Fox Terrier Breed Magazine features information, expert articles, and stunning photos from AKC judges, breeders, and owners.
TERRIER FOX
Let’s Talk Breed Education!
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Official Standard of the Smooth Fox Terrier General Appearance: 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 stated below. 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. 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 a pound or so. N.B. 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 movement or with its utility for work or stud. Size, Proportion, Substance: According to present-day requirements, a full-sized, well balanced dog should not exceed 15½ inches at the withers - the bitch being proportionately lower - nor should the length of back from withers to root of tail exceed 12 inches, while to maintain the relative proportions, the head should not exceed 7¼ inches or be less than 7 inches. A dog with these measurements should scale 18 pounds in show condition - a bitch weighing some two pounds less-with a margin of one pound either way. Balance - This 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 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 withers and length of back and coat are approximate, and are inserted for the information of breeders and exhibitors rather than as a hard-and-fast rule. Head: Eyes and rims should be dark in color, moderately small and rather deep set, full of fire, life and intelligence and as nearly possible circular in shape. Anything approaching a yellow eye is most objectionable. 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. Disqualifications - Ears prick, tulip or rose. 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. It should be noticed that although the foreface should gradually taper from eye to muzzle and should tip slightly at its junction 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 chiseling. There should be apparent little difference in length between the skull and foreface of a well
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balanced head. Cheeks must not be full. 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 chiseled 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. Disqualifications - Nose white, cherry or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colors. 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. Disqualifications - Much undershot, or much overshot. Neck, Topline, Body: Neck should be clean and muscular, without throatiness, of fair length, and gradually widening to the shoulders. 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. The foreribs should be moderately arched, the back ribs deep and well sprung, and the dog should be well ribbed up. Loin should be very powerful, muscular and very slightly arched. Stern should be set on rather high, and carried gaily, but not over the back or curled, docked to leave about three quarters of the original length of the tail. It should be of good strength, anything approaching a "Pipestopper" tail being especially objectionable. Forequarters: Shoulders should be long and sloping, well laid back, fine at the points, and clearly cut at the withers. The elbows should hang perpendicular to the body, working free of the sides. 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 pastern. Both fore and hind legs should be carried straight forward in traveling. Feet should be round, compact, and not large; the soles hard and tough; the toes moderately arched, and turned neither in nor out. 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. Both fore and hind legs should be carried straight forward in traveling, the stifles not turning outward. Feet as in front. Coat: Should be smooth, flat, but hard, dense and abundant. The belly and underside of the thighs should not be bare. Color: White should predominate; brindle, red or liver markings are objectionable. Otherwise this point is of little or no importance. Gait: Movement, or action, is the crucial test of conformation. The Terrier's legs should be carried straight forward while traveling, 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
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second thighs 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-hocks-the stifles and feet are turned outwards, resulting in a serious loss of propulsive power. When the hocks are turned outward the tendency of the hind feet is to cross, resulting in an ungainly waddle. Temperament: The dog must present a generally gay, lively and active appearance. Disqualifications: Ears prick, tulip or rose. Nose white, cherry or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colors. Mouth much undershot, or much overshot.
Approved July 8, 2002 Effective August 28, 2002
Judging the SMOOTH FOX TERRIER
T
By Bill Potter
his article is one person’s observations regarding judging Smooth Fox Terriers, not a definitive guide. Detailed study of the Standard, mentor-
expressed in the measurements con- tained within the Size, Proportion and Substance section. It is essential to train the eye to see the balance called for, recognize that each dog’s height may vary from the ideal, but ensuring that, overall, the dog meets the proportional balance of the parts as spe- cifically defined. Th e quicker, and more accurately, that balance can be assessed, the more time the judge has to appreci- ate, and evaluate, the quality of the indi- vidual characteristics of the dog. When an SFT enters the ring, you should start with that assessment for the desired balance. 1. Is the dog square—the same height from withers to ground as length from point of shoulder to buttock? 2. Is the height from withers to brisket equal to the height from brisket to ground? 3. Is the length of his muzzle equal to the length of skull? 4. Is the length of his neck close to equaling the length of his head? It is important to confirm your initial assessment of balance on the move. SFTs are often very di ff erent in proportions on the move than when stacked by a handler. For that reason, I believe that it is impor- tant to move dogs around the ring prior to examining them on the table. I also believe it aids the examination by relaxing and acclimating the dog to the ring. Th e next step in the initial evaluation is asking the question: Does the dog have the requisite substance? Th e Standard describes the SFT as having the symme- try of a Foxhound (English), and goes on to compare him to a “cleverly made hunt- er.” One should think of a short-backed Hunter Jumper horse.
