Post by charmingnancy on Jun 1, 2009 14:29:17 GMT -5
Fox Terrier (Smooth)
Group: 4- Terriers
Origin: England
Purpose: Hunting vermin and foxes
Description:
The dog must present a generally gay, lively, and active appearance; bone and strength in a small compass are essentials, but this must not be taken to mean that a Fox Terrier should be cloddy, or in any way coarse. Speed and endurance must be looked to as well as power, and the symmetry of the Foxhound taken as a model. The terrier, like the hound, must on no account be leggy, nor must he be too short in the leg. He should stand like a cleverly made hunter, covering a lot of ground, yet with a short back, as before stated. He will then attain the highest degree of propelling power, together with the greatest length of stride that is compatible with the length of his body.
Balance 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 the 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 the withers and length of back and coat are approximate, and are inserted for information of breeders and exhibitors rather than as a hard and fast rule.
Appearance- Breed Standards:
Coat and Colour: The coat should be smooth, flat, but hard, dense and abundant. The belly and underside of the thighs should not be bare. White should predominate; brindle, red, or liver markings are objectionable. Otherwise colour is of little or no importance.
Head: The skull should be flat and moderately narrow, gradually decreasing in width to the eyes. Not much stop should be apparent, but there should be more dip in the profile between the forehead and the top jaw than is seen in the case of a Greyhound. The cheeks must not be full. The jaws, upper and lower, should be strong and muscular and of fair punishing strength, but not so as, in any way to resemble the Greyhound or modern English Terrier. There should not be much falling away below the eyes. This part of the head should, however, be moderately chiselled out, so as not to go down in a straight slope like a wedge. The nose, toward which the muzzle must gradually taper, should be black. It should be noticed that although the foreface should gradually taper from eye to muzzle and should tip 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 chiselling. The teeth should be as nearly as possible together, i.e., the points of the upper (incisors) teeth on the outside of or slightly overlapping the lower teeth. There should be apparent little difference in length between the skull and foreface of a well-balanced head. The eyes and the rims should be dark in colour, moderately small and rather deep-set, full of fire, life and intelligence and as nearly as possible circular in shape. Anything approaching a yellow eye is most objectionable. The ears should be V-shaped and small, of moderate thickness, and dropping forward close to the cheek, not hanging by the side of the head like a Foxhound. The topline of the folded ear should be well above the level of the skull.
Neck: Should be clean and muscular, without throatiness, of fair length, and gradually widening to the shoulders.
Forequarters: Shoulders should be long and sloping, well laid back, fine at the points, and clearly cut at the withers. The forelegs, viewed from any direction must be straight, with bone strong right down to the feet, showing little or no appearance of ankle in front, and being short and straight in pasterns. Both forelegs and hindlegs should be carried straight forward in travelling, the stifles not turning outward. The elbows should hang perpendicularly to the body, working free of the sides.
Body: Back should be short, straight (i.e., level), and strong, with no appearance of slackness. Chest deep and not broad. Brisket should be deep, yet not exaggerated. Loin should be very powerful, muscular and very slightly arched. The foreribs should be moderately arched, the back ribs deep and well sprung, and the dog should be well ribbed up.
Hindquarters: Should be strong and muscular, quite free from droop or crouch; the thighs long and powerful; stifles well curved and turned neither in nor out; hocks well bent and near the ground should be perfectly upright and parallel each with the other when viewed from behind, the dog standing well up on them like a Foxhound, and not straight in the stifle. The worst possible form of hindquarters consists of a short second thigh and a straight stifle. Feet should be round, compact, and not large; the soles hard and tough; the toes moderately arched and turned neither in nor out.
Tail: Stern should be set on rather high and carried gaily, but not over the back or curled. It should be of good strength, anything approaching a "pipe-stopper" tail being especially objectionable.
Gait: Movement, or action is the crucial test of conformation. The terrier's legs should be carried straight forward while travelling, the forelegs hanging perpendicular and swinging parallel with 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 thigh 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 line 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-hock) 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.
Note: Old scars or injuries, the result of work or accident, should not be allowed to prejudice a terrier's chance in the show ring, unless they interfere with its utility work or stud.
Disqualifications: Nose white, cherry, or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colours. Ears prick, tulip, or rose. Mouth much undershot, or much overshot.
Scale of Points:
Head and ears- 15
Neck- 5
Shoulders and chest- 10
Back and loin- 10
Hindquarters- 15
Stern- 5
Legs and feet- 15
Coat- 15
Symmetry, size and character- 10
TOTAL= 100
Size:
Weight is not a certain criterion of a terrier's fitness for his work - general shape, size, and contour are the main points; and if a dog can gallop and stay, and follow his fox up a drain, it matters little what his weight is to 1 lb. (.5 kg) or so. According to present-day requirements, a full-sized, well-balanced Dog should not exceed 15-1/2 inches (39 cm) at the withers, the Bitch being proportionately lower - neither should the length of back from withers to root of tail exceed 12 inches (30 cm), while, to maintain the relative proportions, the head should not exceed 7-1/4 inches (18.4 cm) or be less than 7 inches (17.8 cm). A Dog with these measurements should scale 18 lb. (8 kg) in show condition - a Bitch weighing some 2 lb. (1 kg) less with a margin of 1 lb. (1/2 kg) either way.
