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The name Fox Terrier or Foxy refers primarily to two different breeds of dog, the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier, that were independently bred in England in the mid-19th century. The two terrier breeds are very similar, with the only major difference being the coats. The Smooth Fox Terrier has a smooth, flat, but hard and dense coat, whereas the Wire Fox Terrier coat should appear broken with a dense, wiry texture.
In show circles, the terms fox terrier and foxy are only used
for these two breeds, but in other communities around the
world, particularly rural and farming ares, these words are
used for these breeds and also to refer to mixed-breed dogs of
fox terrier type, or to descendent breeds such as the Toy Fox
Terrier and Miniature Fox Terrier, which are similar to each
other.
Origin: The breeds were established to assist in fox
hunting. Before their development, a hunt would be ruined as
soon as the fox reached its hole. The introduction of Fox
Terriers into the hunting party solved the problem. If the fox
"went to ground" (reached and entered its lair), the
terrier would be sent in after it. This identified the major
requirements for a Fox Terrier. Firstly, it had to have the
stamina to run with the Foxhounds. Secondly, it had to be
small enough to follow a fox down its lair. And thirdly, it
had to be tough, as a cornered fox was likely to turn and try
to fight off an intruder, so a foxy had to be able to stand up
to it.
The term Fox Terrier was generic until the latter part of
the 19th Century. It referred to a group of dogs of varying
type which were bred for the hunt. These dogs were often
called "foxies" regardless of type or size. The
first Fox Terrier, a dog called "Foiler" or
"Old Foiler", was registered by the Kennel Club
circa 1875-6, and the breed began the process of
standardization.
Refinement of breed types led to the assignment of new
breed names to the ensuing breeds. A differentiation was made
between the Fox Terrier varieties, although the two breeds
were shown under the same breed standard until well into the
20th century. The process of selective breeding was duplicated
in other countries as emigrants took their dogs to other parts
of the world.
Development of the Fox Terrier around the world: In
the United States, fanciers of the Jack Russell Terrier were
adamant that their dog, of a type created by The Reverend Mr.
John Russell, “The Sporting Parson”, was as much of a fox
terrier as the smooth or wirehaired varieties. They referred
to those breeds as the Modern Fox Terriers. Some Jack Russell
owners preferred that their breed clubs remain unaffiliated,
to preserve the working qualities of their fox terrier.
The Toy Fox Terrier was developed by selected breeding from
smaller Fox Terriers. The breed was recognized by the United
Kennel Club in 1936 and generated little controversy.
In Australia, a distinct type of Australian Fox Terrier was
becoming recognizable during the same period in which the fox
terrier breed was being standardized. The miniature version of
this new dog became extremely popular. Smooth and Wirehair Fox
Terriers are often referred to as Standard Fox Terriers in
Australia in an attempt to minimize confusion.
Today, there are many and varied breeds that are descended
from or related to earlier fox terrier types. These include
the
Brazilian Terrier
Japanese Terrier
Miniature Fox Terrier
Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz
Rat Terrier
Tenterfield Terrier.
The Smooth and Wirehair Fox Terriers are seldom used for
hunting these days and are more often pets. Their small size
makes them appealing.
Coloring: Genetically, both Smooth and Wire Fox
Terriers have base colors of tan or black and tan. The white
coloring derives from a "spotting gene", which acts
to restrict the formation of color to a greater or lesser
degree. This is not related to albinism in any way.
The alleles in the series that are believed present in Fox
Terriers are sp for "piebald" markings (random
spots, saddles, or even blankets of color, with the head solid
color or exhibiting some white in blaze or half face) and sw,
extreme white, which restricts color to virtually none or eye
and ear patches. Pigment of the nose, lips, pads, and so on
remain black in all cases. Eye rims are always black where
there is color surrounding, but eyes surrounded by white may
get rim pigment gradually or sometimes not at all, a very
minor fault.
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