Once the dog has been set up on the table, the examination of the dog should start with the head. All the disqualification contained within our Standard relate to the head—ears, nose and mouth. Confirming the absence of disqualifying characteristics is quickly, and easily, accomplished: the ears should not be pricked, tulip, or rose; the nose should not be white, cherry, or spotted with considerable amount of either color; the bite should not be much under- shot or much overshot. Ensuring that the head possesses quality is a more di ffi cult task. Th e head should be examined both from the front and the side. Th e moderately narrow skull should be flat and be parallel to the plain of the muzzle. While the skull should decrease in width to the eyes, and the muzzle from the eyes to nose, the head should not be a wedge. Th ere should be fill under the eyes, but with chiseling to prevent a straight slope from skull to tip of nose. Th e eyes should be dark, and as close to round as possible. Th e muzzle should have strong upper and lower jaws, with teeth in a scissors bite. Ears should be V-shaped and break above the level of the skull. Th e ears inner edge should lie close to the cheek. Th e tip of the ear should be near the corner of the eye, not on top of the head. Do not expect that every dog will display attentive ear carriage while on the table. Dogs will often pull back their ears, turning them to the side, while being examined. Simply feel the ears to determine that their leather is of moderate thickness. Proper ear car- riage is much better assessed when the dog is standing on the ground taking in
ing with experienced breeders and detailed information from the Judges’ Education Coordinator(s) of the American Fox Ter- rier Club should be used to develop the knowledge necessary for the task. Th e Standard for Fox Terriers in America was approved at the time the American Fox Terrier Club was formed in 1885. Shortly thereafter, the Standard was amended to include measurements, in addition to weight, to describe the ideal Fox Terrier. Th e American Standard for Smooth Fox Terriers has changed little since that time. Reference to the Wire Fox Terrier coat was removed when Smooths and Wires were recognized as separate breeds it the 1984. Th e Standard was later reformatted to meet the American Kennel Club’s request for uniform formatting of all Standards. Th e American Fox Terrier Club’s Stan- dard for the Smooth Fox Terrier (SFT) is di ff erent than those approved by Th e Kennel Club (UK) and by the FCI. Th eir Standards use weight alone to define the size of dogs and bitches. It is not to say that they do not ask for a compact, short- backed Terrier, but their Standards do not set forth measurements on how that goal should be reached. Th e American Stan- dard does not have any size disqualifica- tions, but contains specific measurement for overall height and length, length of back and length of head. It then empha- sizes that the BALANCE of these parts and others described within the Stan- dard, which is the keystone of the Terriers anatomy. It is important that any judge, utilizing the American SFT Standard, be familiar with the relative proportions
“...you should start with that assessment for THE DESIRED BALANCE.”
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their surroundings, including other exhib- its in the ring. Once the head has been examined, it is time to ensure that the neck is not “throaty,” the chest is not too broad and that the dog’s front is filled down to the brisket. You should proceed to the side view of the neck. It should be muscular and blend smoothly into the shoulders and back. As your hand goes down the neck, it should flow easily over the withers, on to a short back and then to a strong, mus- cular, slightly arched loin. Th e movement of the hand should be stopped by a rather high set tail. Our Standard calls for a tail of good strength that should be docked so that it has about three quarters of its origi- nal length. Th e carriage should be gay, not over the back or curled. As with ears, tail carriage is best determined while the dog is active on the ground. Your hand(s) should then proceed to the ribs to ensure that the fore ribs are moderately arched and the back ribs are deep and well sprung. Th e examination should go to the fore- front, which is, in my opinion, the most misunderstood part of SFT’s anatomy. I don’t know how many Judges’ Educa- tion seminars I have sat through for other breeds that have defined their breed’s front as “not straight like a Fox Terrier’s.” While the SFTs legs should be straight from any angle, with strong, upright pas- terns and small, round feet, the shoul- ders should not be straight. Th e upper arm slops forward, but is shorten and not equal in length to the shoulder blade. Th e shoulder blade is long and sloping, well laid back to the withers. You should feel for and reward, correct front assembly. Proceeding to an examination of the hindquarters, you should find them mus- cular, starting with a substantial rump behind the tail. Th e upper and second thighs should be long and powerful. Th e stifles should be bent. Th e hocks should be, short, well bent and upright. When viewed from behind, the hind- quarters should appear straight. From the side, the SFT’s hindquarters should appear angulated and well up on leg. Th e hindquarters should never appear to be crouching our drooping.
