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The origin of fox terriers is an interesting story. For a long time, dogs were bred for a specific purpose, they were used for underground hunting. If translated from English, then "Fox" - "fox", and the word "terrier" is of Latin origin and is translated as "land." The main purpose of the breed is fox hunting underground in fox holes.
The origin of the breed
Quite a lot of dog breeds exist in which part of the word consists of terriers. They are relatives, their origins began with the British Isles. Images of dogs that have survived in our time are very similar to the modern smooth-haired Fox Terrier.
In the Middle Ages, people understood that such a breed is of great importance to humans, a dog can hunt a fox and a rodent.The animals of the first breeder who was engaged in fox terriers, besides the ability to hunt, were notable for their activity, were resolute and vicious.
The second half of the eighteenth century is the peak of the popularity of fox terriers. This is the time when the foxhunt had the highest popularity. The British made this not only a hobby, but a sport. There were clubs for fans of hunting, a lot of attention was riveted to fox terriers at that time. The dog was supposed to drive the animal out of the hole. The Fox Terrier could not run after its hunter, it was moved in a special bag or bag straight to the hole.
When the breed was bred, special attention was paid to the dog's color and its ability to crawl into the hole. The color should be more white so that when the fox runs out of its hole, the dog is not confused with it. It often happened that the dog of a brown color could be shot because of the hunter’s haste. Especially for hunting, dogs were bred with a narrow muzzle and not a wide chest, so that it would not get stuck in a narrow hole, but successfully cope with its task.
Toward the end of the nineteenth century, pets of this breed began to appear of the modern type.The ears are small, the head is narrow, the neck is long, the shoulders have already become.
In every competition for dogs in England, Fox Terriers participate constantly. Starting from the first exhibition and ending today. After creating a club for lovers of this breed, back in 1875, they decided to divide Fox Terriers into two types - smooth-haired and wire-haired. Only the standard was one for the breed, and more smooth preference was given to the smooth-haired. Today, wire-haired dogs are more popular, according to records from modern clubs of dog lovers.
Previously, hunters were more appreciated by smooth foxes, but the wire-haired terriers had the same quality. Dogs with stiff hair became the favorites of admirers of decorative animals, they were wound up as partners and companions.
A representative of this breed was brought to Russia from England in 1860. After the Fox Terrier took part in the exhibition, he gave a good account of himself, and they began to breed. At exhibitions, the dog showed its working qualities, participated in field trials, and this aroused the interest of Russian breeders.
Breed standards
Wire Fox Terrier has a dense coat of not great length, elongated elongated muzzle and tough beard. Both species of breed have a strong build and muscular legs, it gives them the ability to move quickly, instantly respond to different situations.
The tail of the animal can not be called ordinary. If other dogs wag their tails, then the Fox Terrier shakes them. He is strong and always pointing up, if the dog is in trouble, you can take the tail and pull it out. This is an active, cheerful dog.
If the owner starts a pet, which they used to hunt, then it will be difficult to cope with it. Today, hunting is not as relevant as it was several centuries ago, so breeders bring up dogs with a more gentle and docile character.
Fox terriers love space, they are energetic animals that are constantly in motion. Despite this, the dog can easily get along in an apartment or other not very spacious room.
The breed is considered independent, and the federation of dog handlers adopted different standards for fox terriers. But the standards that relate to their wool are very similar.
Wire Fox Terrier spread more, the breed is known for such standards.
- The skull of the animal is flat, tapering towards the muzzle. Narrow cheekbones, cheeks clearly not pronounced. The jaw of the animal is tightly compressed.
- Eyes have a rounded shape, dark color. From the ears, the eyes are not too close.
- The ears of the fox terrier are small, their shape resembles triangles. The tips of the ears are slightly bent forward.
- This breed has a long, muscular neck. If you look at the dog from the side, you can see how to the shoulders the neck becomes much wider.
- The back is strong, but small. As for the chest, it is not wide.
- Tails of Fox Terriers usually stop, it is not very large, straight, directed upwards.
- Animal limbs strong, muscular and strong.
- The shoulders are not wide, set obliquely.
- On the hind legs, the knees are curved. The pads on the limbs are elastic.
- Thick undercoat. To the touch wool can be compared with a wire, very tough. The hair on the shoulders and sides is shorter than on other parts of the body. The expression of the animal's muzzle is interesting due to the long hair in the jaw area.
- The color of the dog may be different, but the white color prevails most.Spots of such colors as black, red, brown and black are arranged on a white background.
Males can reach a height of up to 39 centimeters, female dogs will be two centimeters less. It is the same with weight, in boys it will be about 8 kg, the knots are slightly lighter.
Animal character
The nature of the animal is friendly, the dog loves new acquaintances, behaves with dignity, when meeting a new friend is brave and fearless. At a glance it becomes immediately clear that the dog is intelligent and cheerful.
If the dog froze and became standing, you need to be prepared that at any second he can break and run, his reaction is fast enough, although at first glance he gives the impression of a dog with a cheerful and playful temperament. The animal is in motion all the time, it is difficult for him to sit in one place, if the slightest reason has appeared - the Fox Terrier rushes forward, will run or jump. Fox terrier can be compared with yula, Starts with one turn. Lightning reaction to any movement from the animal, which will meet on its way or the owner. It is difficult to teach him a calm lifestyle and endurance.
It must be said that the breed lends itself to training because of the combination of stubbornness in it and its outlook on the environment around it, since the dog has its own vision of what is happening. The dog is smart enough and clever. A good reaction contributes to the rapid execution of host commands, which is not the case with other breeds. Disobedience usually occurs due to the fact that some dogs of this breed have greater independence in their character, and see the situation differently, which is why there is a discrepancy between the situations and the owner's commands.
