Everything you need to know about Wire Fox Terriers

Wire-haired (long-haired) Fox Terrier is a cheerful energetic dog, which, if properly maintained and educated, will not cause trouble to its owners and will become a full member of the family. This breed is recommended for active people. For couch potatoes and apathetic people, the fox terrier will not work.

The ancestors of the fox terrier are peat dogs that live in the British Isles and are bred for hunting. Hunting blood also flows in modern wire-haired individuals, this explains some of their character traits. However, in the Middle Ages, attention was paid to the good health and dexterity of the dog, and the external data of the hunters were not interested.

Only by the end of the 18th century, Fox Terriers received external differences from other burrowing hunting breeds and were classified into a separate type. A little later, the dogs were grouped by species according to the quality of the coat. The first breed standard was registered in 1876.

Thoroughbred Fox Terrier has a very harmonious appearance. The complexion of the body and muzzle goes well with the aristocratic color. And although it looks like a contact friendly compact dog, it has a hardy hunting character. During the exhibition, the individual's parameters and proportionality are assessed. Excessive lightness or, on the contrary, massiveness is a deviation from the standard, for this points can be reduced.

Females differ from males by a more graceful head and a softer expression of the muzzle, and the ladies are rewarded with a more squat and refined body. According to the standard, the height of the fox terrier should not be higher than 39 cm, and the weight should be about 8.5 kg.

And also the breed standard includes the following external characteristics:

• the head is wedge-shaped, but not pointed, but rounded; due to the fur, the muzzle seems chopped off;
• the forehead is moderately wide, slightly narrowed; the upper part of the head is flat, there is an underdeveloped occiput tubercle;
• lips with pigment, well built; scissor bite of a purebred individual;
• the eyes are deep-set, oval-shaped, not protruding; the darker the iris, the higher the dog is valued;
• the ears are semi-erect, the tips hang forward closer to the forehead;
• the shape of the body is rectangular, the back is short, the neck is muscular;
• the chest is slightly wide, but with springy ribs;
• the lumbar girdle does not go beyond the boundaries of the spine, the sloping croup flows gently into the hips, the groin line is well tucked;
• the front legs have oblique shoulder blades, the elbow joints are located along the chest, but do not touch it;
• the hind legs are farther than the croup line; legs are long, knees are short, toes are tucked up, but not arched;
• the tail is set high, in a tense position, not curled or overlapping on the back; at an exhibition, its length does not matter;
• the coat is dense, hard, there is a thick soft undercoat, which is shorter than the awn; there are black or red spots on a white background.

These are curious, mobile dogs, which are characterized by playfulness and stubbornness. Perseverance of the representative of this breed often translates into family problems, so you need to start raising a puppy from an early age. In general, these are peace-loving animals in which a companion and a hunter get along well at the same time. This is a great option for a family that leads an active lifestyle, often goes out into the nature and goes in for sports. Four-legged family member will become an indispensable companion for morning jogging or cycling.

Families with children under the age of three should consider whether this is the right time to have a puppy in the house.

In addition, an active and playful dog can jump on the child during the game or even gently bite him. He is unlikely to cause injury, but he can scare the baby. Therefore, it is recommended to start a fox terrier for families, where the children are already adults.

In addition to being a cheerful and energetic dog, quickly getting used to its owner, it is also an excellent guard. During a walk, this dog often wakes up protective qualities. If at home the animal has an affectionate and gentle character and tries to spend a lot of time with a loved one, then a real thunderstorm of the yard usually comes out for a walk, which will not give anyone an insult to the owner and can become a provocateur of a dog fight. In this regard, the dog should always be walked on a leash.

Those who decide to become the owner of a fox terrier will be interested to know that these are long-lived dogs. On average, these dogs live up to 16-18 years. This is due to their good genetics, which rarely show hereditary diseases. Naturally, the dog will survive until this time only with proper maintenance. For example, to maintain health and longevity, the fox terrier needs to throw out his irrepressible energy every day, and if the owner is not a hunter, then he should devote quite a long time to walking the pet.

The coat of a wire-haired pet must be carefully monitored. It is important to eliminate dying hairs in order to make room for new hairs. It is better not to try to tidy up the coat of this dog on your own, the intricacies of caring for a long-haired Fox Terrier are known only to a specialist.For example, this variety should not be clipped as the coat can matted and look very untidy. Therefore, it is better to entrust the grooming of the pet's coat to a groomer.

In general, a haircut for a representative of this breed involves shortening the hair on the neck, back and body, leaving the limbs fluffy. In the upper part of the head, hairs are also plucked out, but it is customary to leave the beard. This dog needs regular nail trimming. The procedure is recommended to be performed several times a month. You can do this yourself with a purchased nail clipper. In winter, it is important to trim the paw pads to prevent snow from accumulating between the toes. Several times a week the dog needs to be combed, but it is better to refuse bathing.

As mentioned above, in the content of the fox terrier it is important to provide him with physical activity. If it is not enough to walk the dog, not to play with him or train him, then he will choose furniture in the house to pour out his energy. This will not only lead to problems in the relationship between the dog and the owner, but will also adversely affect the character of the pet. A dog that lacks physical activity may become more aggressive.