Before the dog is removed from the table, you should make an assessment of coat quality and coat color. Th is is a dou- ble coated breed. Th e outer coat should be hard, flat and abundant. Quite often you will be unable to find much under- coat on a dog groomed for show. Most of the undercoat is often removed to ensure that outer coat lies flat. Cheek, neck and tail roughs, as well as hindquarter britch- es, are groomed to enhance the outline of the dog. Color should be predominately white. Markings on the white coat can be black, black with tan points or tan. Tan can range from a light blond to a dark brown or mahogany. A tan dog can have black hairs dispersed within the coat and may, or may not, have a dark mask. When groomed, the under coat areas of the tan marked dog often appear to be a lighter color than the non-groomed markings. Th is is natural as tan markings are often lighter colored near the skin. Brindle, red or liver markings are objectionable. Th e black hairs in a tan coat should not be confused with brindle. Brindle is a dis- tinct pattern of black marking or strip patterning in the coat. As long as dog is at least 50% white and their markings are of an approved color, there is no such thing as a poorly marked dog. It is easier to see the outline of a white or predominately white dog, but no pattern of markings should be pre- ferred over another. As a judge, you will need to be careful to ensure that you are not deceived in your assessment of con- formation, positively or negatively, by the location of a dog’s markings. Now it is time to return the dog to the ground and evaluate his structure on the move. Th is is the critical test of the dog’s conformation. Move the dog down and back. An SFT’s front and rear legs should reach straight forward, not con- verging toward the midline. Th e front legs should reach forward in a straight column like a pendulum. Th e rear, which provides propulsion, should flex at the stifle and hock to cause a forward thrust of the dog. Th e Standard calls for a “snatch” at the hock in a dog exerting the correct thrusting action of the rear.
You should then observe side movement to confirm the desired action and ensure that the dog is covering ground in as few steps as possible. SFT examination is enhanced by spar- ing. It is an opportunity to evaluate tem- perament, ear and tail carriage and over- all bearing of the exhibits prior to making your placement. Th ere are a number of good articles already written on the sub- ject. I will not cover the subject here, but I do recommend that sparing take place at the end of your examination of all SFTs in a class. Some SFTs find it hard to get back to the business of moving, or being handled, after they have developed an attitude about others in the ring.