A dog may be loyal and faithful friend. Very friendly animal and always set up to communicate. But, if she isn’t reciprocated, or if aggression from another dog or person comes, then the Fox Terrier will not leave it like this, and after that the friendship will not be possible. The appearance of the dog is pleasant and has to itself, but if you decide to tease and offend it, remember that the blood of the bull terrier flows in them, therefore it is better not to do this so that there are no consequences.
From some owners you can hear that the dog is opposed to other unfamiliar dogs.Fox Terrier will not tolerate, if he did not like something, he will by all means show discontent. He will growl, he can create what is forbidden to him. So he shows the owner that you need to look for other ways to control the animal. The main thing in his training is not to use physical force, he will definitely not tolerate that, and will resist.
During the walk it is important to wear a leash. The dog will be constantly distracted by various animals, passers-by, as it is a very inquisitive animal. Easily can run across the road or chase the cat. If the Fox Terrier is keen on something, then he stops hearing the host’s commands, it’s hard to stop him shouting, the hunting excitement wins, that’s why walk with him on a leash.
Such dogs are not quiet animals, they behave noisily, like to bark a lot and run, do not sit still. Probably one of their favorite hobbies is chasing cats or other small animals.
If there is such a pet in the house, you should not get a rabbit, hamster, or other animal. They find a common language with children easily, they love to play with them, as they themselves always remain a child and never refuse to play, but if the child has hurt the dog, then it can bite him.The Fox Terrier will not think whether it’s a child or an adult, it doesn’t matter to him, that’s why you shouldn’t leave a small child alone with such a dog.
Anyway, one of the advantages of this animal is that they can cheer up their master. They will not allow him to be sad or fall into depression, he will quickly give his charge of cheerfulness to the owner. Just lying on the couch and mourn will not work, the dog will not allow it, he will force to look at the world with his eyes fun and cheerful. Having a fox terrier in the house doesn’t have to be sad.
Usually the period of their life is more than fifteen years.
Fox training
The Fox Terrier is an independent animal and in the process of training it is difficult to cope with it, not the animal likes to obey. It is impossible to call the mistaken opinion of those people who think so. To make the dog more obedient, it needs to pay a lot of attention, and you need to start when it is still a puppy - teach it to train, teach the commands and explain how you can do it and how it cannot.
Breed health
In general, judging from the health of Fox Terriers, we can say that it is good.But, all can not be perfectly healthy, some dogs have problems with the pelvis, shoulders or the presence of a cataract.
If you do not perform proper care of the coat, the skin of the animal may become inflamed, be sure to trim.
Proper maintenance and care
The small size of the dog allows him to keep in the apartment. But due to the fact that the animal prefers an active lifestyle, in order to preserve its repair and furniture, during the walk it is necessary to load it with maximum physical exercise. Train him, practice with him, do not just walk down the street, but let him train in running, overcome obstacles, execute commands. This will tire him a little, and at home he will no longer be so energetic (although it is difficult to imagine a quiet Fox Terrier).
In case you live in your home, then be prepared for the fact that the land in the yard will be poryta. Fox terriers love to dig the ground, because the dog must be protected from a flower bed, garden or other land. He has enough strength to dig a large area, so that in all possible ways he will prevent flowers and vegetables from growing. Even these animals love to dig under the fence, and then through them get out to freedom.
Caring for a Fox Terrier is not difficult, but special attention will have to be paid to wool.Unlike other dogs, the Fox Terrier does not shed, but it requires constant combing. To do this, have to get a stiff brush. It is forbidden to cut the wool, which has already died, with scissors, otherwise the animal will look like a sheep.
If the dog participates in exhibitions, it is worth contacting a specialist who will do everything at the highest level and will emphasize the athletic composition of the Fox Terrier. This procedure can, of course, be done independently, in fact, there is nothing difficult to pull out the dead wool to your pet. For this you need a comb and a knife. Such procedures need to be done from an early age, so that the puppy will get used to it, or later it will offer strong resistance. By the way, trimming is done not only so that the animal is beautiful and has a well-groomed appearance, it is also good for its health. Without removing the wool in a timely manner, the dog will comb the skin, which may well lead to skin diseases and eczema.
In food fox terriers are not picky, they can eat natural food and special food. Adult Fox is fed with low-fat cottage cheese, raw beef, vegetables, fruits, vegetable oil, steamed cereals, better in bone broth and, of course, minerals and vitamins (as a food for the body).
Do not overfeed a dog of this breed, the portion should be calculated depending on its weight. If you have already brought yourself such a pet, then do not save on its diet, for example, if you constantly feed it with cereal and do not give vitamins, meat products and dairy, it is not good to affect his health.
Buying a puppy
Each person chooses for himself the method of purchase, you can begin to actively look for a puppy, or you can leave an announcement on a special forum - and you will receive interesting offers. This dog's activity and vigor manifests itself from early childhood, so when you get to the breeder, see how the puppy will behave.The tail should already be docked. Ask about what the puppy is fed, what has already been done to eliminate parasites, what they did to keep the dog healthy and full.
Cost of fox terriers
If you are going to buy a Fox terrier puppy from a standard litter for which there are documents, it will cost about 18 thousand rubles. Prices may be different, even taking into account one litter. If documents and pedigree are not important to you, then a puppy will cost less than 10 thousand rubles.
Having bought a Fox Terrier, you will have a reliable friend, companion and merry fellow, who will never make you bored.
Video: Wire Fox Terrier
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