The Wire Fox Terrier was once a quintessential part of the British fox hunting scene. It was developed during the 17th and 18th centuries from the Rough Coated Black and Tan Terrier to locate foxes and drive them from the den. Today this breed is mostly used as a pet, athlete, or show dog. The Wire Fox Terrier is characterized by a lean physique, floppy ears, and an upturned tail. The wiry, broken coat for which it’s named has a white base and brown markings around the face with additional black and brown markings all over the body. The long hair around the face gives it the appearance of a moustache and beard.

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Up until the early 20th century, the Fox Terrier had both a wire and smooth coat variant. But after people stopped breeding them together, the Smooth Fox Terrier was developed into its own separate though very similar breed. There are also toy and miniature Fox Terriers, but they are considered to be separate breeds as well.

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3 pros and cons of owning a Wire Fox Terrier

Wire Fox Terrier Size and Weight

The Wire Fox Terrier is a small dog with a rather lean frame. Males are ever so slightly larger than females.

Wire Fox Terrier Common Health Issues

The Wire Fox Terrier is a very healthy dog with a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. Nevertheless, no breed is completely free of health complications. This breed is prone to deafness, cataracts, epilepsy, heart disease, cancer (the leading cause of death in older dogs), hip dysplasia (a loose hip joint), Legg-Perthes disease (a deformed hip joint resulting from poor blood flow), lens luxation (a deformed ligament that holds the lens in place), and some degenerative neurological diseases. Good breeders should ideally try to minimize the chances that some of these problems (particularly serious genetic disorders) ever arise in the first place, but there is always a chance some will slip through. To sum up the most common health problems:

• Deafness
• Cataracts
• Cancer
• Heart Disease

Wire Fox Terrier Temperament

The Wire Fox Terrier is a very feisty, energetic, confident, and alert dog that should win over the heart of its owner with its fun-loving, charming, and adventurous personality. If you don’t mind a strong, independent thinker who might have its own ideas about things, then this dog will fit right into your home as a loving and affectionate member of the family. You should be aware that this breed needs a lot of mental and physical stimulation to entertain it. Otherwise, if left alone or ignored for too long, it might resort of unwanted or destructive behavior. While this breed can adapt well for apartment living, it will require some outdoor space in which to run and play.

Health and Entertainment for your Wire Fox Terrier

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How to Take Care of the Wire Fox Terrier

The small size of the Wire Fox Terrier may fool people into thinking this is a low maintenance dog, but it is actually a real handful to care for. Full of energy and life, and sporting an unusual wiry coat, this breed requires the frequent attention of its owner. You should absolutely prepare to devote time and resources to its care. Fortunately, this guide will help arm you with some knowledge you will need.

If you are just now preparing to purchase a dog, the first step is to find a trusted breeder in your area from whom you can buy. Try to gather as much information as you can about how they breed, raise, and screen their dogs for health problems. Another option is to purchase a juvenile or adult dog from a rescue group or adoption agency. There may be some rescue groups in your area that carry Fox Terriers specifically. Upon bringing your new dog home, it should have a complete physical examination at the vet and then regular checkups after that.

The Best Dog Food for Wire Fox Terriers

An adult Wire Fox Terrier should be fed around 1.5 cups of high-quality dog food every single day, preferably divided into two meals. This is just an average, however; the exact amount will vary based on the dog’s age, size, and activity level. Owners should not leave out food for the dog to munch on. This may lead to unwanted weight gain.

This breed can end up with heart disease. So, with guidance from a vet, be aware of the link between legumes in dog food and heart failure in dogs. It may be wise to choose a legume-free dog food.

Along these lines, A-Z Animals recommends Inception Dry Dog Food – Complete and Balanced Dog Food – Meat First Legume Free Dry Dog Food as the best dog food for Wire Fox Terriers.

This real fish blend with healthy grains delivers essential nutrients for a functioning immune system, including selenium, natural antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. The supplemental taurine means added heart and eye health support, too.

See if your dog enjoys Inception Complete and Balanced legume free dog food, available on amazon.

Inception® Dry Dog Food Fish Recipe – Complete and Balanced Dog Food – Legume Free Meat First Dry Dog Food – 4 lb. Bag (13278)