BIO Bill Potter lives in St. Louis, MO with his wife, Don- na, a Smooth Fox Terrier and a Nor- wich Terrier. He has been involved with pure
bred dogs since 1968 and has been an approved AKC judge since 1990. He is presently approved to judge all Hounds and the Hound Group, all Terriers and the Terrier Group and Best in Show. His original breed was Irish Wolf- hounds. He expanded to Smooth Fox Terriers in 1976. He has been active in the American Fox Terrier Club, serving for various periods as President, Secre- tary, Governor, Show Chairman and as a Judges’ Education Coordinator. Bill has judged Smooth Fox Terriers at AFTC Specialties in conjunction with Mont- gomery County Kennel Club on two occa- sions (1994 & 2004) and Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers at multiple Regional Fox Terrier Specialties. He has judged All-Breed Shows and Specialties through- out the United States, as well as judging in Europe and Australia. He is actively involved with Mississippi Valley Kennel Club, presently serving as Secretary and Show Chairman. WILLIAM F. POTTER, II 721 Plantmore Drive St. Louis, MO 63135 USA 4 )08 4 *()5 . "(";*/& . ": t
Judging the WIRE FOX TERRIER
W
By Al Pertuit
hen judging Wires, exactly what makes a Wire Mr. or Ms. “IT”? First, if the
Wire is a dog, does it look like a dog; if it’s a bitch, does it look like a bitch? One should not have to look between its legs to determine its sex. A dog that has prop- er substance does not look like a bitch because the dog is the correct size (15 ½ ") and is among larger bitches. Th e Wire’s size does not necessarily correlate with its sex. Second, is the dog balanced? Balance means that the individual parts blend well together, creating a profile of unity, which occurs when no entity dominates the composition. For example, if your eye is drawn to its shoulders, it’s likely heavy in the shoulders. Ideally, the eye should easily flow over the exhibit. In profile, one can/should check the fol- lowing: Is the short back level? Are the height at withers and length of body the same? Is the distance from the withers to the elbow the same as from the elbow to the ground? Are its feet cat-like, tight and round? Does it have a fishhook front (i.e., a straight imaginary line can be run uprightly from the toes to the proster- num, neck, and jaw, where the line hooks at the throat that forms a graceful line) with no forechest apparent? Are its hocks relatively short and perpendicular to the ground? Does it have butt behind its tail? A Wire with nothing behind its tail looks more like a figurine in which the artist, only as an afterthought, stuck on a tail. It lacks unity. What about its rear angula- tion? Moderate angulation is ideal. Are its first and second thighs of the same length, and is the second thigh well muscled? Th e tail should be highly set, of strong sub- stance, and held at about 10 to 12 o’clock.
Balance without exaggeration: fishhook front; nice head and ear placement; good shoulder layback; short back; high tail set; butt behind tail; moderate angulation; upright hocks; tight feet; and good substance.
Ideally, when stacked, its length should reach the height of the top of the head. Th e tail may have a slight forward curve. Th ird, does it project the Wire tem- perament? It should be “alert, quick of movement, keen of expression, on the tip- toe of expectation at the slightest provo- cation.” In the ring, the Wire should be looking about, reacting to sounds and sights, perhaps wagging his tail at some- thing of interest. Please never forget that you are in a conformation ring, not an obedience ring, and judge accordingly. Sparring brings out temperament as well as physical components, individu- ally and as a functioning unit. Sparring exposes the soul of the Wire. Unfortu- nately, sparring, previously an integral highlight of judging Wires, is today too often excluded from the judging process, even at specialities. When a Wire puts his heart into a spar, you know everything
about him. It’s his defining moment. During the spar, the exhibitor should not be allowed stack his dog, “bait” his dog, attract the attention of his dog, etc. Dogs should be allowed to show themselves via their posturing during confrontation. If a Wire cowers during the spar, he most definitely should not receive awards. Spar for WD, WB and Breed awards. Fourth, examine the head and check its expression. Some say the Wire is “a head breed.” Is the head really the bottom line for rating a Wire a “10”? Th e come- back, of course, is, “ Th ey don’t walk on their heads.” Th e size of the head should be in proportion to the rest of the dog, not exceeding 3 ½ " inches in width. Th e head length should measure slightly more than 7" with its foreface and relatively flat skull being about the same length. Th e black, round, moderate-sized eyes should be deeply set, full of life, and not
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Disqualifications Know (and enforce) the WFT Disqual- ifications: 1. Ears prick, tulip or rose 2. Nose white, cherry or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colors 3. Mouth much undershot, or much overshot Additional Thoughts Don’t be afraid to “mess up” hair to examine the Wires. If the exhibitor gri- maces, that’s too bad. Th at’s why he/she takes a comb into the ring. Please remember that you are judg- ing conformation, not a grooming com- petition or obedience. Th e Wire has ample coat to accommodate the talented groom- er. As one handler remarked to me, “It’s amazing what you can do with a quarter inch of hair!” Th ink of yourself as a Wire breeder, and imagine that you are selecting dogs that will be incorporated into your breeding program. In that case, which would you choose? Do that! Finally, considering all the above, what is a “10”? Is it a typey, sound, well-marked, alert, nicely balanced, good moving, well- put-down Wire with a super head? Maybe. Suppose the head is good but not great, but its movement is superb? Suppose. . . suppose. . . suppose. . . Some say a “10” is a one-piece dog that is a complete package. Some say. . . Hey, wait a minute! What would Th e US Supreme Court say? Perhaps the most often quoted sen- tence ever to emerge from the Court, used (1964) by Justice Potter Steward in an obscenity case to define pornography, can also be used as the absolute bottom line for rating a Wire a “10”: I KNOW IT WHEN I SEE IT. Good luck!
