Smooth Fox Terrier: temperament, size, care and health

About the Smooth Fox Terrier

The Smooth Fox Terrier is a trim, square-bodied terrier about 14 to 15.5 inches tall, with a long, flat head, small folded ears, and an erect, alert attitude. It has a short, dense, smooth coat that is mainly white with black, tan, or black-and-tan markings. In outline it matches the Wire Fox Terrier, but the coat is easy to keep.

The breed was designed to keep up with a pack of hounds and bolt a fox that had gone to ground. That origin shows in its drive and in the tireless, noisy way it investigates anything that moves.

Temperament and family life

Smooth Fox Terriers are exuberant and inquisitive. They are fond of their families and often get along well with older children who like to run and throw balls. The same energy can overwhelm small children, and the dog's patience for rough treatment is limited.

The breed barks at nearly everything, and it is a vocal watchdog. Strangers may be greeted with enthusiasm once the barking has finished. Some Smooths are tolerant of other dogs, but many will pick a fight, and small animals are viewed as prey. Fences must be solid, because the dog can dig and jump. A neglected Smooth Fox Terrier finds trouble.

Exercise and training

Give a Smooth Fox an hour of daily exercise, with room to run. Off-leash play in a fully enclosed area, fetch, and agility are good outlets. Puzzle toys and scent games help use up its mental energy.

The breed is bright and quick to learn, but it tends to ignore commands that do not interest it. Training works best when sessions are short, lively, and rewarded with food or play. Early socialization and calm, consistent routines reduce reactivity. Recall is always at risk of being overridden by a scent.

Grooming and shedding

Grooming is minimal, but the coat is not shed-free. A weekly brushing with a rubber curry or hound glove removes dead hair, and the dog sheds noticeably in spring and fall. White hairs show on dark clothes.

Wash the dog when it gets dirty. Keep nails short, clean the ears, and check for skin irritations, since a thin, light coat may sunburn. In cold weather a sweater helps.

Health

The Smooth Fox Terrier is generally sturdy. Primary lens luxation is the best-known serious eye problem in fox terriers, and a DNA test is available. Deafness, kneecap problems, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, and epilepsy are described. Responsible breeders test eyes and hearing and screen hips and knees.

General information like this cannot replace an examination, and a veterinarian is the person to consult about a particular Smooth Fox Terrier.

History

The Smooth Fox Terrier is generally traced to nineteenth-century England, where it was bred from older smooth-coated black and tan terriers, possibly with Beagle and Bull Terrier crosses, to produce a white dog that could be seen at a distance during a hunt. It was among the first terrier breeds to be shown, and the smooth and wire varieties were long treated as one breed. Today the smooth variety is far less common than the wire variety.

Is the Smooth Fox Terrier right for you?

A Smooth Fox Terrier suits active owners who want a lively dog with an easy coat and who can handle barking, digging, and chasing. It is not suited to people who want a calm lap dog, who cannot give regular exercise, or who share a home with small pets.

The Wire Fox Terrier is the same dog with a rough coat, and the Parson Russell Terrier is a similarly proportioned hunting terrier. For a smaller version of the type, look at the Toy Fox Terrier.