Mix together energy, intelligence, independence and athleticism and you’ll get a Fox Terrier. These small, sturdy dogs are born to hunt and chase and are always up for adventure, they’ve got heaps of energy that they need to burn, every single day. An enthusiastic lover of all people, Fox Terriers are friendly, funny and charming and keen to make new friends, wherever they go. Built-in boldness and bravery means socialisation and daily training is a must, as they’re not always fans of other dogs. Homes with cats and other small pets are a definite no-no. But otherwise these fun loving dogs are a great addition to the family home.
Fox Terrier Facts
Sure, Fox Terriers are small dogs (they grow up to 40cm) but they’re also strong and athletic - check out those long legs, ideal for running. Their coats are mostly white, with splashes of black and tan.
- Breed Group: Terrier
- Height: 40cm
- Weight: Female: 7-8kg, Male: 8kg
- Life Span: 12-15 years
- Coat: Short and smooth
- Colour: Variations of white, tan and black
What Does a Fox Terrier Look Like?
The biggest clue that you’re looking at a Fox Terrier is their distinctive v-shaped head. They were bred like this to allow them to bury their heads into fox holes to flush them out. Their fox flushing ability is helped by their long tapered muzzle. On top of their head are small triangular ears that fold over. They’ve also got small, dark, deep set eyes that give them an inquisitive, lively look.
Fox Terriers have a short, smooth coat that’s quite stiff. Their colouring is white with black and/or tan markings. Check out their short, high tails that can often be seen happily wagging, a sign that they’re ready for their next adventure. Small they may be, but Fox Terriers are strong and sturdy dogs.
Fox Terrier
Fox Terrier Temperament: Active and Amusing
If you had to compare a Fox Terrier to anyone, it’d be a boisterous toddler that’s absolutely buzzing with energy. Like a toddler, they can also be quite hilarious. Think burying themselves under a pile of cushions, just leaving their furiously wagging tail poking out.
They’ve also got bravery in spades, willing to dash off at a moment’s notice to explore whatever’s caught their eye. Although an admirable trait in a human, it can be troublesome in a dog. With their strong prey drive and energetic personality, they’ll happily leave you behind when something worth chasing appears. If you’ve got cats or other small pets at home, a Fox Terrier isn’t the best choice. They also don’t always play well with other dogs so do best as your only pet.
With humans, they’re affectionate, friendly and eager to please. Visitors to your home can expect plenty of doggy kisses. Loving by nature, they make great pets for active families. They’re best with older children as they’re known to guard their resources and younger children might struggle to respect your pup’s space, especially when they’re eating or playing, which can lead to unwanted confrontations.
Fox Terriers also make great guard dogs, they’re big barkers. They start barking in puppyhood and unlike other breeds, won’t grow out of it. Training can help curb these tendencies. Thanks to their intelligence, it’s fairly easy to train them.
Keeping Fox Terriers Healthy: 4 Issues to Watch Out For
Even though they’re small dogs, Fox Terriers have a long lifespan of up to 15 years. Thankfully, most potential health problems can be kept at bay with responsible breeding. Otherwise keep an eye out for these issues.
Joint Problems
Joint problems can make it difficult for your Fox Terrier to move and can cause them pain. Common ones are patella subluxation and hip and elbow dysplasia. Patella subluxation causes your dog’s kneecap to partially dislocate. Normally found in active dogs, signs include them lifting one of their back legs when running or kicking their leg out to the side. Hip and elbow dysplasia is when the joints don’t fit properly together and can lead to arthritis. All these conditions have a range of treatment options, including medication and surgery.
Heart Valve Disease
Heart valve disease causes the heart valves in older Fox Terriers to weaken and deform, putting strain on their heart. If it’s caught early, medications can help. The good news is that heart valve disease is inherited and responsible breeders will usually screen for it to ensure your pup doesn’t develop it.
Eye Issues
Eye issues like cataracts, glaucoma and primary lens luxation can affect Fox Terriers, especially when they’re older. Treatment, like eye drops and surgery, can help stop your dog from becoming blind. Your vet should check your dog’s eyes during their yearly check ups to make sure these conditions aren’t forming.
Ear Infections
Thanks to their folded ears, Fox Terriers are at risk of recurring ear infections. You’ll know they have one if they scratch their ears, shake their head or have a build up of brown or yellow wax. This is why it’s important to clean their ears every week. Your vet can prescribe medication to treat ear infections.
Caring for Your Fox Terrier Dog
With their short, smooth coats, grooming your Fox Terrier is a breeze. The rest of it? Not so much. To keep their minds and body busy (and away from things like digging and food stealing), daily exercise and consistent training should be top of your to do list.
Grooming
Give your Fox Terrier’s short, dense coat a weekly groom with a brush to help get rid of excess fur. Although they don’t shed much, you might notice more fur lying around your home in spring and autumn. That’s a sign to groom them more regularly with a deshedding tool to lift out the loose hair before it ends up through your home.
A bath every 4-6 weeks should keep them looking and smelling sweet. However, if they follow their natural tendencies and go digging in the mud, you can bath them as needed. Then it’s just a case of trimming their nails every 2 weeks, cleaning their ears every week and brushing their teeth every day.
Nutrition
You won’t have any problems with your Fox Terrier eating, they’re great, non-picky eaters. Let them tuck into quality dog food that’s suitable for their life stage (puppy, adult or senior) and their weight and activity level.
With the regular training you’ll be doing with them, treats are a daily essential. Fox Terriers are highly food motivated and treats will keep them focused during training and showing off their great manners every day. But keep an eye on how many you’re giving them. Even though they’re super energetic dogs, they might not burn off all those extra calories during exercise.
Exercise
As a terrier, and especially one born to be hard working, the Fox Terrier is a lively, high energy and athletic dog. This means plenty of daily exercise, aim for around 2 hours a day. Enjoying every type of outdoor pursuit (it’s extra hanging time with their favourite human), mix up their exercise. From long walks to runs, from swims to chasing a ball in the garden and playtime in a fully fenced area, they love it all.
Whatever you’re doing, make sure they’re always on a lead. At the faintest sniff of something that could be prey, they’re off. With their high speed and hunting abilities, it’ll be tough to catch them!
Fox Terriers are notorious diggers it’s what they were bred to do, after all. If you’re doing a garden makeover and need a helping paw, great. Otherwise, consider either giving them their own muddy spot to dig through or channel their need to dig through dog sports.
Training Your Fox Terrier
A Fox Terrier should start training as soon as possible. Sure, they’re intelligent, curious and eager to please, but they have a mind all of their own - how else to flush out a fox when humans are waiting on a horse nearby? They need a confident, clear and consistent trainer to start them on the basics, including sit, stay and come. With their strong hunting instincts and prey drive, aim to train them in a place with as few distractions as possible.
The key to training a Fox Terrier is consistency. Even if you’re not actively training them and instead just relaxing at home together, they’re looking to you to enforce the house rules at all times. Otherwise furniture is going to get chewed and the laundry basket is going to be dug through... well, this is playtime not training time, right? Fox Terriers need training every day otherwise their stubborn streak and tendency to pick up bad habits is going to wreak havoc on your home.
Because they don’t always get on well with other dogs, Fox Terriers also need socialisation with other people and dogs from when they’re a puppy.