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"Small Dog Breed Catalog"
Small Dog Breed Catalog: Page 55
of 56
Wire Fox Terrier Dog Breed
The Wire Fox Terrier has a strong, athletic body and a short, wiry
coat with a soft undercoat. Although he is very much the same as the
Smooth Fox Terrier in behavior, the Wire Fox Terrier does show some
interesting differences. Similar to the Smooth, he is feisty, lively,
and very independent, but tends to be a slightly slower learner than
the Smooth, perhaps because of his more distractible nature. He is
intelligent, cheerful, and gets along well with children. He is a
great ratter and makes a wonderful pet. He has a very high prey drive
and is more dog-aggressive than the Smooth. This dog is perhaps the
most combative terrier aside from the Bedlington. He is wary of
strangers, makes a good watchdog, and tends to defend himself if
provoked. He likes to bark and dig, sometimes incessantly and should
not be left in the yard for a long period of time. Training should
begin early and be consistent. Though he is an intelligent dog, some
commands such as the 'down' and 'come' may be difficult to teach to
this willful and stubborn breed.
Size: A healthy, full-sized adult wire Fox Terrier should not exceed
15 ' in at the shoulder, with the female slightly smaller than the
male. He weighs between 10-20lb.
History and origin: He is a separate breed from the Smooth coat,
although they are the same in conformation. He was used in the 18th
century in England as a bolter of foxes and as a ratter. This breed
was derived from the wire-haired terriers around the British
coalmining areas of Durham, Wales, and Derbyshire, where he had
existed for some time before gaining popularity. His first appearance
in the show ring was in 1872. This breed was responsible for the
development of the Kromfohrlander, a guarding and hunting breed in
Germany.
Feeding: Recommended feeding for this breed is ' - 1 can of high
quality meat product (13.3oz size) with added biscuit in similar
amount or 1 ' cupfuls of a complete dry food.
Exercise: Wire Fox Terriers like to retrieve. This is a great method
to use in order to focus the dog's attention and also as a
constructive exercise. Apartment living is adequate for this breed if
he is given daily exercise. A spacious fenced yard is perfect for
this active terrier as long as you do not leave him there for too long
because he has a tendency to bark incessantly and dig his way out.
He needs proper exercise everyday such as jogging, brisk walk or
retrieving. Without activity, he may become noisy, restless, and
destructive.
Grooming: He has a short and wiry coat with minimal shedding.
Periodic brushing and clipping are required. Hand-stripping, a
plucking method that preserves the texture and luster of the coat is
required for show dogs.
Copyright 2006 by Jay Jennings. All rights reserved.
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