too far apart. Th e V-shaped ears should be set at the corners of the head and break (fold) well above the head, drop- ping forward, not carried to the side like an Airedale’s. Th e tip of the ear should fall near the outer corner of the eye. It should be closed but not necessarily touching the skull. Correct ear carriage is absolutely essential for correct expres- sion. Th ere should be fill under the eyes, and the nose should be black. Bony, mus- cled cheeks are not desirable. Neither is a prominent brow or prominent occiput. Th e teeth should be relatively large and meet in a scissors bite. Fifth, does the Wire move properly? Movement and conformation interplay. Are the front legs parallel and the rear legs parallel to each other when station- ary and during movement? When viewed from the side, do its front and rear legs nearly meet at the ground during move- ment? Short, pitter-patter steps can sim- ply ruin the overall impression that the dog projects. Also, temperament can influence movement, although this is often forgotten. A shy or ill-at-ease dog is not likely to move correctly even if it is correctly built. Sixth, Coat and Grooming: Th e Wire’s Coat should be of prime consideration. Th e Wire is double coated, with a hard, intensely colored Wire outer coat and a soft, muted gray undercoat. Th e only color that the coat MUST be is white. An all-white Wire is perfectly correct. Th e Wire coat should be (NOT “must be”) at least 50% white. Although there is no disqualification for color, slatey blue, red, and liver are very objectionable, as is a brindle (i.e., striped) pattern. Brown, black, and ginger are not mentioned in the Wire Standard! Two color types are possible: a tri-colored Wire (i.e., white, black and brown) and a ginger Wire (i.e., ginger and white). Th e ginger color is more tannish than the brown on the tri- Wire. Neither color type is preferred. Sig- nificant brown dispersed within the black markings is not desirable. Please do not allow markings to deceive your honest evaluation of a dog. Forget about mark- ings, but note how markings can “color” your vision.
1ice moYement: reaching out in front feet meet at ground almost touching .
he has bred 54 home-bred Champi- ons, including “Sky” (currently #1, All Breeds) that he co-bred with Betty Seaton. In addition, he has finished over 10 other Wires, including imports from France, Ireland, and Italy. He is approved to judge 25 terrier breeds and has judged terrier specialities in GA, MN, PA, VA, and WA. He has judged Wires at the American Fox Terrier Club (AFTC) National Specialty at Mont- gomery County Kennel Club in 2007 and 2012. Al has awarded Champion- ship Certificates in the UK. Al has served on the Boards of AFTC and The Wire Fox Terrier Club of the Central States (WFTCCS) and as Board member and President of The Greater Atlanta Fox Terrier Club, The Clemson Kennel Club, and The Greenville Kennel Club. In 1989, he was named the AFTC’s Breeder of the Year for Wires. In 1990, he was elected to the WFTCCS’ Hall of Fame and in 1992 was awarded the AFTC’s Governors’ Award for Outstanding Service. In 2009, he received AFTC’s Breeder of the Year Award for Wire Fox Terrier Bitches. In addition to his memberships in AFTC and WFTCCS, Al is a mem- ber of the Fox Terrier Club (UK) and the Reunion Des Amateurs De Fox Terriers (France). Al is a Professor Emeritus of Hor- ticulture at Clemson University, where he was employed in a teaching, research, and extension position for 30 years. His homepage can be found at fyrewyrewft.com.
