Smooth Fox Terrier
A bright, keen and fast-moving terrier with a smooth white coat, built for foxhunting and full of energy.
At a glance
- Size
- Small
- Height at the withers
- Males 36–39 cm · Females 34–37 cm
- Weight
- Males 7.3–8.2 kg · Females 6.8–7.7 kg
- Life expectancy
- 12–15 years
- Exercise
- 60–90 min a day
- Grooming
- Once a week
- Coat
- Smooth, short
- Colours
- White, Black, Tan, Tricolour
- Bred for
- Terrier work, Companionship
- Country of origin
- United Kingdom
- FCI
- Group 3, no. 12 · Terriers
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 4/5 – High |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Good with other dogs | 2/5 – Low |
| Good with cats | 1/5 – Very low |
| Open to strangers | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Energy | 5/5 – Very high |
| Playfulness | 5/5 – Very high |
| Needs mental stimulation | 4/5 – High |
| Easy to train | 2/5 – Low |
| Prey drive | 5/5 – Very high |
| Watchful and protective | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Barking | 4/5 – High |
| Shedding | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Grooming effort | 1/5 – Very low |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 2/5 – Low |
| Suits apartment living | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Adaptability | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with being alone | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with heat | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with cold | 2/5 – Low |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- love long walks and active play
- want a small dog with endless energy
- enjoy dog sports
Think twice if you …
- want a quiet or calm companion
- have small pets at home
- are out for most of the day
Care
Temperament
Alert, keen and quick to react, with a lively sense of fun. Affectionate with family but often bold and outspoken.
Exercise
Needs at least an hour of active exercise daily; it excels at agility, earthdog trials, flyball and fast play.
Grooming
The smooth coat is easy to keep with a weekly brush, though it sheds steadily.
Training
Intelligent but easily distracted; short, energetic and consistent sessions work best.
Health
Lens luxation, some forms of ataxia, patellar luxation and deafness in predominantly white dogs can occur. Ask the breeder for eye and DNA results on both parents.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Eye examination
- Kneecaps (patella)
DNA tests
- Primary lens luxation (PLL)
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Smooth Fox Terrier was developed in England to follow foxes underground and bolt them for mounted hunts. A mainly white coat made it easy to tell apart from the fox. It became one of the earliest terriers to be shown, with records going back to the 1860s.
It is an alert, energetic dog that loves activity and attention. It thrives with owners who enjoy daily exercise and games, and it can become noisy or destructive if under-stimulated. Small pets are likely to trigger its chase instinct, and it may be quarrelsome with other dogs.
Did you know?
Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers were judged as one breed in Britain and the United States until they were officially separated in the 1980s.