Monday, January 6, 2014

FOX TERRIER...THE WIRE-HAIRED VARIETY

These little fellows have always intrigued me so I thought I'd include them in my list of dogs.  After reading about them I know they would not be for me as I wouldn't have sufficient energy to own one. I still think they're cute though.

Although the wire-haired fox terrier bears a resemblance to the smooth fox terrier, they are believed
to have been developed separately.


This terrier is a sturdy, balanced dog weighing between 7-9.5kg (15-21 lb) and it should not be more than 39.37cm (15.5 in) in height.  Coat colour consists of a predominant white base with brown markings of the face and ears, and usually a black saddle or large splotch of colour; there may be black or brown markings on the body.


Two of the wired-haired fox terrier's most distinctive traits are its energy and intelligence.  It has a low threshold for boredom and requires stimulation, exercise and attention.  It is a companion animal that requires near-constant attention.  Most of them enjoy swimming.


They should be alert, quick and ready to respond swiftly with enthusiasm.  However, they should also be friendly, communicative and playful, if they receive the proper care and exercise.  Bred to be independent thinkers, they are capable of tactical manoeuvering for vermin and other sports. Often these terriers are abandoned or surrendered for reasons that may include running away instead of coming on a command, chasing cars, bicycles or taunting and then attacking other animals, including a household's cats and other dogs - and they are able to do serious damage.  These are actually normal behaviours for a breed designed to hunt not only foxes, but also badgers and boars, with no more fear of cows or buses than they have of small prey.  This little fellow looks so innocent.


 Keeping one as a pet requires firm control to redirect these prey instincts and provide the dog with enough exercise and diversion.  With diligent supervision, these terriers can be amusing, exciting. long-lived companion animals.


This terrier was developed in England by fox hunting enthusiasts and is believed to be descended from a now extinct rough-coated. black and tan working terrier of Wales, Derbyshire and Durham.  The breed was also thought to have been bred to chase foxed into their underground burrows; the dog's short, strong usually docked tails were used as handles by the hunter to pull the dog back out.  





14 comments:

  1. Oh Mimsie what a cute little dog. I love knowing more about it. Take care. Hug B

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    1. Indeed Buttons...very cute. I think it's a real fun dog.x

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  2. They are cute for sure but soooo high energy.

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    1. I agree wholeheartedly about their cuteness but not for we oldies as they need lots of exercise.

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  3. Hari OM
    Hehehhehe - definitely high maintenance - as my blog pal Gail in Aberdeen will attest; if you haven't come across dlogville's canine boffin, do please go meet him... Bouncing Bertie. I will let him know you were researching his kind! YAM xx

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    1. I though that would be the case with these fellows. They are so gorgeous but very lively with it. xx

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  4. Hi there,
    Aunty Yam left a comment on my blog and I have bounced right over. Well for sure I am a lively fellow, but really, I am better behaved than some of the information about my breed would suggest. Obviously it helps that my owner Gail takes me to agility club, and also for long walks in the hills near our home in Scotland. But I do (mostly) come when called, as you can see in a video I posted on my blog last week : http://bouncingbertie.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/post-hogmanay-aberdeen.html
    Although I love attention, I am quite happy on my own too, so long as I am well exercised.
    I am most definitely a happy and entertaining fellow, and have learned not to chase joggers and cyclists in the park. (We are still working on cats and sheep thing...)
    But I really reallly really want to dispel the oft cited 'fact' that wire-haireed fox terriers can never be let off the lead. This is just not true. Away from cars and farm livestock I am almost always allowed to run free (hooray) and it distresses me that so many of my fellow fox terriers are always kept on a leash, as to run fast and free is the best thing in the world.
    Toodle pip!
    Bertie.

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    1. PS I am most definitely an independent thinker!

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    2. Bertie, you are exactly how I imagine your kind would be when belonging to good owners and a good home. Thank you so much for telling us so much about yourself. No dog should be kept on a lead constantly. They need to be able to enjoy the free spirit they all have and run and jump to their heart's content.

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  5. An energetic fellow indeed is this one Mimsie! but quite lovely none-the-less!

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    1. A terrific little dog Rose but for a much younger owner than me.

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  6. Energetic, and charming. And (another) testament to the fact that no-one should share their lives with an animal unless they are prepared to work for it and with it.

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    1. Both those things EC. You are exactly right about being a responsible owner of any animal. You should always choose the type of animal that is suitable to you and that you are going to be capable of looking after properly and being there for it.

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  7. I knew one of these when I was young, his family had named him Jumpy, because he was always jumping around with excitement, luckily there were seven children for him to play with.
    He'd be too energetic for me too.

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