Smooth Fox Terrier facts for kids
AKC champion Fox Terrier
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| Other names | Fox Terrier Smooth Fox Terrier |
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| Common nicknames | Foxie SFT |
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| Origin | England | |||||||
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| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | ||||||||
The Smooth Fox Terrier is a type of dog known for its energetic and friendly nature. It's one of many terrier breeds. This dog was the first in the Fox Terrier family to be officially recognized by The Kennel Club in England around 1875. Even though it's not super popular today, it's very important because many other terrier breeds are thought to be related to it.
Contents
Discovering the Smooth Fox Terrier
How the Breed Started
The exact story of how the Smooth Fox Terrier breed began isn't fully written down. However, people have known about this distinct dog breed in England since at least the 1700s. The first clear record of a Smooth Fox Terrier was in 1790. That's when a man named Colonel Thornton painted a portrait of his dog, Pitch.
Getting Official Recognition
The Smooth Fox Terrier started appearing in dog shows in the mid-1800s. This made it one of the first breeds to be shown at such events. The American Kennel Club first recognized the Fox Terrier in 1885. A hundred years later, in the 1980s, the Smooth Fox Terrier was recognized as a separate breed from the Wire Fox Terrier.
For a long time, people thought the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier were just different types of the same breed. But now, many experts believe they are not related at all. The Wire Fox Terrier likely came from the Rough Black and Tan Terrier of Wales. The Smooth Fox Terrier is thought to have come mostly from the Smooth Black and Tan Terrier. It might also have a little bit of Beagle and Bull Terrier in its family tree.
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Their Job: Fox Bolting
Historically, the Smooth Fox Terrier's main job was "fox bolting." This means the dog would go with a group of foxhounds. Their task was to chase foxes out of their hiding spots. This would make the foxes visible to the larger dogs and hunters on horses. Smooth Fox Terriers with white coats were especially valued. This was because they were less likely to be mistaken for a fox during a chase.
Understanding Their Temperament
The Smooth Fox Terrier is a very energetic dog. Because of this, it might not be the best choice for someone getting their first dog. Since they were bred to chase small animals, they have a strong "prey instinct." This means they love to chase things! They are also very friendly dogs. They usually don't mind strangers if they meet different people when they are young. If they don't get to meet many people early on, they might bark a lot.
Keeping Your Smooth Fox Terrier Healthy
Common Health Concerns
Smooth Fox Terriers usually live for 12 to 15 years. Some can even live as long as 19 years! Generally, this breed is quite healthy. However, like all dogs, they can have some health issues. These include deafness and problems with their kneecaps, called luxating patellas. They can also have different eye disorders like lens luxation, distichiasis, and cataracts. Bone problems like Legge-Perthes disease and shoulder dislocations can also happen. Other rare conditions like Myasthenia gravis and epilepsy have been reported, as well as goiter.
Grooming Your Smooth Fox Terrier
Simple Care for Their Coat
The Smooth Fox Terrier is pretty easy to groom. Their hair grows evenly all over their body. To keep their coat looking smooth and neat, it needs to be trimmed with scissors or clippers. For regular care, you should brush their coat often. It's also important to keep their nails trimmed. Don't forget to clean the hair from between the pads of their feet. Brushing their teeth is also a good idea, as a dog's bite is very important for its health. It's best to start grooming your Smooth Fox Terrier when they are young. This will make it much easier for you to care for them throughout their life. Smooth Fox Terriers often enjoy the attention they get during grooming time!
Famous Smooth Fox Terriers
- Nipper: This dog was the famous mascot for HMV and RCA. Some ads showed him as a Smooth Fox Terrier.
- Snitter: A main character in the book The Plague Dogs by Richard Adams.
- Titina: This dog traveled with Umberto Nobile on his airships, Airship Norge and Airship Italia.
- Skip: From the book My Dog Skip by Willie Morris. (A Jack Russell Terrier played Skip in the movie).
- Dash: Sir Aurel Stein had seven dogs named Dash. Six of them were Smooth Fox Terriers. They went with him on his trips to explore places like Xinjiang and Iran in the early 1900s.
- Igloo: The pet of explorer Richard E. Byrd. Igloo often went with Byrd on his trips to Antarctica.
- Angus and India: These are the Smooth Fox Terriers of fashion designer and film director Tom Ford. They appeared in his movie A Single Man and on his fashion show runway. John was another Smooth Fox Terrier owned by Ford. John and Ford were on the cover of i-D magazine in 2001.
- Kvik: A dog character in the Danish TV series Matador.
See also
In Spanish: Fox terrier de pelo liso para niños
