Smooth Fox Terrier: Your Complete Guide
The smooth fox terrier is a unique dog breed that was utilized as a hunting dog to flush out foxes from their dens to ensure the hunt didn’t stall when a fox went underground. While fox hunting has now been banned in England, smooth fox terriers are slowly making a name for themselves in the US as lively and active companions.
However, given that the smooth fox terrier isn’t popular, many prospective owners struggle to find sufficient (and reliable) information about the breed. Fortunately for those planning to bring one of these dogs home, our article is here to provide you with a complete guide to the smooth fox terrier.
Read to the end to learn everything there is to know about smooth fox terriers, covering their temperament, size, coat type, trainability, exercise needs, health, and much more.
A Quick Look at the Smooth Fox Terrier
Below is a quick glance at the smooth fox terrier in terms of their physical characteristics, lifespan, temperament, and grooming needs.
| Weight/Height | 13 – 20 pounds / 12-16 inches |
| Coat Type | Short, smooth coat |
| Grooming Needs |  |
| Shedding | |
| Temperament | Independent, active, affectionate, fearless |
| Good With Kids |  |
| Good With Other Animals | |
| Intelligence |  |
| Easy to Train | |
| Energy Level | |
| Barking Habits |  |
| Lifespan | 12-15 years |
What Is the History of Smooth Fox Terriers?
Smooth fox terriers were first bred in the late 18th century in England. With an abundance of terriers, there was a need for fearless dogs that were small yet agile enough to assist in fox hunting by flushing foxes from their dens. It is likely that these dogs come from the now-extinct old English black and tan terrier and a mix of European and British dog breeds at the time.
Smooth fox terriers played a crucial role in fox hunting. They rode in saddlebags and were released when a fox went underground. The small and agile bodies of these dogs, coupled with their high work drive, made them perfect for entering narrow fox dens to flush them out. This ensured that the hunt didn’t stall.
The first smooth fox terriers were imported to the United States in the mid-19th century. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed first in 1885 but as the fox terrier. The AKC later recognized the smooth fox terrier as a distinct breed, separating it from the wire fox terrier, another dog breed that shows an extremely close resemblance to the breed.
While these dogs have been loyal companions to hunters over the years, they now have different jobs with the decreased demand for hunting dogs. Although they aren’t particularly popular, most smooth fox terriers now enjoy life as companion animals.
What Do Smooth Fox Terriers Look Like?
Smooth fox terriers should have a coat that’s predominantly white with brown, black, or tan markings. According to the breed standards, the color of the markings on the coat have very little importance (other than aesthetic); therefore, any color is permitted as long as the coat is mainly white.
Still, smooth fox terriers with other coat colors don’t get disqualified. You may see these dogs having tri-colored coats, typically featuring white, black, and tan.
What Size Is a Smooth Fox Terrier?
The smooth fox terrier is a fairly small dog breed that can be categorized as small to medium. The breed standards outline that these dogs should not be taller than 15½ inches at the shoulder, and the weight should be proportionate.
While the breed standards give a general idea about the breed’s size, most smooth fox terriers tend to be in the range of 12 to 16 inches tall and weigh between 13 and 20 pounds. This makes the breed size vary greatly; prospective owners should work with a reputable breeder or adoption center to ensure that the size of the puppy they bring home won’t be a surprise when fully grown.
What Is a Smooth Fox Terrier’s Coat Type and Length?
Smooth fox terriers, as the name hints at us, have a short, smooth coat that’s quite dense and hard to the touch. They have a very sturdy coat that makes them fairly low-maintenance in this regard – we will cover the breed’s exact grooming needs down below.
What Is a Smooth Fox Terrier’s Temperament?
Smooth fox terriers have an interesting temperament due to their background as hunting dogs. They are alert and fearless dogs that keep an eye out on their surroundings. At the same time, they are fiercely loyal and build strong bonds with their family.
This breed has many characteristics that make them ideal for a wide range of individuals and families. However, smooth fox terriers belong to the terrier group at the end of the day and exhibit many of the temperament traits you would expect from one. They can get headstrong and have a mind of their own, requiring an owner who keeps a firm hand over socialization and training.
While these provide an overview of the smooth fox terrier’s temperament, here’s more to their personality traits. We will cover how they get along well with kids and animals, their aggression, their barking tendencies, and more.
Are Smooth Fox Terriers Good With Kids?
