Dog of the Month August Edition – The Wire Fox Terrier!
It’s time for our Dog of the Month! For the month of August, we chose none other, than the Wire Fox Terrier, or “Foxys” for short.
The Wire Fox Terrier was bred primarily for hunting purposes, back in the 18th century. Now, some are still working dogs, but primarily they are bred for either showing in competitions or for getting all the love from their families. They are known by the Westminster Kennel Club because they won more Best-in-Show awards at the show than any other breed. In the 18th century, having Wire Fox Terrier was considered a luxury, and was more common-place in the upper class because of their agility and trainability. They have also commonly trained as part of circus performances and to be in movies. A well known Wire Fox Terrier was Caesar, the pupper of England's King Edward VII. Cesar was said to be the King’s most loyal companion. He wore a collar with the inscription "I am Caesar. I belong to the King." How cute! (www.dogtime.com) Below is a picture of them together.
There were two different types of fox terriers, however, in the beginning they were considered the same breed. One was a smooth coat and the other was the wire coat. The wire coat was introduced to the breed because it’s more resilient to weather and rough terrain. The Smooth Fox Terrier is important to this breed because it’s believed many other terrier breeds have descended from them. Also, the Smooth Fox Terrier holds the distinction of being the first breed in the fox terrier group to be officially recognized by England's Kennel Club in 1875 (www.dogtime.com). Below, you can see the difference between the Smooth Fox Terrier (left) and the Wire Fox Terrier (right).
There is so much more to these little munchkins then just adorable faces and honest eyes. They are also outgoing, active, and curious. Don’t let their smaller frame fool you, they also are protective of their homes and their people. They will be the first to let you know if something is going on!
They are healthy and hearty pups, with tons of energy to spare. The more they can play and learn, the happier they are. Health wise, they don’t have very many common ailments. Generally speaking, like with all breeds, there are some health conditions that could come up for the Wire Fox Terrier. They can live into their teens and with advanced age there are some possible health concerns. Such as: Deafness, cataracts and hip dysplasia. All of which are not uncommon conditions, once your pupper gets a little older. (www.dogtime.com)
Wire Fox Terriers love their families unconditionally. They have the energy to keep up to the kidlets and love to explore with them. They are very intelligent, the more tricks you can teach them the happier they are. These pups also have spunky attitudes, so they can surprise you that they can’t be tricked easily. They’ll absolutely keep you on your toes! (www.petwave.com)
We love these little sweet hearts and we are happy to share some interesting information with you about them! Stay tuned for our next Dog of the Month
