Papillon - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin

The most trait, when the Wire Fox Terrier was developed was its size. They had to be small enough to fit under the ground to flush out the foxes. They originated in England and they were developed by crossing White English Terrier with the Beagle or Bull Terrier.

2) Wire and Smooth

You probably know, that next to the Wire Fox Terrier there is another, very similar breed – the smooth fox terrier. Until quite recently, the two breeds were only considered coat varieties within the same breed. But today, you can find them recognized as separate dog breeds. The AKC did not recognize Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers as distinct breeds until 1985.

3) Independent mind

Just like many other terriers, even the wire fox terrier is independent animal. They are capable of learning quite a lot, but it is not the easiest task to train them to be completely obedient. It is because of their hunting independent nature and stubborn streaks.

4) Watchdogs

Wire fox terriers are not the best protectors – because of their size – but they make excellent watchdogs. It is because of their courageous personality and keen vision. They will alert you with their bark when something suspicious is going on around your house.

5) Caesar and Asta

One of the most famous Wire fox terriers in the history was Caesar, a favourite dog of King Edward VII, who enchanted the British Empire. Another famous Wire Fox Terrier was Asta, who helped to gain popularity for the breed, when costarred with William Powell and Myrna Loy in six “Thin Man” movies.

6) Outdoors

This is not a coach potatoe! Not at all! And even though, it is true, that they like to spend time with their family, they love outdoors and during the day, they prefer to be outside. It is important to have high quality fence which is also few inches bellow the ground, so they can not run away after other animals.

7) Training

As i already said in the video, it is not the easiest task to train Wire fox terrier. You will need to be absolutely consistent and patient leader. You should keep the training brief and short, because although Wires are very smart dogs, they have short attention span and they get bored easily. They react well to positive training methods and will shut down if treated harshly.

8) Appearance

The wire fox terrier has predominantly white coat which is, well wiry and rough. They have typical V shaped ears which are slightly folded forwards. Another very distinct feauture of their face is their irresistible expression. They should be between 13-16 inches tall which is 33-41 cm and their ideal weight is between 16-18 pounds which is 7-8 kg.
9) Grooming

Great news! The wire fox terrier is low shedding dog. But you should brush your dogs coat regularly to keep the coat in good shape. You should also clip and hand strip the coat ocassionally, but it is recommended to leave this job for professional groomers.

10) Health

Wire fox terriers are healthy dogs with great lifespan. Their life expectancy is between 13-14 years. They do not suffer from serious health problems. But it is pretty common for them to develop cataracts or some sort of skin allergy.