| Toy Fox Terriers: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Toy Fox Terrier personality and behavior. |
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My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Toy Fox Terrier, including these excerpts:
"Bold and determined for his size, the spunky Toy Fox Terrier can be intensely focused and impulsive, but is more biddable and amenable than his larger cousin, the Smooth Fox Terrier.
Both terrier and toy traits influence his personality and character. As a terrier, he is alert, proud, and spunky. As a toy, he is of quieter demeanor and loves to be held.
Many Toy Fox Terriers dearly love to play ball and do a fine job of exercising themselves indoors, but they are well balanced in rest and play time.
The Toy Fox Terrier is comical and entertaining and remains so throughout his long life. With his curiosity, quickness, and chasing instincts, he must always be leashed or fenced outdoors. Securely fenced, because he likes to explore -- and that means the other side of the fence, whether he has to climb over, dig under, or squeeze through the cracks.
With his keen eyesight and acute hearing, the Toy Fox Terrier is quick to announce strangers with his sharp, suspicious bark.
He is described as "not easily intimidated by other pets," which means that not only will he not back down if challenged, but also that he may do much of the challenging himself. However, he does tend to get along well with other family pets.
He has an independent mind and a mischievous sense of humor and prefers learning tricks to formal obedience exercises, but he is quite trainable when praise and treats are the primary motivators.
Housebreaking can be difficult, especially in cold or rainy weather."
History
Bred down in size from the Smooth Fox Terrier, with the Chihuahua and Miniature Pinscher also playing roles in his development, the Toy Fox Terrier has long been a fixture on American farms, where he was an excellent mouser and kitchen companion.
Size
9-11 inches and 3-7 lbs, though larger individuals are common and make sturdy pets |
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Toy Fox Terriers
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- There are energetic TFTs, and placid TFTs.
- Hard-headed TFTs, and sweet-natured TFTs.
- Serious TFTs, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted TFTs, and TFTs who love everyone.
| If you acquire a Toy Fox Terrier puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
Now let's look at some common characteristics for this breed...
- Is small, easy to carry, and doesn't take up much space
- Is quick-moving, agile, and light on his feet
- Has a sleek satiny easy-care coat
- Combines terrier traits (sturdy, spunky, energetic, impulsive) with toy breed traits (likes to cuddle, is more responsive and more trainable than most terriers)
- Is comical and playful and especially loves to play ball
- Is extremely alert and makes a keen watchdog
- Is quite hardy and lives a long time
A Toy Fox Terrier may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- The fragility of toy breeds (see below)
- High energy level -- providing enough exercise and activities to keep them busy
- Suspiciousness toward strangers and strange dogs
- Stubbornness
- Barking
- Housebreaking difficulties
A Toy Fox Terrier may not be right for you.
| If I were considering a Toy Fox Terrier... |
My major concerns would be:
- Fragility. Too many people acquire a toy breed puppy without understanding how incredibly fragile it is. You can seriously injure or kill a Toy Fox Terrier puppy by stepping on him or by sitting on him when he's curled under a blanket or pillow, where he frequently likes to sleep. And Toy Fox Terrier puppies can seriously injure or kill THEMSELVES by leaping from your arms or off the back of your sofa. A larger dog can grab a Toy Fox Terrier and break his neck with one quick shake. Owning a toy breed means constant supervision and surveillance of what's going on around your tiny dog. Toy Fox Terriers must always be kept indoors, in a safely fenced yard, or on-leash -- they are just too easy to injure when not under your complete control.
| Toy Fox Terrier puppies are NOT suited to small children, no matter how well-meaning the child. Children cannot help being clumsy, and that a child meant well is little solace to a Toy Fox Terrier puppy who has been accidentally stepped on, sat on, rolled on, squeezed, or dropped onto the patio. Even Toy Fox Terrier adults may feel overwhelmed by the loud voices and quick movements that children can't help making -- and stress and shyness (even defensive biting) may be the result. Finally, some Toy Fox Terriers do not tolerate any nonsense and are quick to react to teasing or rough handling, whether deliberate or accidental. |
- Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Toy Fox Terriers are active go-getters. They MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and to use their busy minds to do interesting things. I recommend that you take your Toy Fox Terrier out frequently and get him involved in obedience classes at the intermediate or advanced level, or in agility (an obstacle course for dogs).
- Suspiciousness. Standoffish by nature, Toy Fox Terriers need extensive exposure to people and to unusual sights and sounds. Otherwise their natural caution can become suspiciousness, which is very difficult to live with and can lead to biting.
- Mind of their own. Toy Fox Terriers are very bright -- many excel in obedience and agility competition -- but they also have an independent mind of their own and can be manipulative. Some Toy Fox Terriers are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
- Barking. Toy Fox Terriers are often too quick to sound the alarm at every new sight and sound. You have to be equally quick to stop them.
- Housebreaking. Toy breeds are almost always difficult to housebreak. It is so easy for them to sneak behind a chair or under a small table, and it takes only a few seconds for the deed to be done. The results can be hard to see. When you don't see it, you don't correct it -- and so the bad habit becomes established. If you hope to housebreak a toy breed, consistent crate training is mandatory. Toy Fox Terriers should not be loosed in the house for many months, until their small internal organs become strong enough for reliable control.
| If you're considering an adult Toy Fox Terrier... |
There are plenty of adult Toy Fox Terriers who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
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Copyright © 2000-2006 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author. |
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