BIO
Al
Pertuit
(Fyrewyre, AKC Reg. prefix) fin- ished his first home-bred Wire Fox Terrier in 1982. Currently,
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T he two Fox Terrier breeds, Smooth Fox Terriers and Wire Fox Terriers, were developed in England in the mid 19th century by fox hunting sportsmen. Often carried in a bag by the mounted huntsman, their purpose was to dig out or “bolt” foxes from dens, drains or culverts where they had been pursued by the hounds. Foxes were then considered vermin, but even today Fox Terriers make short work of woodchucks, rats and other furry pests when given the chance. Fox Terriers are psychiatric patients. Fox Terriers love the spotlight and have appeared in many films, TV shows and commercials. Alert and “on the tiptoe of expectation”, they make excellent watchdogs. During World War I, Fox Terriers (as well as other breeds), were widely used by British and French troops as sentry dogs and as messengers. Some were trained to go “over the top” to locate the wounded. Often the dog would carry a homing pigeon in a bag to be released. Wearing a harness with pouches, they car- ried medicine, food and cigarettes. Th ey did duty in the trenches and camps as ratters. THE VERSATILE FOX TERRIER By Winnie Stout outgoing, alert, active and intelligent dogs. Originally bred to be independent hunters, today they make a ff ectionate companions. Modern Fox Terrier careers include obedi- ence and agility competition, search and rescue, cadaver location, drug detection and circus performance as well as service dogs for the disabled. Many serve as Th er- apy Dogs in hospitals and nursing homes. Fox Terriers are creative thinkers and will “doggedly” pursue a goal. Because they will persistently approach even when ignored or rebu ff ed, Fox Terrier therapy dogs have been the choice to help many withdrawn Clockwise: “Berry” Herding Instinct Test, URO2 U-CH. Fyrewyre’s Berried Treasure BN RE CA TDIA ThD CGC; World War I Smooths; World War II Wire Fox Terrier London Blitz heroine—Wire-Haired Fox Terrier “Beauty” with PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals) Superintendent Bill Barnet, who was credited with rescuing 63 animals from the ruins of the London Blitz, 1940-41, in recognition of which she was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal—the “Animals’ Victoria Cross”; URO3 U-CH and lnt’l CH. Antitiem’s Stetson BN RAE CA TT CGC TDIA ThD ASCA-CD; Bella, Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom”
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“Cracker”, GCh Bellewoods Bonhomme JE CA (Photo by Clark Kranz);
Fyrewyre’s Berried Treasure BN RE CA THD, coursing
“Mimi”, GCh Bellewoods Lumiere SE CA (Photo by Clark Kranz)
During World War II, with trench warfare obsolete, there was less demand for small breeds in the military, but mascots contin- ued to serve at the front: a Wire Fox Terrier was the constant companion of Field Mar- shall Montgomery. On a lighter note, Fox Terriers have starred in many films. Most recently, Lucia Hackett's Wire “Bella”, Ch. Hiwire Act at Hexham CD RE SE CGC, appeared in “Moonrise Kingdom”, while two of Charles Kelley's Hopewell Smooths, belonging to director Tom Ford, were fea- tured in “A Single Man” with Colin Firth. People still ask where they can find a Wire like Asta from the 1930s “ Th in Man” series, and the 1967 Disney film “Charlie, Th e Lonesome Cougar” featured (as Charlie’s nemesis) a Smooth named Chainsaw. Bill and Betsy Dossett’s Smooth Ch. Toofox Tasmanian Devil starred in one of the Superman films, guarding a child asleep in a wheat field from an oncoming com- bine thresher to which they were invisible (Superman zoomed in and scooped them both up in the nick of time!). Fox Terriers have qualified for numer- ous titles in all AKC sponsored perfor- mance events in which they are allowed to compete. In 2012 alone, Smooths earned a total of 91 performance titles and Wires 108. Th is is higher than the total confor- mation titles earned in 2012: 97 champion for Smooths and 42 Grand Champions; 70 champions for Wires and 20 Grands. In Smooths, Cobell’s Carbon Copy UD RE SE, owned and trained by Ingrid Butt, bred by Joanne Coté, gained her UD title to add to Earthdog and Rally titles, as did Leg- acy Sweet Liberty CDX AX AXJ JE bred by Steve and Evelyn Laughlin and Eileen Olm- stead DVM; trained by owner Ann Collins. Ch. Cobell's Star Struck UDX7 OM6 VER RAE ME, also owned and trained by Ingrid