Those owners who are planning to breed a dog should also pay attention to some points. Although the dog reaches full puberty at the age of eight months, it is still recommended to bring him with a partner later. This is especially true for females.

At a young age, female representatives are not always ready for gestation and childbirth. These processes are still difficult for these compact dogs and can affect both the health of the woman in labor and the condition of the puppies. And also the rules for mating fox terriers include a ban on crossing smooth-haired and wire-haired species. In addition, the dating process should be carried out on the territory of the dog.

These dogs are distinguished by good health, but if this state is not maintained at the required level, then the animal's immunity decreases and it becomes a victim of infections, viruses and other diseases. So, you need regularly monitor the condition of your pet's eyes. Eyes should be cleaned with a cotton pad dipped in boiled water or tea leaves. If redness or tearing is detected, you need to show the animal to the veterinarian - this breed is characterized by eye diseases. HIt is necessary to check the condition of the ears, especially white dogs suffer from hearing problems.

Vaccination is carried out starting from the age of two months and observing the following rules:

• only a completely healthy puppy is allowed to be vaccinated;
• before vaccination, the animal must be treated for worms;
• vaccination of an individual whose teeth are changing is prohibited;
• walking the animal is possible only after the end of the full vaccination period.

Since the dog is not taken outside until the end of the vaccinations, the owners have to accustom their pet to the toilet on a diaper. In the case of fox terriers, this is not so difficult, since dogs of this breed are quite smart and quick-witted. When the time comes for the first walk, it is recommended to take a familiar diaper with you for a walk, so that the dog makes its first attempts at emptying on the street in familiar conditions. This will make it easier for the owner to train the pet to toilet on the street.

Fox terriers have an excellent appetite, but they should not be overfeeded. If the animal feeds on natural food, then it is important to exclude food from the table, chocolate, mushrooms, confectionery, flour, smoked, salted, fatty meat from the diet. The basis of the menu should be thermally processed meat, cottage cheese, sea fish. And also cereals and vegetables should be present in the diet.

Choosing a ready-made dry food makes it easier for the owner.Now he does not need to monitor the balance of the BJU, since the amount of these elements is already balanced in high-quality premium and super-premium feeds.

Manufacturers of good ready-made food on the packaging indicate the daily allowance in accordance with the weight of the pet, but it is still recommended to consult a veterinarian with this issue. Let the doctor indicate the daily allowance, taking into account the weight, age and health of a particular dog.

Thus, natural food is cheaper for the owner, but takes longer to prepare. In addition, you need to calculate the daily amount of calories and other substances. High quality ready-made food is not cheap, but it saves the owner a lot of hassle, especially when buying a measuring cup.

The upbringing of the puppy begins immediately after its appearance in the house. It is important from childhood to wean him from damage to things in the apartment. For example, many owners are amused when a puppy plays with an old unnecessary slipper. However, it is important to stop such actions immediately.... The dog does not distinguish between old and new shoes, if he was allowed to gnaw a sneaker, then the next time he considers it permissible to gnaw a new shoe to shreds. The puppy usually starts to spoil the wallpaper and furniture from boredom in the absence of the owner. To avoid this, it is recommended to leave the baby as many toys as possible.

Before the first walk, the fox terrier should be introduced to the leash and collar. To do this, the pet is first allowed to sniff a new object from a distance, you can leave it next to the bed or food so that the pet understands that the leash is safe. When the collar is first fastened to the puppy, most likely he will try to get rid of it. At this point, it is recommended to distract the dog by playing. For the first time, attaching a leash, you can walk with the animal around the apartment. These actions will make it easier for the owner before the first walk on the street.

Any dog ​​should be able to carry out basic commands. You can accustom a puppy to training at 2-3 months, just at this time he usually appears in the house. The very first thing a puppy must learn to do is respond to his name. To do this, the dog is called with a gesture and offered a treat. In general, any training must be accompanied by a tasty treat if the command is successfully completed.

Treats can serve not only as a reward, but also as a learning aid. For example, when teaching the command "Sit!" the treat is held above the dog's head in such a way that the animal sees it only after it sits down. When teaching the exercise "Lie!"

The first workouts should be carried out no more than three minutes, gradually the time should be increased. If the puppy does not obey and does not understand what they want from him, then you should be patient and try not to shout or scold the pet. Raising his voice will scare the dog, and the lessons will be associated with the rudeness of the owner. The puppy will not enjoy these activities, and they will not bring success. Do not teach the animal several commands at once, at first he must master one exercise perfectly, only after that it is possible to proceed to the next stages. When teaching new commands, do not forget to check the "passed material".

Learning to hunt begins at an older age. The first trainings take place in an artificial burrow. The owner should spend no more than 15 minutes for each lesson. It is recommended to do this before meals, otherwise the dog may experience digestive problems from being active after meals. In addition, a hungry animal assimilates commands better.

In the next video you will find interesting facts about the Wirehaired Fox Terrier dog breed.