Smooth Fox Terrier

Behavior

A Smooth Fox Terrier, like other terriers, is known for its fearless nature. Much of this stems from the original intent of breeding the dog as a hunter to chase small animals such as a fox or a badger. These dogs still enjoy digging and running and are very active. For this reason they are best suited for a home that is willing to make a solid commitment to lots of exercise for their pet. Exercise is a key to the Fox Terrier being happy and healthy and they need to be walked several times a day. They make great running companions and love to play outdoor games like fetch for hours.

A Smooth Fox Terrier can be obstinate when it comes to training. You need to establish yourself early on as the leader in order to get this breed to follow your training. Stay consistent with your training and be vigilant and you will end up with a very obedient dog. Once they mastered basic training, they are ideal candidates for agility training or even trick training.

Smooth Fox Terriers are naturally aggressive towards other animals. They will chase animals like cats, rabbits and squirrels without hesitation so they must be leashed or in a fenced environment to prevent them from getting away. Even your calls will not stop them. They will also pick fights with other dogs no matter the size, so you need to be sure to keep your dog safe and secure. They are also dogs that will excessively bark, something that is tough to train out of them. While this makes them a good watchdog, it makes them very noisy as well. This is a behavior that needs to be trained out of them.

Appearance

Smooth Fox Terriers are known for having a very short white coat with either brown or black markings on it. Even though they are small, they are quite muscular and feature very strong shoulders and legs. They have a flat skull with dark eyes that are set deeply into the skull. Adult dogs of this breed typically are twelve to fifteen inches tall and weigh about sixteen to eighteen pounds. Their coat, as the name of the breed indicates, is known for being quite smooth and will lay flat against their body. They feature a dense, hard coat and actually shed very little.

Grooming

Brushing a Smooth Fox Terrier just once a week is often enough to help keep their coat healthy and free of tangles and mats. Use a firm brush to make sure you can rid any tangles or debris easily since the coat is hard and dense. Bathing of this breed is not needed very often and should only be done as necessary.

History

Originally classed as one breed, the Wire Fox Terrier and the Smooth Fox Terrier were split into separate breeds back in the 1980s. Smooth Fox Terriers descend from a mix of breeds, including the Greyhound, the Beagle and the Bull Terrier. Its popularity can be traced back to the 1800s in England and by the early part of the twentieth century it was the most popular dog in all of Great Britain. It has since declined in popularity a bit but still remains a popular hunting and running companion for many.