Smooth Fox Terrier

• ExerciseVery high

  Thrives with a job, sport or serious daily exercise.

• GroomingWash & go

  The occasional brush and bath is plenty.

• Living spaceApartment-friendly

  Happy in smaller homes with regular outings.

• Owner experienceFor experienced owners

  Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• Commitment12–15 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Patellar luxation · Deafness · Legg-Calvé-Perthes

The Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier were once varieties of one breed and were separated into two in 1985; they differ mainly in coat, with the Smooth carrying a short flat jacket that needs almost no grooming. Both were bred to go to ground after fox, and the temperament reflects it: intensely bold, quick, curious and convinced of its own competence. This is one of the highest-energy small dogs there is. A Smooth Fox Terrier needs an hour or more of vigorous daily exercise plus mental work, and it excels at agility, earthdog and trick training. It is affectionate and hilarious with its family and makes a superb alert watchdog, but it will chase anything small that moves, digs enthusiastically, and can be scrappy with other dogs, so secure fencing and early socialisation are essential. It is also a barker if left bored. Grooming is genuinely trivial: a rubber brush once a week. The main health points are joint and eye related. Buy from a breeder who screens for patellar luxation and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease of the hip, and who tests eyes, since primary lens luxation and cataracts occur in the breed. Congenital deafness is documented in predominantly white terriers, so a BAER hearing test on puppies is worth asking about. Keep the dog lean, exercised and occupied, and expect twelve to fifteen very busy years.

• How much exercise does a Smooth Fox Terrier need?

  Very high. Thrives with a job, sport or serious daily exercise.

• How much grooming does a Smooth Fox Terrier need?

  Wash & go. The occasional brush and bath is plenty.

• Is a Smooth Fox Terrier suited to apartment living?

  Apartment-friendly. Happy in smaller homes with regular outings.

• Is a Smooth Fox Terrier a good fit for first-time owners?

  For experienced owners. Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• How long do Smooth Fox Terrier live?

  12–15 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Smooth Fox Terrier?

  Keep an eye out for Patellar luxation, Deafness, Legg-Calvé-Perthes. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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