Wire Fox Terrier
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 A Wire Fox Terrier (Ginger) |
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| Other names | Wire Hair Fox Terrier Wirehaired Terrier Fox Terrier |
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| Nicknames | Foxie | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country of origin | England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 most distinctive traits are their enormous amount of energy and intelligence. They have a low threshold for boredom and require stimulation, exercise and attention. The Wire Fox Terrier should be alert, quick, and ready to respond accordingly to anything from "mice to moonbeams" while being keen of expression and friendly and forthcoming. A lengthy list of high expectations for a small-to-medium-sized dog, but the Wire Fox Terrier is a star. They can be very loving and exceedingly playful if they receive the proper care. They are bred to be independent thinkers, capable of tactical maneuvering for vermin and other sport. Their high level of intelligence makes them a dog that is not suited for everyone. Only the capable and appreciative owner need apply.
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Appearance
The wire fox terrier is a sturdy, balanced dog weighing between 7 and 9.5 kg (15 and 21 lb). 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 upper right hand photo appears to be a ginger, a wire without black markings.
History
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.[citation needed] Wire fox terriers kept as pets show the loyalty, intelligence, independence, playfulness and breeding befitting such a storied breed.
Famous Wire Fox Terriers
- Archie, owned by Gill Raddings Stunt Dogs starred in ITV's Catwalk Dogs.
- Austin, who is owned by WWE personality Ken Anderson also known as Mr. Kennedy.
- Asta, from The Thin Man film adaptation (the novel's breed was a Schnauzer)
- Bob, from the Hercule Poirot episode Dumb Witness
- Bunny, from Hudson Hawk
- Caesar, the dog of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom
- Dášeňka, the dog of Czechoslovak writer and journalist Karel Čapek - also featured as main hero of "Dášeňka čili život štěněte" book.
- George, from Bringing Up Baby
- Ike Larue, from the book "Dear Mrs. Larue"
- Loki, from his blog No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere oir
- Moll, from the book "Memoirs of a Fox Hunting Man"
- Mr. Smith, from The Awful Truth
- Nigel and Gimlet and Sammy, from their blog Mr.Doodles Dog First blog entry: June 14, 2003
- Polly, a white rough terrier companion to Charles Darwin
- Skippy, from Topper Takes a Trip
- Snowy (French: Milou), companion of Tintin
- "The dog," from the Selchow and Righter board game "Mr. Doodle's Dog"
- Willy, from Ask the Dust
- Wuffles, the Patrician's dog in the Discworld Series
- Zephyr, who inspired a temple dedicated to wire fox terriers in Dunedin, Florida
Asta, George, Mr. Smith and Skippy were all played by the same dog.
See also
- Fox Terrier, for additional details on history, genetics, coat color, and so on.
- Hyracotherium, for the infamous creeping comparison
External links
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