Smooth Fox Terriers: how do they look and how to keep them?

Smooth-haired Fox Terriers are particularly popular among medium-sized dog breeds. They are distinguished by their energy and pronounced optimism. Next to them in a bad mood will not work. These four-legged friends with their behavior will be able to eradicate sadness and make them forget boredom. The initial purpose of the fox terriers was to help hunters, and today, representatives of this breed are true friends of the person and true family members.

According to historical information, the first mass breeding of fox terriers began in England. The main purpose of these dogs was to hunt foxes, from which came the name of the breed, “fox” - “fox”, and “terra” in translation from Latin “land”.

A historical mention of the fox terriers dates back to the 11th century. It says that the first lover of this breed, directly involved in breeding and breeding of fox terriers, was Count Monte. First of all, he considered the representatives of the breed as working animals, not paying attention to their appearance. The image of dogs, familiar to modernity, was obtained due to crossing with bull terriers, dachshunds, spaniels and even beagles.

Just at this time, fox hunting began to be popular throughout the UK. In this case, the main task of the Fox Terriers was to drive foxes out of their holes.

In the same period, breeders began to deal with the issue of coat color of these dogs.They wanted to fill the animal’s fur coat with the predominant white color, so that the dogs had a bright difference from foxes, and the hunter accidentally did not shoot his pet instead of prey. Besides, individuals with wide breasts were considered culling, since the sizes did not allow them to crawl into a narrow distance of a hole.

Then its representatives began to be divided into several types, namely: smooth-haired and wire-haired. In this case, the breed standard was the same.

At the end of the 19th century, Fox Terriers began to spread throughout Europe. The first puppy that appeared in Russia was intended for Prince Golitsyn, who was subsequently recognized as the first Russian connoisseur of fox terriers.

The International Cynological Federation suggests differences in the breed of Fox Terrier for smooth-haired and wire-haired representatives. In this case, the difference in the breed standard is only in the features of the animal hairline.

The hair of the wire-haired representatives of the breed is a wire texture of high-density hair and medium length. In the area of ​​the back and paws, the hairline is somewhat longer than in the rest of the body. A small beard grows on the face of the wire-haired fox terriers, which gives it a rectangular shape.

Having considered the differences in wool, you should get acquainted with a detailed description of the breed standard.

• Body length Fox terriers are directly proportional to the height of the animal. The structure of the body is strong, muscular. The body itself is sophisticated, it seems light and springy.
• Head has a flat shape, tapering smoothly to the tip of the nose, narrow cheekbones only emphasize the external characteristics of the muzzle.
• Fall Fox terriers are distinguished by strong jaws. It is important to have a complete set of teeth. Moreover, according to the standard, the bite should be scissor-like.
• Eyes should be dark in color, rounded in shape. On visual inspection, it seems that the eyeballs are particularly expressive.
• By standard ears they are small in size, triangular in shape, stand upright, with the tips slightly tilted forward.
• Rib cage narrow, belly tightened.
• Front and hind limbs have a straight shape with pronounced muscles.
• Tail It is located high on the body, pointing up, quite often stopped. It is this part of the body of the fox terriers that possesses tremendous strength; if necessary, you can pull the dog out of the hole for it. Representatives of this breed never wag their tail, they make light swings that resemble shaking.

The coat color has a three-color map, namely: red and black spots, laid out over a white background. According to the standard, a color of two colors is allowed, although such dogs are quite rare.

The main characteristic of these mini-hunters is their height and weight, where the standard for the growth of the fox terriers at the withers is 35–40 cm, and the mass varies between 6–8 kg.

Smooth terriers are kind and sympathetic animals, they are very strongly attached to their master and his family. They can be demanding on the owner if they lack physical activity.

In the absence of attention, the fox terriers begin to show nervousness, expressed in erratic barking and poor behavior. If it is known in advance that the dog will belong to itself to a greater extent, it is better to abandon the idea of ​​having a fox terrier.

By nature, representatives of the breed described are considered companionable creatures. They with great pleasure will spend time with the owner. Fox terriers very quickly find a common language with children and adolescents.

