The Blissful Dog of the Day | Wire Fox Terrier

The Blissful Dog of the Day | The Wire Fox Terrier

In honor of the Wire Fox Terrier winning Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club The Blissful Dog of the Day HAD to be a Wire Fox Terrier.

The Wire Fox Terrier was bred to, yeah you guessed it, hunt fox. Their specialty was to chase the fox into its den and keep it there until the hunter arrived. The hunters then pulled the dogs out of the hole by their tails. That is why the tails were docked – to give more of a handle.

Many believe the Wire and Smooth Fox Terrier to be the same dog with different coats, but there is quite a bit of evidence that they sprang from different ancestors. The Wire is thought to go back to the early black and tan terriers of Wales (also the ancestor of the Welsh Terrier). The desirable white was bred for and soon the dogs were the coloration seen today.

In the 1930s, when The Thin Man films hit the big screen and featured Asta, the dapper Wire Fox, the breed’s popularity dramatically increased. Asta’s intelligence and elegant demeanor charmed the movie going public of the time.

In the last 20 years or so their popularity as a family pet has waned. The coat upkeep and high energy level may have attributed to this. The Wire Fox remains a popular dog in the show ring. They have won more Best in Show wins at Westminster Kennel Club, with 14 BIS rosettes to their credit, than any other breed.

A high energy, tenacious dog, the Wire Fox needs an active family dedicated to exercising this happy dog. Plus, his coat needs to be regularly groomed to keep him looking his dapper best.

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