The
Wire Fox Terrier
The
wire fox terrier was developed in England by fox hunting enthusiasts and
is believed descended from a now-extinct rough-coated, black-and-tan working
terrier of Wales, Derbyshire, and Durham. The breed was also believed
to have been bred to chase foxes into their burrows underground, and their
short, strong, usually docked, tails were used as handles by the hunter
to pull them back out.
Although it is said Queen Victoria owned one, and her son and heir, King
Edward VII of Great Britain did own the wire fox terrier, Caesar, the
wire fox terrier was not popular as a family pet until the 1930s, when
The Thin Man series of feature films was created. Asta, the canine member
of the Charles family, was a Wire-Haired Fox Terrier, and the popularity
of the breed soared. Milou (Snowy) from The Adventures of Tintin comic
strip is also a Wire Fox Terrier.
In the late 20th century, the popularity of the breed declined again,
most likely due to changing living conditions in the Western world and
the difficulty of keeping hunting terriers in cities due to their strong
instincts. Among the less desirable traits of all fox terriers are their
energy, digging, stalking and chasing of other animals, and yelping bark.
The wire fox terrier has the distinction of having received more Best
in Show titles at major conformation shows than any other breed. Wire
fox terriers kept as pets show the loyalty, intelligence, independence,
playfulness and breeding befitting such a storied breed
The Wire Fox Terrier is a breed of dog, one of many terrier breeds. It
is an instantly recognizable fox terrier breed. Although it bears a resemblance
to the Smooth Fox Terrier, they are believed to have been developed separately.
Two of their faults are their enormous amount of energy and the fact that
they easily get bored, but they can be very loving and fun if they get
the proper attention. Additionally, it takes an extreme amount of training
to get them to come when called, but it is not impossible.
The wire fox terrier is a sturdy, balanced dog weighing between 15 and
21 pounds. Its rough, broken coat is distinctive. Coat color consists
of a predominant white base with brown markings of the face and ears,
and usually a black saddle or large splotch of color; there may be other
black or brown markings on the body. The wire in the photo at left sports
the traditional white, black and buff tri-color coat. The wire in the
right hand photo appears to be a ginger, a wire without black markings.
Breed Clubs and Societies
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BIRMINGHAM & DISTRICT FOX TERRIER CLUB. Sec: Mrs L England. Tel No: 01366 328826
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FOX TERRIER CLUB OF SCOTLAND. Sec: Mrs A McGhie. Tel No: 01698 458736
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FOX TERRIER CLUB OF WALES. Sec: Ms W Phillips Tel No: 01633 775735
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SHEFFIELD FOX TERRIER CLUB. Sec. Mrs E Crooks. Tel No: 01226 759459
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ULSTER FOX TERRIER CLUB. Sec. Mrs Shepherd - 028 9071 8592
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