Smooth fox terriers can pair well with kids, provided they are respectful of their boundaries. These dogs are strong-willed, independent dogs that enjoy their personal space. If children don’t respect that, they may exhibit unwanted behaviors, such as barking or snapping. Due to this, smooth fox terriers are better suited for households with older children.
Smooth fox terriers are also playful and energetic dogs that pair best with energetic children who can keep them busy and active throughout the day. This can be beneficial in both ways, as children will also have an appropriate outlet to release excess energy, especially if you have a backyard for your smooth fox terrier and kids to run around and play games like fetch.
Are Smooth Fox Terriers Good With Other Animals?
Smooth fox terriers generally get along well with other dogs in the family. They are social dogs that enjoy playing with friendly dogs. If you’re a prospective smooth fox terrier dog owner, you don’t need to worry about these dogs fitting in as long as you introduce your smooth fox terrier to your other dogs properly, preferably at a young age.
However, the same can’t be said for households with cats and small prey animals. Due to their long hunting history, smooth fox terriers have an incredibly high prey drive that may make them instinctively chase after small animals. These instincts must also be managed during walks through obedience training and practicing to shift their attention to appropriate sources, such as the owner.
Are Smooth Fox Terriers Aggressive?
Smooth fox terriers aren’t inherently aggressive, but they are highly driven dogs that may act in ways that can easily be confused for aggression. This includes behaviors like being vocal about things and keeping a stiff body posture when something gets their attention.
Surely, a well-socialized and trained smooth fox terrier won’t be aggressive. Without proper training and socialization early on, they may be susceptible to aggressive tendencies around unfamiliar animals. All smooth fox terrier owners must invest adequate time socializing and training their dogs early on to ensure they don’t become difficult to manage.
Do Smooth Fox Terriers Bark?
Like all dogs, smooth fox terriers bark – but the degree of it varies from one dog to another. Generally speaking, smooth fox terriers tend to be barkers, and they have a fairly loud bark that is sure to make you and others around you notice. They are vocal dogs that enjoy communicating by barking, growling, howling, and making all sorts of sounds.
Although how much a smooth fox terrier barks comes down to their individual temperament, expect a dog that barks more than the average. This trait makes it difficult for them to adapt to apartment living, as they likely will alert the owner to any sound coming from outside the door. Due to these traits, a smooth fox terrier may not be the best choice if you’re living in an apartment building with noise restrictions.
Are Smooth Fox Terriers Affectionate?
Smooth fox terriers are highly affectionate dogs that form strong bonds with every member of their family. They are the lovey-dovey type that always seeks attention from their people and can’t get enough cuddles and pets in their daily life. If you have a smooth fox terrier, expect a dog that comes close for attention when they don’t have much to do.
This affectionate nature doesn’t mean that they are like this towards everyone, though. Smooth fox terriers are vigilant dogs that keep an eye on unfamiliar people. It takes a while for these dogs to get used to the presence of strangers, but the owner’s affirmation that a stranger means no harm makes them quick to initiate playful behavior around new people.
Are Smooth Fox Terriers Intelligent?
Smooth fox terriers are highly intelligent dogs that understand social cues and adapt to life changes well. The intelligence of the breed is one of the traits that enabled them to be such fierce hunting dogs, as their job required utmost attention and tracking skills as they went underground to dislodge foxes.
While the smooth fox terrier is a smart breed, this doesn’t always translate to trainability. The trainability of this breed might surprise you, which we will cover below for those interested.
Are Smooth Fox Terriers Energetic?
The smooth fox terrier may have a small frame, but they are active dogs that can run around and play for hours on end. They are very compact and well-built dogs that can tackle all kinds of athletic challenges, be it agility training or trail running. With these capabilities, smooth fox terriers pair well with those who lead an active life.
This active nature of the smooth fox terrier requires daily walks of at least one hour, with lots of playtime in between to keep them healthy and active. Smooth fox terriers also require a great deal of mental stimulation to keep an active mind. Owners should incorporate dog puzzles, interactive games, and training to ensure their dogs are satisfied and prevent behavioral issues due to a lack of it.
Are Smooth Fox Terriers Easy to Train?
As mentioned, intelligence doesn’t always translate to trainability. Although smooth fox terriers are highly intelligent dogs, they have an independent mind that makes training a challenge. They don’t have an inherent desire to please their owners. Due to this, smooth fox terriers require an owner who stays consistent with training.
