Toy Fox Terrier History & AKC  Standard

Toy Fox Terriers are outgoing and friendly, yet fiercely loyal to their families. They are a true American Breed developed by breeding small Smooth Fox Terriers with several toy breeds including the Chihuahua and Manchester Terrier. Today, the Toy Fox Terrier is a well-balanced dog of athletic appearance displaying grace and agility in equal measure with strength and stamina. From the hunt to the show ring, the Toy Fox Terrier has become a cherished companion dog and excellent show piece. The Toy Fox Terrier has shown that he is at home in conformation, obedience, and agility trials, his favorite spotlight is the center stage of the owner’s life. The Toy Fox Terrier is a toy and a terrier and both have influenced his personality and character. While retaining the terrier gameness, courage and animation. The cross-breeding with various toy breeds mentioned created a milder disposition. Although easier to live with than many terriers, The Toy Fox Terrier is still a working terrier, and many of them delight in hunting and going to ground. Given the opportunity, the Toy Fox Terrier will pursue the quarry of the backyard or barnyard with diligence. Know to tree squirrels and flush out rodents, the hunt is always welcome. Flyball or fetch are easily learned and perfected for endless hours of activity. However, if you enjoy a lap dog, this little companion appears to know the latest in television entertainment of his household. Children especially enjoy the unending energy and zeal for play throughout this dog’s life.

Official Standard of the Toy Fox Terrier

General Appearance: The Toy Fox Terrier is truly a toy and a terrier and both have influenced his personality and character. As a terrier, the Toy Fox Terrier possesses keen intelligence, courage, and animation. As a toy his is diminutive, and devoted with an endless abiding love for his master. The Toy Fox Terrier is a well-balanced Toy dog of athletic appearance displaying grace and agility in equal measure with strength and stamina. His lithe muscular body has a smooth elegant outline which conveys the impression of effortless movement and endless endurance. He is naturally well groomed, proud, animated, and alert. Characteristic traits are his elegant head, his short glossy and predominantly white coat, coupled with a predominantly solid head, and his short high-set tail.

Size, Proportion and Substance: Size – 8½ to 11½ inches, 9 to11 preferred, 8½ to 11½ acceptable. Proportion – The Toy Fox Terrier is square in proportion, with height being approximately equal to length; with height measured from withers to ground and length measured from point of shoulder to buttocks. Slightly longer in bitches is acceptable. Substance – Bone must be strong, but not excessive and always in proportion to size. Overall balance is important. Disqualification – Any dog under 8½ inches and over 11½ inches.

Head: The head is elegant, balanced and expressive with no indication of coarseness. Expression is intelligent, alert, eager and full of interest. Eyes – clear, bright and dark, including eye-rims, with the exception of chocolates whose eye-rims should be self-colored. The eyes are full, round and somewhat prominent, yet never bulging, with a soft intelligent expression. They are set well apart, not slanted, and fit well together into the sockets. Ears – The ears are erect, pointed, inverted V-shaped, set high and close together, but never touching. The size is in proportion to the head and body. Disqualification – Ears not erect on any dog over six months of age. Skull – is moderate in width, slightly rounded and softly wedge shaped. Medium stop, somewhat sloping. When viewed from the front, the head widens gradually from the nose to the base of the ears. The distance from the nose to the stop is equal to the distance from the stop to the occiput. The cheeks are flat and muscular, with the area below the eyes well filled in. Faults – Apple head. Muzzle – Strong rather than fine, in proportion to the head as a whole and parallel to the top of the skull. Nose – Black only with the exception of self-colored in chocolate dogs. Disqualification – Dudley nose. Lips – are small and tight fitting. Bite – a full complement of strong white teeth meeting in a scissors bite is preferred. Loss of teeth should not be faulted as long as the bite can be determined as correct. Disqualification – Undershot, wry mouth, overshot more than ⅛ inch.

Neck, Topline and Body: The neck is carried proudly erect, well set on, slightly arched, gracefully curved, clean, muscular and free from throatiness. It is proportioned to the head and body and widens gradually blending smoothly into the shoulders. The length of the neck is approximately the same as that of the head. The topline is level when standing and gaiting. The body is balanced and tapers slightly from ribs to flank. The chest is deep and muscular with well sprung ribs. Depth of chest extends to the point of elbow. The back is straight, level, and muscular. Short and strong in loin with moderate tuck-up to denote grace and elegance. The croup is level with topline and well-rounded. The tail is set high, held erect and in proportion to the size of the dog. Docked to the third or fourth joint.

Forequarters: Forequarters are well angulated. The shoulder is firmly set and has adequate muscle, but is not overdeveloped. The shoulders are sloping and well laid back, blending  smoothly from neck to back. The forechest is well developed. The elbows are close and perpendicular to the body. The legs are parallel and straight to the pasterns which are strong and straight while remaining flexible. Feet are small and oval, pointing forward turning neither in nor out. Toes are strong, well-arched and closely knit with deep pads.

Hindquarters: Hindquarters are well angulated, strong and muscular. The upper and lower thighs are strong, well muscled and of good length. The stifles are clearly defined and well angulated. Hock joints are well let down and firm. The rear pasterns are straight. The legs are parallel from the rear and turn neither in nor out. Dewclaws should be removed from hindquarters if present.

Coat: The coat is shiny, satiny, fine in texture and smooth to the touch. It is slightly longer in the ruff, uniformly covering the body.

Color: Tri-Color: Predominately black head with sharply defined tan markings on cheeks, lips and eye dots. Body is over fifty-per-cent white, with or without black body spots. White, Chocolate and Tan: Predominately chocolate head with sharply defined tan markings on cheeks, lips and eye dots. Body is over fifty-percent white, with or without chocolate body spots. White and Tan: Predominately tan head. Body is over fifty-percent white with or without tan body spots. White and Black: Predominately black head. Body is over fifty percent white with or without black body spots. Color should be rich and clear. Blazes are acceptable, but may not touch the eyes or ears. Clear white is preferred, but a small amount of ticking is not to be penalized. Body spots on black headed tri-colors must be black; body spots on  chocolate headed tri-colors must be chocolate; both with or without a slight fringe of tan alongside any body spots near the chest and under the tail as seen in normal bi-color patterning. Faults – Color, other than ticking, that extends below the elbow or the hock. Disqualifications – A blaze extending into the eyes or ears. Any color combination not stated above. Any dog whose head is more than fifty-percent white. Any dog whose body is not more than fifty-percent white. Any dog whose head and body spots are of different colors.

Gait: Movement is smooth and flowing with good reach and strong drive. The topline should remain straight and head and tail carriage erect while gaiting. Fault – Hackney gait.

Temperament: The Toy Fox Terrier is intelligent, alert and friendly, and loyal to its owners. He learns new tasks quickly, is eager to please, and adapts to almost any situation. The Toy Fox Terrier, like other terriers, is self-possessed, spirited, determined and not easily intimidated. He is a highly animated toy dog that is comical, entertaining and playful all of his life. Any individuals lacking good terrier attitude and personality are to be faulted.

Disqualifications: Any dog under 8½ inches or over 11½ inches. Ears not erect on any dog over six months of age. Dudley nose. Undershot, wry mouth, overshot more than ⅛ inch. A blaze extending into the eyes or ears. Any color combination not stated above. Any dog whose head is more than fifty percent white. Any dog whose body is not more than fifty percent white. Any dog whose head and body spots are of different colors.