BREED SPOTLIGHT
Breed Spotlight: Smooth Fox Terrier
Smooth Fox Terrier Quick Stats
LIFESPAN:
12 – 15 years
WEIGHT:
15 – 18 lbs
HEIGHT:
13 – 15.5 inches
DO I SHED?
Yes
Personality:
Friendly, playful, affectionate
Common Health Problems:
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, luxating patella, mitral valve disease
Smooth Fox Terrier: How Do I Look?
The smooth fox terrier, known as the “gentleman of the terrier world,” is a regal and lively breed that was originally created to assist British hunters with their fox hunts.3 The dogs sit at 15.5 inches at their tallest and range from 15 to 18 pounds. They resemble their fellow fox terrier breed, the wire fox terrier, except for their smooth coat and head shape.
Coat Type and Colors
The smooth fox terrier’s coat is as their name suggests. They have a smooth double coat that, similar to the wire fox terrier, is primarily white with other markings. Smooth fox terriers can be found in the following color combinations:
- White
- White and black
- White and tan
- White, black, and tan
Ears
Like the wire foxie, smooth fox terriers have small ears that are V-shaped and fall close to the faces. As mentioned, their ears should be cleaned often to prevent wax buildup and ear infections.
Shedding and Grooming
While smooth fox terriers are moderate shedders, they require minimal grooming to maintain their beautiful coats. Their coats can be bathed on an as-needed basis, but their ears and teeth should be cleaned as often as possible to prevent infections.
Drooling Level
Smooth fox terriers are not known to be droolers, so you can rest assured that your favorite fabrics should be slobber-free.
Smooth Foxie: Personality Traits
What My Adoption Bio Would Say:
Spunky and snuggly, I’m the perfect companion! Whether you want to run around with me or nap on the couch, I happily adapt to any situation. I’ll defend my family and show them all the love I can in my little body!
Behavior
Smooth fox terriers are bubbly and affectionate dogs who have a protective nature when it comes to their people. Play is a way of life for them, so they’re best suited for high-energy environments that can match their lively temperament.
Exercise Needs
This high-energy bundle of joy needs a good amount of exercise to fulfill their needs. Smooth fox terriers are well-suited for morning jogs and walks around your neighborhood, along with games of fetch in the backyard. They also respond well to mental stimulation like puzzle toys to wear them out.
Good With Other Pets?
Smooth fox terriers can be trained to do well with other pets in the home, but they’re best suited as the only apple of their owner’s eye. Due to their terrier bloodline, they have a tendency to boss around their fellow canine siblings and may display aggression if it’s not handled appropriately.
Trainability
This breed is known for their high intelligence, which makes the breed incredibly easy to train when they’re puppies. As they age, they can become stubborn and more difficult to train, so early intervention is key. Smooth fox terriers have the potential to excel in learning fun tricks — they’re sometimes shown as trick dogs in circuses, and even succeed in agility and trick competitions.
Good with Kids?
Smooth fox terriers are great family dogs due to their high energy level. They’ll be sure to keep your kids busy, and you’ll thank your kids for tiring out this hyper pup. They do best with families that have children older than 5 due to their smaller size, but can adapt well to families with younger children.
Barking Level
Like most terriers, the smooth foxie is likely to bark, but this can be controlled with proper training.
Smooth Fox Terrier History
The smooth fox terrier comes from a line of fox hunting terriers in England as far back as the mid-1800s.3 The breed was kept in a saddlebag and released when foxes went underground, explaining the modern-day breed’s tendency to dig and hunt as a means of releasing energy. Broken coated (modern-day wire fox terriers) and smooth terriers were originally part of the same breed, known as the fox terrier — the breed didn’t split until the mid-1980s, when they were distinguished as smooth fox terrier and wire fox terrier
Common Smooth Fox Terrier Mixes
There are plenty of options for a smooth fox terrier mix. Some popular mix options include:4
- Smooth foxton: Smooth fox terrier and Boston terrier mix
- Smooth foodle: Smooth fox terrier and poodle mix
- Smooth fo-tzu: Smooth fox terrier and shih tzu mix
- Smooth torkie: Smooth fox terrier and Yorkshire terrier mix
- Smooth poxer: Smooth fox terrier and pug mix
How to Train a Smooth Fox Terrier
Due to the smooth fox terrier’s easy-to-train temperament, getting your pup to listen to you shouldn’t be too hard if you start them from a young age. Puppies with high energy do best learning impulse control commands through basic obedience training. If you’re implementing reward-based training, be sure to find what drives your individual pup — for some, it’s treats, but other terrier breeds prefer being given their favorite toy and some play time to reward for a job well done.
Smooth Fox Terrier Health Problems
Smooth fox terriers may experience a variety of health issues, including3:
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease: This disease results in bone weakness as a result of limited blood supply to the hip joint.
- Luxating patella: This is a dislocated kneecap.
- Mitral valve disease: This is a heart condition.
Protect your Pets
Even the healthiest of pups can come with unexpected vet costs. Pet insurance can help keep your dog and your bank account happy.
How Pet Insurance Can Help Smooth Fox Terriers
As an active breed, smooth fox terriers do often present joint and bone issues. Getting a dog insurance policy through MetLife Pet Insurance may offer relief and security by helping to offset the cost of diagnosis or treatment for your smooth fox terrier.1,2
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease in foxies
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease impacts smaller breeds, including both wire and smooth fox terriers.⁵ The symptoms of this disease are most often seen in dogs younger than a year old, but can also be found in older dogs if early diagnosis isn’t provided. Most dogs experience limping when the disease first presents itself, and early detection is key to keeping your dog happy and healthy.
If you sign up your foxie puppy for pet insurance, you may save big on conditions like Legg-Calve-Perthes disease before it becomes a pre-existing condition.² Get a quote to see if dog insurance fits into your life with your smooth foxie pup, and discover how dog insurance works to keep your dog a happy and healthy part of the family for as long as possible.