Fox terriers, on the other hand, are prone to jealousy. The dog will be angry at any member of the family if he lets another person's animal close to him. The fox terrier is especially vivid in expressing a jealous mood when another pet appears on its territory and most of the attention goes to the new pet. It is important for representatives of this breed to be in the center of general attention, to feel the love and care of each native person.

Fox Terriers - dogs that love active behavior, requiring constant movement. They with great pleasure rush after the butterfly, cat, bird and any rodents.

The owner, who first encountered the content of the fox terriers, needs to know that these dogs have a cocky character. During a walk, they can attack another dog for no reason, without even paying attention to the opponent’s dimensions. For this reason will have to constantly monitor your pet, educate and train.

Puppies of the described breed are very active, like to run, jump, play, but at the same time they obey the owner. Adult individuals do not lose their vitality and love of games at all, they are ready to carry out commands, follow the requirements of the owner.

It is not permissible to leave the Fox Terrier alone for several days.. If you have a working trip, it is best to find a specialized overexposure to the animal, where the dog will not be bored in the circle of his relatives. And for a family trip, the dog is best to take with you.

According to the average indicators, Fox Terriers live about 12-15 years. If the animal is properly cared for, it is likely that the dog will be able to please its owner for 20 years, although such cases were extremely rare.

Unfortunately, hunter dogs cannot boast a long lifespan. Sometimes in a battle with a wild animal, they can get wounds incompatible with life. And inept arrows can even accidentally shoot a dog.

The care and maintenance of dogs of individual breeds is very different from each other. However, the fox terriers are unpretentious in this matter. The owner of the animal will only need to cut their nails as they grow, check their eyes for discharge, and brush their ears and teeth.

You can keep these wonderful four-legged friends both in the apartment and in a private house with a fenced area where the animal can run, jump and have fun. Fox terriers do not suffer from profuse molting, which is very much appreciated by the housewives.

The owner of the animal should pay special attention to the health of his pet. High-quality care and regular visits by a veterinarian to prevent the occurrence of diseases. From birth, Fox Terriers must be held. timely vaccination.

The next vaccination is done at six months of age, after a change in the dog’s milk teeth. A comprehensive vaccination is given per year against many serious diseases, namely: from plague, enteritis and rabies. After each vaccination, the dog may feel uncomfortable, sometimes it seems lethargic, occasionally loses its appetite. Do not worry - in a day, a maximum of two everything will pass. It is important to know that after each vaccination, the dog must spend some time in quarantine.

Fox terriers by nature love to lead an active lifestyle, respectively, a separate issue in the content of the dog is walking. Representatives of this breed must go out daily, give free rein, splash out accumulated energy. It’s good to take the dog to the park area, to give the opportunity to run along an obstacle course.

From early childhood, Fox Terrier puppies need to be trained in a muzzle, leash and collar. In adulthood, without these attributes, a dog cannot be taken outside. Their tendency to attack other animals should be suppressed from childhood, and for this they will have to make every effort to educate and train the dog.

A very important aspect of the maintenance of the fox terriers is the socialization of the animal.. It is necessary to introduce the dog to the outside world from early childhood. It is very important that the puppy communicate with its relatives from young claws, get to know other people, perceive the street without fear and fear.

The coat of smooth-haired fox terriers does not require special care. The lack of undercoat significantly reduces the need for washing and scratching the dog. For these procedures, you will need to purchase a shampoo for shorthair pets and a brush with soft bristles.

Breeders need to carry the Fox Terrier several times a year to the trimming procedure, which helps to get rid of dead hairs. If this rule is neglected, a dog can have many dermatological diseases.

Do not make fox terriers with decorative haircuts, even if the animal is preparing for the exhibition. Any manipulations with shortening the hairline can not only spoil the appearance, but also reduce the quality of the coat.

The diet of the fox terriers should be as balanced as possible, which positively affects the health of the pet. You can feed the dog with dry food of a super-premium class. The main thing is to select food corresponding to the age and size of the dog.

In addition to dry food, Fox Terriers will enjoy natural food with great pleasure. The main thing is not to mix two separate food options.

