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The Fox Terrier Standard Table Of Contents
For close to 100 years, the Fox Terrier has been registered and shown in the United States as one breed of two varieties, Smooth and Wire. On December 11, 1984, the Board of Directors of the AKC approved separate breed standards for the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier, to become effective on June 1, 1985.
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One of the best known and most widely distributed of pure-breed dogs, The Fox Terrier is an ancient breed of English origin. As early as 1790, a smooth-coated white terrier with markings ( Colonel Thornton's Pitch ) was recorded both in print and on canvas. It is probable that the Smooth and the Wire sprang from widely different sources. A profound student of the related breeds claims that the ancestor of the Wire was the old rough-coated black-and-tan working Terrier of Wales, Derbyshire, and Durham, and that the more important ancestors of the Smooth were the Smooth Coated Black-and-Tan, The Bull Terrier, the Greyhound, and the Beagle. The Smooth antedated the Wire by some 15 or 20 years in the show ring, and at first was classified among the sporting breeds. This was a tribute to his keen nose, remarkable eyesight, and staying powers in accomplishing his work of driving the fox from his hole or the drain in which he had taken refuge when too closely pursued by the hounds. Wires were liberally crossed with Smooths in the earlier days of breeding in order to give the Wire the predominating white pigmentation, cleaner cut head and more classical outline of the Smooth. The practice of interbreeding the Smooth with the Wire ( and vice versa ) has almost universally discontinued for many years. The original breed standard was so well drawn by the Fox Terrier Club ( England ) in 1876 that, with the exception of reducing the weight of a male dog in show condition from 20 pounds to 18 pounds, no change was found necessary for many decades. The American Fox Terrier Club, parent club of the breed in this country, adopted this standard when the club was founded in 1885
OFFICIAL STANDARD FOR THE SMOOTH FOX TERRIER
HEAD- The skull should be flat and moderately narrow, gradually decreasing in width to the eyes. Not much "stop" should be apparent, but there should be more dip in the profile between the forehead and the top jaw than is seen in the case of a greyhound. The cheeks must not be full. The Ears should be v-shaped and small, of moderate thickness, and drooping forward close to the cheek, not hanging by the side of the head like a Foxhound. The top line of the folded ear should be well above the level of the skull. The Jaws, upper and lower, should be strong and muscular and of fair punishing strength, but not so as in any way to resemble the Greyhound or modern English Terrier. There should not be much falling away below the eyes. This part of the head should, however, be moderately chiseled out, so as not to go down in a strait slope like a wedge. The Nose, towards which the muzzle must gradually taper, should be black. It should be noticed that although the foreface should gradually taper from eyes to muzzle and should tip slightly its junction with the forehead, it should not "dish" or fall away quickly below the eyes, where it should be full and well made up, but relieved from "wedginess" by a little delicate chiseling. The Eyes and the Rims should be dark in color, moderately small and rather deep set, full of fire, life and intelligence and as nearly possible circular in shape. Anything approaching a yellow eye is most objectionable. The Teeth should be as nearly as possible together, i.e., the points of the upper ( incisors ) teeth on the outside of or slightly over-lapping the lower teeth. There should be apparent little difference in length between the skull and foreface of a well balanced head.
Neck - Should be clean and muscular, without throatiness, of fair length , and gradually widening to the shoulder.
Shoulders- Should be long and sloping, well laid back, fine at the points, and clearly cut at the withers.
Chest- Deep and not broad.
Back- Should be short, straight, ( I.E., level ), and strong, with no appearance of slackness.
Brisket- Should be deep, yet not exaggerated.
Loin- Should be very powerful, muscular and very slightly arched. The fore ribs should be moderately arched, the back ribs deep and well sprung , and the dog should be well ribbed up.
Hindquarters- Should be strong and muscular, quite free from droop or crouch; the thighs long and powerful, stifles well curved and turned neither in nor out; hocks well bent and near the ground should be perfectly upright and parallel each with the other when viewed from behind, the dog standing well up on them like a Foxhound , and not straight in the stifle. The worst possible form of hindquarters consists of a short second thigh and a straight stifle.
