Fox Terrier Smooth

FCI-Standard N° 12 / 28. 11. 2003 / GB

FOX TERRIER SMOOTH

ORIGIN : Great Britain.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 29.10.2003.

UTILIZATION : Terrier.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 3 Terriers.   Section 1 Large and medium sized Terriers.  Working trial optional.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Active and lively, bone and strength in small compass, never cloddy nor coarse.  Neither leggy nor too short in the leg, standing like a well made, short backed hunter, covering a lot of ground.

BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT : Alert, quick of movement, keen of expression, on tiptoe of expectation.  Friendly, forthcoming and fearless.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Flat, moderately narrow.  Gradually decreasing in width to eyes.

Stop : Little apparent.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Black.

Muzzle : Jaws, upper and lower, strong and muscular, falling away only slightly below eyes.  This portion of foreface moderately chiselled out, so as not to go down in a straight line like a wedge.

Jaw/Teeth : Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Cheeks : Never full.

Eyes : Dark, small and rather deeply set, as near as possible circular in shape.  Expression bright and intelligent.

Ears : Small, V-shaped and dropping forward close to cheek, not hanging by side of head.  Fold of ear above level of skull.  Leather of moderate thickness.

NECK : Clean and muscular, without throatiness, of fair length and gradually widening to shoulders.

BODY :

Back : Short, level and strong without slackness.

Loin : Powerful, very slightly arched.

Chest : Deep, not broad.

Ribs : Foreribs moderately sprung, back ribs deep.

TAIL : Customarily docked.

Docked : Set on rather high and carried gaily but not over back or curled.  Of good strength.

Undocked : Set on rather high and carried gaily but not over back.  As straight as possible.  Tail of moderate length to give balance to the dog.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : From any angle they must be straight showing little or no appearance of an ankle in front.  They should be strong in bone throughout.

Shoulders : Long and sloping, well laid back, fine at points, cleanly cut at withers.

HINDQUARTERS : Strong and muscular, quite free from droop or crouch.

Thighs : Long and powerful.

Stifle : Good turn of stifle.

Hocks : Well let down.

FEET : Small, round and compact.  Pads hard and tough, toes moderately arched and turning neither in nor out.

GAIT / MOVEMENT : Fore- and hindlegs carried straight forward and parallel.  Elbows move perpendicular to body, working free of sides, stifles neither turning in nor out and hocks not close.  Good drive coming from well flexing hindquarters.

COAT :

HAIR : Straight, flat, smooth, hard, dense and abundant.  Belly and underside of thighs not bare.

COLOUR : White should predominate, all white, white with tan, black and tan or black markings.  Brindle, red or liver markings highly undesirable.

WEIGHT : Dogs : 7,3-8,2 kg (16-18 lbs), bitches : 6,8-7,7 kg (15-17 lbs)

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

This amended breed standard will become effective from April 2004.