Temperament:
The Smooth Fox Terrier is alert, determined, eager, trustworthy, and affectionate. They are trainable, get along with children, and are very friendly. Bold and active, this terrier likes to dig. Smaller animals are not an option for this breed, as they will often hunt them. The Smooth Fox Terrier is enthusiastic, energetic, and love to play.
Health:
Lens luxation, cataracts, Cushing's disease, deafness, hip dysplasia, Legg-Perthes disease, and skin allergies can affect this breed.
Average Lifespan:
12 -14 years. This breed is relatively long-lived.
History:
The Smooth Fox Terrier first became noticed as a breed in the 1860s. They were originally bred to hunt vermin and foxes, as the name suggests. Their descendants are other terriers from the English counties of Cheshire and Shropshire with possibly some Beagle blood. Other breeds possibly included in the mix were black-and-tan terrier, bull terrier, and the greyhound. The Fox Terrier has been documented since 1790, where a recording of the breed was made in print and on canvas. The breed of 1790 is still remarkably similar to the breed we have today. The original Wire-haired type came from the regions of Durham and Derbyshire in England and Wales. It is not entirely known where the Smooth came from, but the Smooth did come first. Wires resulted from the breeding of a male Smooth Fox Terrier named Jock and a female of unknown breed with Wire-hair named Trap. The breed was accepted by the British Kennel Club in 1876, three years after the BKC opened. Both the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier share the same conformation and were recognized as the same breed until 1984 when the AKC approved separate standards. Reverend Jack Russell, who perpetuated and developed the Jack Russell Terrier of today, also aided in the perpetuation of the Fox Terrier. Russell kept the Wire Fox Terrier of pure strain until 1870, and only crossed with a Smooth Terrier once for improvement during that time. Today, the Wire Fox Terrier is much more popular than the Smooth, but the Smooth still reigns in Sweden.
Sources:
CKC (Breed Standard)
Puppy Dog Web
Pictures:
Photobucket
Group: 4- Terriers
Origin: England
Purpose: Hunting vermin and foxes
Description:
The dog must present a generally gay, lively, and active appearance; bone and strength in a small compass are essentials, but this must not be taken to mean that a Fox Terrier should be cloddy, or in any way coarse. Speed and endurance must be looked to as well as power, and the symmetry of the Foxhound taken as a model. The terrier, like the hound, must on no account be leggy, nor must he be too short in the leg. He should stand like a cleverly made hunter, covering a lot of ground, yet with a short back, as before stated. He will then attain the highest degree of propelling power, together with the greatest length of stride that is compatible with the length of his body.
Balance 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 the 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 the withers and length of back and coat are approximate, and are inserted for information of breeders and exhibitors rather than as a hard and fast rule.
Appearance- Breed Standards:
Coat and Colour: The coat should be smooth, flat, but hard, dense and abundant. The belly and underside of the thighs should not be bare. White should predominate; brindle, red, or liver markings are objectionable. Otherwise colour is of little or no importance.
Head: The skull should be flat and moderately narrow, gradually decreasing in width to the eyes. Not much stop should be apparent, but there should be more dip in the profile between the forehead and the top jaw than is seen in the case of a Greyhound. The cheeks must not be full. The jaws, upper and lower, should be strong and muscular and of fair punishing strength, but not so as, in any way to resemble the Greyhound or modern English Terrier. There should not be much falling away below the eyes. This part of the head should, however, be moderately chiselled out, so as not to go down in a straight slope like a wedge. The nose, toward which the muzzle must gradually taper, should be black. It should be noticed that although the foreface should gradually taper from eye to muzzle and should tip 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 chiselling. The teeth should be as nearly as possible together, i.e., the points of the upper (incisors) teeth on the outside of or slightly overlapping the lower teeth. There should be apparent little difference in length between the skull and foreface of a well-balanced head. The eyes and the rims should be dark in colour, moderately small and rather deep-set, full of fire, life and intelligence and as nearly as possible circular in shape. Anything approaching a yellow eye is most objectionable. The ears should be V-shaped and small, of moderate thickness, and dropping forward close to the cheek, not hanging by the side of the head like a Foxhound. The topline of the folded ear should be well above the level of the skull.
Neck: Should be clean and muscular, without throatiness, of fair length, and gradually widening to the shoulders.
