Information on AKC Smooth Fox Terrier Puppies
Smooth Fox Terrier Breed Standard
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 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 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
