Fox Terrier

The Fox Terrier is a classic English breed believed to be a cross between several dog breeds including Old English Terriers, Bull Terriers, Greyhounds and Beagles. The earliest record of this breed was a dog named Pitch in 1790. It was owned by Colonel Thomas Thornton and was the subject of a painting by Sawrey Gilpin. The Fox Terrier became widely popular because of its fox hunting skills.

Fox Terriers are separated into two breeds: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Albeit developed separately, both have the same origins. They are basically the same except for the characteristics of their coats and slight variance in colours and markings.

In 1876, the Officers of the Fox Terrier Club of England established the first breed standard.

The Fox Terrier is an energetic, and watchful dog breed, always ready to pounce and give chase, owing to its hunting instinct. Weighing 15 to 19 pounds and standing 33 to 41 centimetres, it displays strength despite its small form and always wears keen expressions. It has a flat head that narrows with a slight stop. It sport a black nose and strong muzzles.

This dog breed has dark, round intelligent eyes. It has small V-shaped ears that lie close to its cheeks. Boasting a perfect scissor bite, Fox Terriers have upper teeth that slightly overlap the lower teeth. They have proud necks that are muscular and quite long, supported by its wide, sloping shoulders.

When it comes to physical characteristics, Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers are very similar except for their coats. The Smooth Fox Terrier has a longer coat that is smooth and flat but also hard and dense. Whereas, the Wire Fox Terrier has what you call a broken appearance due to its dense and wiry coat. Coat colours are similar, with a base coat of white, although they often have slight variations in markings such as black, tan or a combination of these two colours.

This breed will require a steady handler to provide consistent training, so it does not exhibit negative behaviours such as digging, excessive barking and more. With that said, this type of dog is not ideal for first-time dog owners. Fox Terriers form strong bonds with its family and is known to suffer from separation anxiety if left alone for extended periods.

Proper socialisation when young will also helps them get along well with other dogs, however, small animals may be a bit of a stretch. Fox Terriers, originally bred as gundogs, will be quick to give chase smaller animals every opportunity it gets.

• Senior and less active: up to 520 calories daily
• Typical adults: up to 590 calories daily
• Physically active/working dogs: up to 650 calories daily

Dog ownership signifies a large financial obligation. Buying the puppy is just the beginning of the journey. The only way to reduce the financial burden of dog ownership is preparation. Let us examine the costs associated with owning a Fox Terrier.

Initial cost for a well-bred puppy is around £600 to £900. Veterinary cost is arguably the most expensive part of owning a Fox Terrier, which can quickly add up to £1,000 a year. Pet insurance is another cost that can be considered as a veterinary expense, but worth every penny of your £20 to £40 considering it will offset costs of medical emergencies in the future.

In addition, quality dog food is a large portion of the monthly budget that will cost around £30 to £40 a month. Considering all the mentioned costs, a rough estimate to care for a Fox Terrier is anywhere from £70 to £100 a month.