Butt and bred by Joanne Coté achieved Util- ity Dog Excellent 7 and Obedience Master 7. Ta Da's Easy Rider MX MXJ bred by Elaine Powell, owned and trained by Carol Nelson, earned Utility Dog Excellent 7; Ch. Blu Vu's Boy George OA AXJ MXP2 MJP4 OFP, owned by Carolyn Farrington, and Lori Fer- guson qualified for Master Agility Excellent Preferred 3, and Carol Perkins' Ch. Foxhunt Homeward Bound RAE OA AXJ AXP AJP NFP JE received Master Excellent Jumper Preferred. CH. MACH DDV's Bold Tod- hunter CD MXS MJC XF bred by Jacalyn Wilson, owned and trained by Denise Visco and Richard Reynolds qualified for Master Agility Silver. Mary Lynn Machado's home- bred littermates GCh. Bellewoods Bonhom- me JE CA and GCh. Bellewoods Lumiere SE CA (B) became the first Smooths to earn titles for Coursing Ability and Coursing Advanced titles. In Wires, Afterall Hiwire Kona King BN TDX, bred by Raymond Lowe and Diane Ryan, owned by Barbara Bonner became a Tracking Dog Excellent. Tes Jacks Full Of Dueces UDX2 OM4 bred by Elise Singer, owned by Robin James, achieved Utility Dog Excellent 2 and Obedience Master 2. MACH 11 Snowtaires Kobe MXG4 MJB5 AXP AJP MXF MFS TQX JE bred by Bar- bara Decker and Edward Boyes, owned by Carol Smith gained Master Gold Agility 4, Master Gold Jumper with Weaves, Master Silver Fast, Master Agility Champion 11, and Master Gold Jumper With Weaves as well as Triple Q Excellent. Many from both breeds gained Senior and Master Earthdog Titles. Coursing Ability titles in Wires were pioneered by Ch. Aljamar Witch Kraft CDX RAE bred by Janice Rue and Marilyn Las- chinski, owned by Barbara Bonner and Mar- ilyn Laschinski, Briarlea's Call To Reveille RA CA bred by Virginia Matanic, owned
by Cassia Drake; and Ch. Enchantment Lady Bentley O'Santeric CDX BN RAE CA bred by Lareen Kegel and owned by Oralee Adams. Th e Coursing Ability Advanced title (a first for the breed) was awarded to GCh. Ashgrove Camarillobrillo SE CAA owned by Sarah Frost and John Amann DVM; GCh. Carywyre High Voltage CAA bred and ownd by Cary Mudge; Ch. Cary's Turbo Lover CAA bred by A. J. Pertuit, Jr., owned by Cary Mudge; Ch. Emmwyre's Foxy Pri- ma Donna CAA Blossom bred and owned by Joelyn Heslep, and GCh. Purston Jeri- cho Rose At Hi-Jinks JE CAA bred by Jean Mason and Mary Collings, owned by Sarah Frost and John Amann. And Fyrewyre's Berried Treasure BN RE CA THD bred by A. J. Pertuit, Jr.; owned and Rebecca Mali- vuk received the first o ffi cial AKC Th erapy Dog title. It should be noted that these dogs, both Smooth and Wire, are also from top winning show bloodlines, sired by all breed BIS, Group, specialty BIS and Montgomery breed winners. Th e working instincts prized in earlier times are still strong in the breed today. I recall my house dog, Ch. Gabryl Grace of Foxden. I had set my first ever (and last!) glue trap in an old farmhouse where I was then living where rats would enter the kitch- en through over-large duct work holes. I'd just come downstairs to let Grace out when I heard a loud flapping sound. A rat was caught in the glue trap and was bucking fran- tically, trying to get loose. Grace shot by me and seized rat and trap in a vice like grip. I am happy to report that the rat was instantly dead, but Grace's jaws, containing both rat and trap, were firmly glued together. She was very proud of herself. By the time I pried the sticky mess and the corpse out of her mouth, I was late for work, but Grace saw me o ff with a smug grin on her face.
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