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The Miniature Fox Terrier is a small, fine, lightweight working terrier developed as a hunting dog and vermin router. It is known colloquially in its native Australia as the “Mini Foxie”.
Appearance: This is a balanced, smoothly-muscled dog
breed; its head is distinctive, with erect ears that can stand
straight up or fold just at the tips. Another distinguishing
feature is its articulate, oval-shaped foot. The breed
standard has always allowed for the dog's tail to be docked or
undocked. Natural bobtails are known to occur. There are only
three permitted colour combinations: black and white, tan and
white, and tricolour (black, white, and tan). The coat of the
Mini Foxie is always short and fine.
It is akin to the Toy Fox Terrier, a breed that developed
along similar lines in the United States. Some Toy Fox Terrier
owners can trace their dogs’ pedigrees to
"Foiler", the first Fox Terrier registered by the
Kennel Club in Britain, circa 1875-6. Other related breeds
include the Jack Russell Terrier, the Rat Terrier, and the
Tenterfield Terrier.
Temperament: Mini Foxies are known for being
fiercely loyal to their owners and their owners' property, a
characteristic written into the breed standard. They must have
an inquisitve and bold nature. According to at least one breed
club, they make excellent family pets. They get along well
with other animals but, like most working terriers, cannot
distinguish between small pets—such as reptiles and fancy
rats—and vermin, and must not be left alone with such
animals.
Health: Miniature Fox Terriers are generally healthy
and hardy despite their size. They need little maintenance;
lightweight individuals and those that do not run on hard
surfaces will need regular nail clipping. Luxating patellae, a
common ailment among small breeds, occurs frequently among
backyard bred dogs of this breed; breed clubs usually insist
upon health screening for breeding individuals to help
eradicate it. The breed lives on average 14 years, with much
older dogs not uncommon.
History: The breed was most likely developed from
crosses between smaller Fox Terriers and Fox Terrier types and
Manchester Terriers, and, later, crosses to other toy breeds
such as the English Toy Terrier and Whippet. Hunters were
seeking a smaller, speedy Fox Terrier that could be used for
hunting smaller pests such as rats and rabbits. Although the
origins of the breed are English, the breed was developed in
and is endemic to Australia.
By the late 1800s, the breed type was clearly identifiable,
where the Little Fox Terrier proved its worth against rabbits,
rats, and snakes on Australian farms. Mini Foxies demonstrated
tenacity, endurance, and extreme loyalty to their owners; the
dogs were routinely taken on the hunt, were sometimes used in
search parties, and were used at Sydney’s North Head
Quarantine Station, the Riverstone Meat Works, and the
Brisbane City Council as vermin exterminators.
The dog’s vigilance, size, affectionate temperament, and
ease of care soon resulted in its becoming a popular choice in
urban centers as well, and by the 1920s the Miniature Fox
Terrier was iconic. So well known and popular was the
“Little Foxie” that very little thought was given to the
need to preserve its lines.
History of the breed club: By the 1980s, the
interest in dog fancy, the looming spectre of proposed
breed-specific legislation, and increasing concerns about the
need to protect purebred dogs led a group of enthusiasts to
begin meeting informally to consider the future of these
little dogs. In 1986 the Miniature Fox Terrier Club of
Australia was formed. The founding members, in conjunction
with members of the Canine Council of New South Wales, wrote a
breed standard for their breed and laid out a Constitution for
the Club. To comply with New South Wales government
regulations for becoming an incorporated organization, the
Miniature Fox Terrier Club became incorporated as the Mini
Foxie Club of Australia, Inc. (1992).
In 1991, fanciers in South Australia also formed a breed
club. For these members, official recognition of the dog by
the Australian National Kennel Council was the most important
of their goals. At that time, challenges to the name
“Miniature Fox Terrier” were being mounted, and threatened
to preclude recognition by an All-Breed club. These members
joined with some owners in Western Australia and organized as
the Tenterfield Terrier Club of Australia (1993), a name which
was first used by a television personality of that era. The
ensuing breed standard for the Tenterfield Terrier differs in
substance from that of the Miniature Fox Terrier, and though
the two dogs are sometimes confused, they have been developing
along divergent lines for over twenty years and are now
different breeds. A recent directive from the ANKC placed a
moritorium on the registration of any MFCA-registered
Miniature Fox Terrier as a Tenterfield Terrier.
In 2005, the Mini Foxie was added to the list of dog breeds
recognized under the NSW Companion Animals Act, In 2005, the
Mini Foxie was added to the list of dog breeds recognized
under the NSW Companion Animals Act.
The Miniature Fox Terrier today: Although still
relatively unknown outside of Australia, the Little Foxie is
renowned in its native land. Several parliamentarians made
reference to the breed during recent legislative hearings on
canine issues. ‘Pasqua’ and ‘Fergus’ owned by Anthony
Field of The Wiggles, are Mini Foxies, and Ian Thorpe, the
Australian swimmer, has spoken fondly of Tiny, his Miniature
Fox Terrier, in several interviews. Sean Carlow, reigning
Australian mens' figure skating champion, owns a Miniature Fox
Terrier, and recent television and print features on Toby
Allen for his current (as of 2006) Dancing with the Stars
(Australia) campaign spotlight his Mini Fox Terriers.
Today, the Miniature Fox Terrier is still very much a
working terrier, and is in demand on farms across Australia.
They remain popular as pets, and enjoy playing the pampered
pooch. As long as their active minds are kept stimulated with
games or toys and they receive at least moderate exercise,
they make excellent urban and apartment dwellers.
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