Best known among our friends Anglophones, the Fox Terrier mentions in Quebec and in Francophone countries the image of Milou the famous dog of Tintin always helping its master to resolve puzzles, thanks to its brilliance. However, this comic strip figure doesn’t give a truthful image of the Fox Terrier. The Terrier is first and foremost a hound dog that’s predator instinct is developed and that’s therefore much more interested to hunt the squirrel than to save its master!

 

It would be wrong to believe that the Fox Terriers are plush doggies! They have, indeed, a proud and sometimes foolhardy character. We must understand that the Fox Terrier is a breed that has been shaped by men for a specific job: dig down into burrows to hunt small animals. It’s also from this occupation that the Fox Terrier derives its name: it was (and is still in some regions of the globe) a fox hunter.

 

This means that the Fox Terrier is a courageous dog, having a very sharpened predator instinct, capable of facing a distraught beast underground, in the dark, in an environment it doesn’t know, and particularly capable of bringing back the coveted animal, thanks to its impressive jaws. The Fox Terrier characteristics, if they make it an excellent hunter, may not be suitable for all families. Weigh wisely the pros and cons in order to avoid difficulties and abandonments.

 

In an ideal manner, Terriers’ owners should have a house. A Terrier can survive in an apartment, but it’s a dog that has important needs for exercise that a simple walk cannot fill. If possible, it must be able to run in full safety in an enclosed space. So that it can stretch up its own way.

 

The Fox Terrier can also be particularly guardian, it will quickly yap if it hears noise or if there is a lot of coming and going in front of the house or in the back lane, extensions of its territory. The human which decides to live with a Fox Terrier must also forget the image of the doggie which follows to the foot or leap without leash around its master.

Because of its impulsive nature, the Terrier must be kept on the leash when it’s not at its home, in its backyard. If it sees a prey, the Terrier won’t hesitate even a split second to go after it.