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"The Wire Fox Terrier is a small black and white
disturbance which afflicts and delights many families. The Wire Fox Terrier has
straight legs, an active expressive face, a lean well-shaped head, talkative
eyes and a nose which leads it from one misdemeanor to another.
Originally he had a liberal tail, but it has been revised and edited by man.
This was done because when a Fox Terrier’s tail was as active as his head, it
took two people to watch him.
The
Wire Fox Terrier is a house pet and is clean and dainty in his habits. He lives
on meat, milk, potatoes, mice, old shoes, curtains, books, hats and
tablecloths. In return for this diet, he guards his house with unrelenting
ferocity. No burglar can come near without dislodging an eruption of barks from
this faithful terrier. He also guards his house against all cats, dogs,
taxicabs, late pedestrians, dead leaves and moonbeams which may chance to pass
in the night.
The
Wire Fox Terrier is vivacious, audacious, ingenious, merciful, hysterical,
wheedlesome, companionable, affectionate, optimistic, fickle, restless and
irrepressible. He is, in fact, the Chorus Girl of the dog family.
He
wants to be a part of anything and everything that’s happening and usually
manages to shoulder his way in!"
-Annomyous
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General
Appearance
The Terrier
should be alert, quick of movement, keen of expression, on the tip-toe of
expectation at the slightest provocation. Character is imparted by the
expression of the eyes and by the carriage of ears and tail.
Bone and strength in a small compass are essential, but this must not be taken
to mean that a Terrier should be "cloddy," or in any way coarse--speed and
endurance being requisite as well as power. The Terrier must on no account be
leggy, nor must he be too short on the leg. He should stand like a cleverly
made, short-backed hunter, covering a lot of ground.
Size, Proportion, Substance
According to present-day requirements, a full-sized, well balanced dog should
not exceed 15½ inches at the withers--the bitch being proportionately lower--nor
should the length of back from withers to root of tail exceed 12 inches, while
to maintain the relative proportions, the head-as mentioned below-should not
exceed 7¼ inches or be less than 7 inches. A dog with these measurements should
scale 18 pounds in show condition--a bitch weighing some two pounds less--with a
margin of one pound either way.
The dog should be balanced and this may be defined as the correct proportions 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 relative proportions of skull and foreface; head and back;
height at withers; and 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 measurements can be taken with absolute
accuracy, the height at withers and length of back are approximate, and are
inserted for the information of breeders and exhibitors rather than as a
hard-and-fast rule.
Head
The length of the head of a full-grown well developed dog of correct
size--measured with calipers--from the back of the occipital bone to the
nostrils-should be from 7 to 7¼ inches, the bitch's head being proportionately
shorter. Any measurement in excess of this usually indicates an oversized or
long-backed specimen, although occasionally--so rarely as to partake of the
nature of a freak--a Terrier of correct size may boast a head 7½ inches in
length. In a well balanced head there should be little apparent difference in
length between skull and foreface. If, however, the foreface is noticeably
shorter, it amounts to a fault, the head looking weak and "unfinished." On the
other hand, when the eyes are set too high up in the skull and too near the
ears, it also amounts to a fault, the head being said to have a "foreign
appearance."
Keen of expr ession.
Eyes should be dark in color, moderately small, rather deep-set, not
prominent, and full of fire, life, and intelligence; as nearly as possible
circular in shape, and not too far apart. Anything approaching a yellow eye is
most objectionable. Ears should be small and V-shaped and of moderate
thickness, the flaps neatly folded over and dropping forward close to the
cheeks. The top line of the folded ear should be well above the level of the
skull. A pendulous ear, hanging dead by the side of the head like a Hound's, is
uncharacteristic of the Terrier, while an ear which is semi-erect is still more
undesirable. Disqualifications--Ears prick, tulip or rose.
The top line of the skull should be almost flat, sloping slightly and
gradually decreasing in width toward the eyes, and should not exceed 3½ inches
in diameter at the widest part--measuring with the calipers--in the full-grown
dog of correct size, the bitch's skull being proportionately narrower. If this
measurement is exceeded, the skull is termed "coarse," while a full-grown dog
with a much narrower skull is termed "bitchy" in head.
Although the foreface should gradually taper from eye to muzzle and
should dip slightly at its juncture 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. While well developed
jaw bones, armed with a set of strong, white teeth, impart that
appearance of strength to the foreface which is so desirable, an excessive bony
or muscular development of the jaws is both unnecessary and unsightly, as it is
partly responsible for the full and rounded contour of the cheeks to which the
term "cheeky" is applied.