Forequarters: Shoulders should be long and sloping, well laid back, fine at the points, and clearly cut at the withers. The forelegs, viewed from any direction must be straight, with bone strong right down to the feet, showing little or no appearance of ankle in front, and being short and straight in pasterns. Both forelegs and hindlegs should be carried straight forward in travelling, the stifles not turning outward. The elbows should hang perpendicularly to the body, working free of the sides.
Body: Back should be short, straight (i.e., level), and strong, with no appearance of slackness. Chest deep and not broad. Brisket should be deep, yet not exaggerated. Loin should be very powerful, muscular and very slightly arched. The foreribs should be moderately arched, the back ribs deep and well sprung, and the dog should be well ribbed up.
Hindquarters: Should be strong and muscular, quite free from droop or crouch; the thighs long and powerful; stifles well curved and turned neither in nor out; hocks well bent and near the ground should be perfectly upright and parallel each with the other when viewed from behind, the dog standing well up on them like a Foxhound, and not straight in the stifle. The worst possible form of hindquarters consists of a short second thigh and a straight stifle. Feet should be round, compact, and not large; the soles hard and tough; the toes moderately arched and turned neither in nor out.
Tail: Stern should be set on rather high and carried gaily, but not over the back or curled. It should be of good strength, anything approaching a "pipe-stopper" tail being especially objectionable.
Gait: Movement, or action is the crucial test of conformation. The terrier's legs should be carried straight forward while travelling, the forelegs hanging perpendicular and swinging parallel with 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 thigh 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 line 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-hock) 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.
Note: Old scars or injuries, the result of work or accident, should not be allowed to prejudice a terrier's chance in the show ring, unless they interfere with its utility work or stud.
Disqualifications: Nose white, cherry, or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colours. Ears prick, tulip, or rose. Mouth much undershot, or much overshot.
Scale of Points:
Head and ears- 15
Neck- 5
Shoulders and chest- 10
Back and loin- 10
Hindquarters- 15
Stern- 5
Legs and feet- 15
Coat- 15
Symmetry, size and character- 10
TOTAL= 100
Size:
Weight is not a certain criterion of a terrier's fitness for his work - general shape, size, and contour are the main points; and if a dog can gallop and stay, and follow his fox up a drain, it matters little what his weight is to 1 lb. (.5 kg) or so. According to present-day requirements, a full-sized, well-balanced Dog should not exceed 15-1/2 inches (39 cm) at the withers, the Bitch being proportionately lower - neither should the length of back from withers to root of tail exceed 12 inches (30 cm), while, to maintain the relative proportions, the head should not exceed 7-1/4 inches (18.4 cm) or be less than 7 inches (17.8 cm). A Dog with these measurements should scale 18 lb. (8 kg) in show condition - a Bitch weighing some 2 lb. (1 kg) less with a margin of 1 lb. (1/2 kg) either way.
Temperament:
The Smooth Fox Terrier is alert, determined, eager, trustworthy, and affectionate. They are trainable, get along with children, and are very friendly. Bold and active, this terrier likes to dig. Smaller animals are not an option for this breed, as they will often hunt them. The Smooth Fox Terrier is enthusiastic, energetic, and love to play.
Health:
Lens luxation, cataracts, Cushing's disease, deafness, hip dysplasia, Legg-Perthes disease, and skin allergies can affect this breed.
Average Lifespan:
12 -14 years. This breed is relatively long-lived.
History:
The Smooth Fox Terrier first became noticed as a breed in the 1860s. They were originally bred to hunt vermin and foxes, as the name suggests. Their descendants are other terriers from the English counties of Cheshire and Shropshire with possibly some Beagle blood. Other breeds possibly included in the mix were black-and-tan terrier, bull terrier, and the greyhound. The Fox Terrier has been documented since 1790, where a recording of the breed was made in print and on canvas. The breed of 1790 is still remarkably similar to the breed we have today. The original Wire-haired type came from the regions of Durham and Derbyshire in England and Wales. It is not entirely known where the Smooth came from, but the Smooth did come first. Wires resulted from the breeding of a male Smooth Fox Terrier named Jock and a female of unknown breed with Wire-hair named Trap. The breed was accepted by the British Kennel Club in 1876, three years after the BKC opened. Both the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier share the same conformation and were recognized as the same breed until 1984 when the AKC approved separate standards. Reverend Jack Russell, who perpetuated and developed the Jack Russell Terrier of today, also aided in the perpetuation of the Fox Terrier. Russell kept the Wire Fox Terrier of pure strain until 1870, and only crossed with a Smooth Terrier once for improvement during that time. Today, the Wire Fox Terrier is much more popular than the Smooth, but the Smooth still reigns in Sweden.
Sources:
CKC (Breed Standard)
Puppy Dog Web
Pictures:
Photobucket