Fox Terrier

The Fox Terrier is very affectionate within the family despite his strong temperament. He is fond of his owners, welcoming of guests that he knows, and knows how to be gentle and docile with children.

This terrier is very energetic, lively, cheerful and bubbly. His very feisty personality makes him particularly fond of playtime, especially with children, if the latter are respectful towards him.

A real live wire, this dog is no display dog, even if he might occasionally enjoy sleeping at his master’s feet after returning from a walk or hunt. 

Energetic, lively, very fast, tireless and rarely still, the fox is a fearless dog that can satisfy the most dynamic and athletic of owners.

His hunting skills make him a rather intelligent dog who knows how to adapt to the various missions entrusted to him.

Resilient, brave and clever, the Fox Terrier is a very good work assistant for anyone in need of one. He can hunt for various animals, from little pests to bigger game. He is particularly esteemed for his underground hunting skills (digging), most notably in fox and badger-hunting. 

His versatility allows him to carry out overground hunting (by lifting and fetching small game, both feathered and coated); chase-hunting (by forming a ring of running dogs to tease the big game out) and underground hunting (by hunting in burrows).

Invited guests are always welcomed by this hunting dog. However, whenever a stranger approaches, he will most likely start barking, so as to stop anyone he might perceive as an intruder in their tracks.

A proper, precocious introduction is therefore needed for this strong-willed dog to accept someone’s entrance onto his home turf. As soon as that occurs, he becomes very welcoming.

Still, it is strongly advised owners of a Fox Terrier keep a close eye on him if he is sent to welcome guests (whether enthusiastic about it or not) who wish to cross the doorway into their home.

The stubborn and tenacious side of the Fox may make him seem like an independent dog, but he can be clingy too. His attachment to his social group is well concealed at times but, nevertheless, still very present.

As soon as a trusting relationship is established between the dog and his adoptive family, he takes it to heart to please them, and the approval of members of his social group is very important to him.

If he has had sufficient amounts of exercise both prior to and after a period of being alone, the owners’ absences will not be a problem for this dog. 

If he hasn’t, he will start barking and being disruptive to express his feelings of frustration and discomfort at the situation. 

Some toys may keep him busy and could distract him from feeling the time going by too much. But at any rate, absences should not be lengthy as the Fox won’t tolerate that.

Despite his tenacious and stubborn temperament, the Fox Terrier is eager to please, which considerably facilitates various types of training. Having said that, a precocious and firm training (cruelty-free) is indispensable in making this dog a pleasant companion animal. 

Quite confident and dominant by nature, this dog will not easily be bent to anyone’s will if he does not detect a certain dose of good intention and coherence in the orders he receives. 

His strong-headedness should never justify any show of brutality in trying to yield his cooperation- this will only serve to sully the confidence and mutual respect established between master and dog. 

In fact, as soon as the Fox Terrier pup is first integrated into the household, some limits must be established and a strict framework imposed, to stop him from picking bad habits up. Patience will be the key word in securing encouraging results. 

The help of a professional in training and canine behaviourism will not be an extravagance, especially for novice owners. 

Training must first prioritise hailing in order to keep the dog under control when a foreign  element catches his eye. Socialisation must also be prioritised as this dog can prove to be very imposing (even aggressive) towards fellow canines and other animals, with a constant need to have the upper hand.

The Fox Terrier is a fierce barker. In this sense, he is a good alarm-dog, and even though this might not be the function most sought after by owners, it will be difficult to suppress his barking as it is one of his main means of communication.

As is the case of many hunting dogs, the call to tracking is often stronger than anything else, leading to frequent escapes. 

The main ways in which to mitigate this are, on the one hand, a very secure environment with a foolproof fence that is often checked and, on the other, daily outdoor walks (on a leash if hailing has not yet been mastered). 

Moreover, tracking games and exercises will help meet the dog’s instinct in a controlled manner. This might diminish the Terrier’s urge to run away, since he will have many chances to expend himself in his master’s presence, no less. 

Last but not least, a tag containing the owner’s contact details will facilitate the search for this dog in case he ever goes missing.

When bored, this terrier can be a real bulldozer. If he’s in the garden, he’ll dig quite a few holes up; if he’s at home, he will throw himself at anything he can get his paws on. 

That’s why it is necessary to expend the Fox Terrier as much as possible in order to stop him from taking his leftover stores of energy out on what we would simply consider as mischief.

A big eater, you must absolutely be careful not to overfeed this dog, because as long as there is something to eat, the Fox Terrier shall eat!

This Terrier is quite insistent in announcing someone’s approach. A good alarm-dog, vigilant and loud. Despite his small size, the Fox’s confidence and stern expression can succeed in deterring intruders.

It is very risky to adopt this little dog for its physical appearance only. It is of utmost importance to take his behavioural particularities into account, since they are far from being innocuous. 

With a tendency to take the upper hand, this dog is not to be placed in just anyone’s hands. His owners will have to be strict in order to gain a certain amount of control over the dog, instead of being subjugated to him. 

If prospective owners have no interest in hunting whatsoever, it is recommended that they consider a more docile dog to adopt.

Living in a flat could suit this dog if he is provided with plenty of exercise in parallel. But his watchdog instinct, coupled with his propensity to excessive barking, could be somewhat of a nuisance to the neighbours. 

If he is raised in an urban environment, he will have to get used to various sounds (honking, sirens, etc.), walking on a leash without pulling, or encountering other dogs without overreacting. 

Nevertheless, this hunting dog is happiest in rural environments, in a house with a big garden. Warning: the outdoor space at the dog’s disposal should never justify the absence of walks; the latter need to remain daily to secure the dog’s good mental and physical equilibrium.

If he does not hunt, this terrier’s large stores of energy absolutely have to be channeled into recreational and physical activities that stimulate his body, intellect, and above all else, his sense of smell. 

This dog is most suited to available and active owners as he will not tolerate being enclosed between four walls, even if he has access to a big garden. 

He needs to be provided with several long walks a day, and taking up a canine sport (such as agility, tracking, canine-cross, flyball, etc.) is recommended.

His small size makes this hunting dog an easily transportable pooch. Having said that, since he is a restless one who can hardly ever stay still, travel can be difficult to manage, both for owner and dog alike.

The Fox Terrier likes to take the upper hand and control anything that moves. As a result, the relationship he’ll have with cats will essentially depend on the quality of socialisation this intrepid little dog has been exposed to. 

It will be difficult to render cohabitation safe and peaceful. Still, nothing is impossible, and if this dog grows up side-by-side with a cat, he might not become friends with it, but he might just learn to tolerate its presence.

Very jealous indeed, this terrier can become “mean” and throw himself at another animal, even if it is bigger than him. Warning: cohabitation with other dogs is very delicate. It can only be considered if both dogs in question have grown up side-by-side and have been socialised very early on. 

Integrating this dog into a family with children is absolutely possible, even recommended, as this pooch loves children. 

Be careful, however, some rules of conduct will have to imperatively be established in order to teach the children to respect their dog.

Sufficiently dynamic retirees who can meet this highly active dog’s need could absolutely be suitable. Having said that, be advised that this hunting dog is in no shape or form made for sedentary life.