Wire Fox Terrier

The Wire Fox Terrier is short-backed and square-proportioned, but at the same time standing over a lot of ground. Its conformation combines speed, endurance and power, enabling it to gallop and stay with the horses and hounds during the hunt and to follow a fox up a narrow passage. The gait while trotting gets most of its propulsion from the rear quarters. The expression, like the attitude, is keen; the carriage is alert and expectant. The coat is dense, wiry, broken and twisted, almost appearing like coconut matting, with a short, fine undercoat. The outer coat may be crinkled, but it should not be curly.

A true "live-wire," the wire fox terrier is always up for adventure. This breed lives to play, explore, run, hunt and chase. It can be mischievous and independent and may dig and bark. It is usually fairly reserved with strangers. The wire has a reputation for being somewhat scrappier with other dogs when compared to the smooth.

When fox hunting became popular in England in the late 17th century, hunters found the need for a dog that could go to ground and bolt the quarry. Terriers, game and eager, were ideal for such a purpose but most of the early terriers were dark in color and too low on leg to run with a pack of foxhounds. Hunters began to develop a longer-legged terrier, predominantly white in color so as not to be mistaken for a fox. Early fox terriers were primarily smooth-coated, but the wire coat persisted. By the end of the 19th century, smooth and wire-coated Fox Terriers were in great demand, both as companions and show dogs. Although considered one breed for many years, interbreeding of Smooth Fox Terriers and Wire Fox Terriers ceased in the early 1900s. Except for coat, however, the two breeds are essentially identical. Both the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wirehaired Fox Terrier were recognized by the AKC in 1885. Some of the Fox Terrier's talents include: hunting, tracking, watchdog, agility and performing tricks.