Stern- Should be set on rather high, and carried gaily, but not over the back curled. It should be of good strength, anything approaching a "Pipestopper" tail being especially objectionable.
Legs- The forelegs viewed from any direction must be straight with bone strong right down t the feet, showing little or no appearance of ankle in front, and being short and straight in pastern. Both fore and hind legs should be carried straight forward in traveling, the stifles not turning outward. The elbows should hang perpendicular to the body, working free of the sides.
Feet-Should be round, compact, and not large; the soles hard and tough; the toes moderately arched, and turned neither in nor out.
Coat- Should be smooth, flat, but hard, dense and abundant. The belly and underside of the thighs should not be bare.
Color-White should predominate; brindle, red or liver markings are objection- able. Otherwise this point is of little or no importance.
Symmetry, Size and Character- The dog must present a generally gay, lively and active appearance; bone and strength in a small compass are essentials; but this must not be taken to mean that a Fox Terrier should be cloddy, or in any way coarse-speed and endurance must be looked to as well as power, and the symmetry of the Foxhound taken as a model. The Terrier, like the Hound, must on no account be leggy, nor must he be too short in the leg. He should stand like a cleverly-made hunter, covering a lot of ground, yet with a short back, as before stated. He will then attain the highest degree of propelling power, together with the greatest length of stride that is compatible with the length of his body. Weight is not a certain criterion of a Terrier's fitness for his work-general size and contour are the main points; and if a dog can gallop shape, and stay, and follow his fox up a drain, it matters little what his weight is to a pound or so. According to present-day requirements, a full-sized well-balanced dog should not exceed 15 1/2 inches at the withers-- the bitch being proportionately lower-nor should the length of back from the withers to root of tail exceed 12 inches, while to maintain the relative proportions, the head should not exceed 7 1/4 inches or be less than 7 inches. A dog with these measurements should scale 18 pounds in show condition-a bitch weighing some 2 pounds less- with a margin of 1 pound either way. Balance- This may be defined as the correct proportion of a certain point, or points, when considered in relation to a certain other point or points. It is the keystone of the Terrier's anatomy. The chief points for consideration are the length of body from shoulder-point to buttock-the ideal of proportion being reached when the last two measurements are the same. It should be added that, although the head measurement can be taken with absolute accuracy, the height at withers and length of back and coat are approximate, and are inserted for the information of breeders and exhibitors rather than as a hard and fast rule.
Movement- Movement, or action is the crucial test of conformation. The Terrier's legs should be carried straight forward while traveling, the forelegs hanging perpendicular and swinging parallel with the sides, like the pendulum of a clock. The principal propulsive power is furnished by the hind legs, perfection of actions being found in the Terrier possessing long thighs and muscular second- thighs well bent at the stifles, which admit of a strong forward thrust or "snatch" of the hocks. When approaching, the forelegs should form a continuation of the front, the feet being the same distance apart as the elbows. When stationary it is often difficult to determine whether a dog is slightly out at shoulder, but, directly he moves, the defect-if it exists- becomes more apparent, the forefeet having a tendency to cross, "weave," or "dish." When, on the contrary, the dog is tied at the shoulder, the tendency of the feet is to move wider apart, with a sort of paddling action. When the hocks are turned in-cowhocks-the stifles and feet are turned outwards, resulting in a serious loss of propulsive power. When the hocks are turned outwards the tendency of the hind feet is to cross, resulting in an ungainly waddle.
N.B.-Old scars or injuries, the result of work or accident, should not allowed to prejudice a Terrier's chance in the show-ring, unless they interfere with its movement or with its utility for work or stud.
The Scale Of Values Of Individual Points
Disqualifying Points
Nose- White, cherry or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colors. Ears-Prick, tulip or rose. Mouth-Much undershot, or much overshot.
Approved December 11, 1984 ïàòåíòíûé ïîâåðåííûéTo be effective June, 1 1985
Mandeville, John, J., Ab Sidewater, Eds. The Complete Dog Book. American Kennel Club. New York: Howell Book House Inc.,1985 17 th Edition--First printing.
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