If you’re a novice dog owner and planning to add a smooth fox terrier to your life, it is best to start learning how to train a dog before bringing one home. This will ensure that you get caught up with the best training practices and methods to train a smooth fox terrier to help them become well-mannered and confident dogs.
Are Smooth Fox Terriers Good Watchdogs?
Smooth fox terriers are excellent watchdogs with their tendency to bark and alertness. If anything seems off, a smooth fox terrier is quick to warn the owner by using their loud bark.
While this trait might be difficult to manage for apartment dwellers, it is highly sought after by individuals and families looking for a watchdog. However, smooth fox terriers shouldn’t be mistaken for guard dogs. They may have an alert personality, but they are far from being capable of performing actual guarding duties. Smooth fox terriers are small dogs that will simply alert you and leave it at that.
Are Smooth Fox Terriers Good Service Dogs?
Smooth fox terriers aren’t the most trainable and eager-to-please dogs. Therefore, they aren’t a good candidate for service dog work. It is very difficult for professional dog trainers to turn a smooth fox terrier into a reliable service dog.
Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that a smooth fox terrier can’t assist their owners in other ways. These dogs make excellent emotional support animals with their affectionate nature, particularly for those who live an active lifestyle and are looking for a loyal, devoted friend to tag along for runs, hikes, and other appropriate outdoor activities.
How to Care for a Smooth Fox Terrier?
Smooth fox terriers require an involved owner who can provide adequate care to their dog. This breed can be considered high-maintenance with their intense exercise and mental stimulation needs. These are the most important care needs of smooth fox terriers.
In addition to these, smooth fox terriers have some basic care needs like all dogs. Here’s an overview of how to care for a smooth fox terrier, covering grooming, health, and more.
Do You Need to Groom a Smooth Fox Terrier?
Smooth fox terriers may require lots of exercise, but they are low-maintenance when it comes to grooming. These dogs only need brushing every other week using a rubber grooming mitt or a rubber brush to remove dead hair from the coat. Besides this, their coats don’t require any special attention.
Smooth fox terriers also don’t need professional grooming appointments, but you can take them for bathing and general grooming. In addition to coat care, dental care, ear cleaning, nail trimming, paw care, and tick prevention must be an essential part of their grooming routine.
Do Smooth Fox Terriers Shed?
Smooth fox terriers are average shedders that shed year-round, with slight increases during seasonal changes in spring and fall. As long as you brush your smooth fox terrier regularly, a few times a week at most, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about shedding.
Since smooth fox terriers shed, they aren’t an ideal dog breed for those suffering from pet allergies. If you have pet allergies, consider a hypoallergenic dog breed instead.
What Health Problems Do Smooth Fox Terriers Have?
Smooth fox terriers are generally healthy dogs, but like all breeds, they can be prone to certain health issues. Most commonly, this breed suffers from luxating patella, dental issues, cardiovascular problems, skin allergies, and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.
As responsible dog owners, providing regular vet check-ups to our dogs and monitoring their health closely to ensure they live the healthiest life possible is critical. Additionally, if working with a breeder, always choose one that conducts health screenings on their breeding stock to ensure the dog you bring home won’t inherit the health conditions associated with the breed.
How Long Do Smooth Fox Terriers Live?
Smooth fox terriers have an average life expectancy of 12 to 15 years, which is average for dogs of similar size and backgrounds.
What Should a Smooth Fox Terrier Eat?
A smooth fox terrier should eat appropriate dog food formulated for their size, activity level, and age. Since they are high-energy dogs, they require dog food for energetic breeds that sustains their lifestyle.
You can also feed your smooth fox terrier a homemade diet, but it must be carefully formulated by an animal nutritionist or vet to ensure they get all the nutrients they need to live healthily.
Is a Smooth Fox Terrier the Right Dog for Me?
Smooth fox terriers are active and energetic dogs that match best with owners leading an active lifestyle. These dogs have high exercise needs that must be met to prevent boredom and health problems. A lack of these can also lead to behavioral issues that are difficult to address.
If you’re an experienced dog owner who can provide the immense socialization and training these dogs need while meeting their exercise and mental stimulation needs on a daily basis, the smooth fox terrier will make an ideal companion.
Even if you fit this description, however, note that these dogs don’t do well in apartments due to their barking habits. They are best suited for houses with a backyard to have a safe area to release excess energy. With all these, smooth fox terriers are for only a select handful of dog owners who can provide the adequate care these dogs need.