore, the Wire Fox Terriers have snatched more awards than the Smooth Fox Terriers.
  • A Smooth Fox Terrier named Ch. Warren Remedy is the dog with the most number of individual wins (three times in a row from 1907-1909) in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
  • The famous naturalist Charles Darwin owned a Wire Fox Terrier named Polly. The dog modeled for some illustrations in Darwin’s last book entitled, “Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals.”
  • The noble King Edward VII of England owned a Fox Terrier named Caesar who then eventually led the king’s funeral procession back in 1910.

Final Words

“What does a Fox Terrier look like?” Surely, this main question and the others have already been answered by this comprehensive Fox Terrier guideline that we provided.

The Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers are two dog breeds which are the variations of the Fox Terrier from the terrier dog type. Each has their own unique characteristics which truly make them stand out on their own. At the same time, they are both fun-loving dog breeds. Although, if you are leaning for a dog that is leaning a bit towards the extroversion scale, go for the Smooth Fox Terrier. If, on the other hand, you are searching for a dog that is leaning a bit towards the introversion scale, then go for the Wire Fox Terrier. The Smooth Fox Terrier tends to like the outside more while the Wire Fox Terrier fancies being inside the house more.

If you are an aspiring pet owner and you are looking for a dog that will be the greatest companion of your life, pick the breed that you fancy more or the one which you know is complementary to your personality and lifestyle in general. Well, without a doubt, it’s easy if you can just pick both. But if you are only intending to live with one, you have to choose. Indeed, that is a hard task because both dogs are extremely lovable. But regardless of your choice, happy fur parenting!