Nose should be black. Disqualifications--Nose white, cherry or
spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colors. Mouth--Both
upper and lower jaws should be strong and muscular, the teeth as nearly
as possible level and capable of closing together like a vise the lower canines
locking in front of the upper and the points of the upper incisors slightly
overlapping the lower.
Disqualifications--Much undershot, or much overshot.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck should be clean, muscular, of fair length, free from throatiness
and presenting a graceful curve when viewed from the side. The back
should be short and level with no appearance of slackness--the loins
muscular and very slightly arched. The term "slackness" is applied both to the
portion of the back immediately behind the withers when it shows any tendency to
dip, and also the flanks when there is too much space between the back ribs and
hipbone. When there is little space between the ribs and hips, the dog is said
to be "short in couplings," "short-coupled," or "well ribbed up." A Terrier can
scarcely be too short in back, provided he has sufficient length of neck and
liberty of movement. The bitch may be slightly longer in couplings than the dog.
Chest deep and not broad, a too narrow chest being almost as undesirable
as a very broad one. Excessive depth of chest and brisket is an impediment to a
Terrier when going to ground. The brisket should be deep, the front
ribs moderately arched, and the back ribs deep and well sprung. Tail
should be set on rather high and carried gaily but not curled. It should be of
good strength and substance and of fair length-a three-quarters dock is about
right--since it affords the only safe grip when handling working Terriers. A
very short tail is suitable neither for work nor show.
Forequarters
Shoulders when viewed from the front should slope steeply downwards
from their juncture, with the neck towards the points, which should be fine.
When viewed from the side they should be long, well laid back, and should slope
obliquely backwards from points to withers, which should always be clean-cut. A
shoulder well laid back gives the l ong
forehand which, in combination with a short back, is so desirable in Terrier or
Hunter. The elbows should hang perpendicular to the body, working free of the
sides, carried straight through in traveling. Viewed from any direction the legs
should be straight, the bone of the forelegs strong right down to the feet.
Feet should be round, compact, and not large--the pads tough and well
cushioned, and the toes moderately arched and turned neither in nor out. A
Terrier with good-shaped forelegs and feet will wear his nails down short by
contact with the road surface, the weight of the body being evenly distributed
between the toe pads and the heels.
Hindquarters
Should be strong and muscular, quite free from droop or crouch; the thighs long
and powerful; the stifles well curved and turned neither in nor out; the hock
joints well bent and near the ground; the hocks perfectly upright and parallel
with each other when viewed from behind. The worst possible form of hindquarters
consists of a short second thigh and a straight stifle, a combination which
causes the hind legs to act as props rather than instruments of propulsion. The
hind legs should be carried straight through in traveling. Feet as in front.
Coat
The best coats appear to be broken, the hairs having a tendency to twist, and
are of dense, wiry texture--like coconut matting--the hairs growing so closely
and strongly together that, when parted with the fingers, the skin cannot be
seen. At the base of these stiff hairs is a shorter growth of finer and softer
hair--termed the undercoat. The coat on the sides is never quite so hard as that
on the back and quarters. Some of the hardest coats are "crinkly" or slightly
waved, but a curly coat is very objectionable. The hair on the upper and lower
jaws should be crisp and only sufficiently long to impart an appearance of
strength to the foreface. The hair on the forelegs should also be dense and
crisp. The coat should average in length from ¾ to one inch on shoulders and
neck, lengthening to 1½ inches on withers, back, ribs, and quarters. These
measurements are given rather as a guide to exhibitors than as an infallible
rule, since the length of coat depends on the climate, seasons, and individual
animal. The judge must form his own opinion as to what constitutes a
"sufficient" coat on the day.
Color
White should predominate; brindle, red, liver or slaty blue are objectionable.
Otherwise, color is of little or no importance.
Gait
The 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 to the sides, like the pendulum of a clock.
The principal propulsive power is furnished by the hind legs, perfection of
action 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 straight 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-cow-hocks-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.
Temperament
The Terrier should be alert, quick of movement, keen of expression, on the
tip-toe of expectation at the slightest provocation.
Disqualifications
Ears prick, tulip or rose.
Nose white, cherry or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these
colors.
Mouth much undershot, or much overshot.
Approved February 9, 1991 by
the American Kennel Club
Effective March 27, 1991
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