• INCEPTION IS PROTEIN FIRST – Inception is formulated with animal protein first to serve your canine companions’ needs. We understand your canine companions are carnivore first, omnivore second and thrive with good animal protein in their diets. At Inception, we ensure our first two ingredients are animal protein.
• INCEPTION FISH FORMULA – We all know the benefits that come with eating fish. The same goes for your dog. The Inception Fish recipe comes with a combination of two different types of fish: Whitefish and Catfish. The Inception Fish recipe also comes complete with vitamins and supplements to contribute to your dog’s overall health. Whitefish contains beneficial omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA), which are known to be good for skin and coat. Whitefish also contains high levels of vitamin B3 and vitamin D and is high in selenium, known for supporting immune health.
• INCEPTION IS LEGUME FREE – Inception formulas are free of potatoes, legumes, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. We want to give your canine companions everything they need for a long and happy life with you.
• INCEPTION BOUND WITH HEALTHY GRAINS – All our recipes contain wholesome, all-natural ingredients such as oats, millet and milo. Oats are good healthy fiber source. Oats contain beta-glucan, which is a soluble fiber that helps aid digestion, oats are full of linoleic acid, a type of omega-6 fatty acid, which helps keep skin strong and healthy. Oats also contain many essential minerals such as zinc, iron, manganese and copper. Millet is a healthy source of carbohydrates for most dogs, and is easier to digest. Compared to many other grains, millet has a relatively high protein content. This may be more suitable for dogs with food sensitivities to more common grains. Millet contains many beneficial nutrients such as copper, phosphorus, manganese, and magnesium. Millet is a grain high in B-vitamins and iron. Milo contains many other micro-nutrients such as magnesium, copper, and zinc. Milo also contains relatively high levels of dietary fiber which can help aid in digestive health. Lastly milo contains natural antioxidants, which benefit the immune system in dogs.
• IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOSTER – To help booster the immune system, we’ve included ground flaxseed, which is an excellent source of plant omega-3 fatty acids and a great source of natural antioxidants as well.

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Wire Fox Terrier Maintenance and Grooming

The Wire Fox Terrier needs brushing about once a week, preferably with a firm bristle brush, to prevent matting and tangling. The American Kennel Club recommends that show dogs should be hand stripped by the owner or a professional groomer. Hand stripping is a method of removing the top layer of the coat from the roots by hand. This will help to maintain the wiry consistency of the entire coat. By trimming or cutting it with clippers, the softer part of the coat will tend to dominate, which can also make the dog look paler. If your wire fox terrier isn’t a show dog, then you can groom it and style it however you want. Owners should also check the ears once a week and trim the nails every month. Dental care is another important aspect of the dog’s care. Brush the teeth regularly (ideally once a day) with canine paste to prevent diseases and bad breath.

Wire Fox Terrier Training

The independent and strong-minded Wire Fox Terrier is a very eager and intelligent dog that also has the tendency to become easily bored. In order to prevent this, it’s bestto break up training sessions into smaller segments with frequent breaks in between. Owners should also strive to keep it interesting by changing up the routine from time to time. The Wire Fox Terrier requires a firm but positive training method. It may shut down or become unresponsive if you are aggressive toward it. Fortunately, this breed thrives at all types of training, from basic commands to more complex agility challenges.

Wire Fox Terrier Exercise

The Wire Fox Terrier will need about 30 to 60 minutes of exercise every single day. This breed enjoys long walks, runs, fetching, and playtime. Because of the dog’s tendency to chase prey, it is ideal you have a fenced yard that it cannot dig under and jump over. When you take it out for a long walk or run, do not let it off the leash.

Wire Fox Terrier Puppies

The Wire Fox Terrier can be rather energetic and undisciplined as a puppy, so it should benefit greatly from proper obedience training and early socialization with other people and pets. Crate training is an important part of the house training routine for all Wire Fox puppies.

Wire Fox Terriers and Children

The Wire Fox Terrier has a playful nature and friendly temperament that should be well-suited for kids of all ages. Its smaller size shouldn’t be intimidating, but it has such an immense reservoir of energy that it might not be able to stay calm and still in the presence of younger children.

Dogs Similar to the Wire Fox Terriers

If you are a fan of the Wire Fox Terrier, then you might want to check out these other terrier breeds:

• Smooth Fox Terrier – This breed is very similar to its close wire-haired relative in most respects. The main differences are the more V-shaped head and the short and smooth hair.
• Russell Terrier – The Russell Terrier (and its close relatives, the Jack Russell Terrier and the Parson Russell Terrier) is a small but athletic fox hunter that’s now mostly kept as a lovable and friendly companion. The Russell Terrier comes in three different types of coats: short and smooth, long and rough, and broken (a mixture between the two).
• Rat Terrier – Originally bred as a farm dog and hunting companion, the Rat Terrier is a small, compact breed with a smooth coat, playful personality, and fun-loving behavior. It comes in both a standard and miniature size.

Famous Wire Fox Terriers

The Wire Fox Terrier has been a fixture of upper class British society for centuries, both as a hunter and as a companion. It has also made quite an impression on many Americans. Here is a small sample of well-known members of this breed:

• Caesar – This was the personal favorite dog of Edward VII, Britain’s monarch between 1901 and 1910. It was also thought that his mother, Queen Victoria, owned the same breed.
• Skippy – This canine actor appeared in many popular 1930s films, including “The Thin Man” and “Bringing Up Baby.”
• Polly – Owned by biologist Charles Darwin in the 19th century.
• Vicki – The personal dog of writer and poet Rudyard Kipling.

Popular Names for the Wire Fox Terrier

If you’re looking for a good terrier name, then you might want to consider one of the following options:

• Riley
• Lucky
• Toby
• Buddy
• Charlie
• Caesar
• Apollo
• Dasher
• Dingo
• Buster

Last update on 2022-07-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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