If the dog’s food consists solely of natural products, the owner needs to remember that most of the daily diet should be meat. On some days, fish diversity is preferred. As a supplement, the dog should be given vegetables, cereals and dairy products. Adults need to arrange fasting days (once a week is enough). But this does not mean that the fox terrier must be completely protected from food.

It is very important that the dog has constant access to drinking water. Especially in cases where the pet's diet consists only of dry food. To properly compose a natural menu, the owner should know which products should receive fox terriers.

• The basis of the daily diet is meat products. It contains the maximum amount of protein, vitamins and minerals. Fox terrier is best served turkey, rabbit and beef.
• The fish menu should be arranged at most twice a week, while completely excluding meat. Before giving the dog fish, it must be boiled and cleaned of bones.
• The body of any dog, especially the fox terriers, it is important to get enough fiber. It is found in rice and buckwheat. Of the garden foods, fiber is rich in zucchini, carrots, cabbage and herbs. In addition, each finished dish should be lightly seasoned with vegetable oil.
• It is undesirable for adults to give milk, kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt or homemade yogurt will do.

In addition to the permitted food, there is a small list of products that are forbidden to consume fox terriers.

• Tubular bones. They can scratch the internal organs, which can cause internal bleeding in the dog.
• Sweets. Foods containing sugar, vanilla and other sweeteners are considered poison for the canine organism.
• Human food. Dogs should not be given food off the table. In the process of cooking, human food is seasoned with spices forbidden to the canine organism.
• Fat meat. Fox terriers should not be given pork and high-fat meat products.

Raising and training a fox terrier is not an easy task. The dog owner will have to have extraordinary patience. First of all, the pet must be accustomed to the toilet. Initially, to the home, and after a couple of weeks to the street. After each meal, the puppy needs to be taken to the place of departure, and after a job well done, it is imperative to praise the baby with a treat. Of course, it will not do without misses, but it is impossible to punish the baby strictly. A reprimand can be made within 15 seconds after the appearance of a puddle made in front of the owner. Otherwise, the dog will not understand why he is reprimanded.

Fox terriers do not perceive rudeness, especially in the learning process. They cannot stand self-neglect. And to beat the animal is strictly prohibited, otherwise the relationship between the owner and the dog will be ruined. In simple words the dog will be afraid of its owner.

It is best to train an animal 30 minutes before eating. Thus, each individual lesson will have a connection with good emotions.

If the owner of the fox terrier during the classes will show attention and patience to his pet, then in a few days a huge breakthrough will be visible. The dog will begin to obey, execute some commands. And all thanks to quick wit and quick understanding. However, dog handlers claim that there are some factors that can ruin every single lesson.

During training, the owner will have to make every effort so that the dog’s attention is directed only to the owner. The animal should not be distracted by extraneous sounds, noises, voices and movements. During training, there should be equal contact between the dog and the breeder. Dog handlers recommend conducting each lesson with an animal in a playful way, have a large number of treats with you, so that the dog throughout the training arrives tasty motivation.

The dog should take the first basic lessons on an individual basis, and after studying the standard package of commands, the dog should be transferred to group classes. In the company with other dogs, the learning process will be a little more complicated, the main thing is that the pet goes beyond the distraction level.

Even a novice breeder will be able to properly raise a fox terrier. It is important for a person in this process to show patience, firmness of character and rigor of voice. Each action should have a clear sequence. The owner must show leadership skillsif you give at least minimal slack, the dog will cease to obey and begin to consider himself the main "in the pack."

Fox terriers do not perceive the assault on their person. If suddenly the owner hit his pet, you do not have to wait for a good outcome. The reaction of the dog may be different, but in most cases the animal begins to grind and snap. Often after such an incident, obedience from the animal is no longer possible. The fox terrier will completely lose confidence in the owner and will be offended.

If the new breeder has doubts about the dog’s own training abilities, it’s best to contact an experienced dog handler. He will show how to conduct classes, advise how to behave with a dog, and also indicate possible errors.

About smooth-haired fox-terriers look further.