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AKC: Smooth Fox Terrier breed overview

Terrier group · England

Smooth Fox Terrier

Also called Smooth Fox, Fox Terrier (Smooth)

A lively white terrier bred to bolt foxes, still wired for chasing, digging and running rings around you.

The Smooth Fox Terrier is a small, athletic English terrier with a short, flat coat and an outsized personality. Quick, cheeky and endlessly curious, it suits owners who like a bold, busy dog and have the patience to channel its chase and dig instincts.

Original AI-generated breed illustration

Weight

6 to 9 kg

13 to 20 lb

Height

34 to 39 cm

at the shoulder

Life expectancy

12 to 15 yrs

Activity estimate

120 to 150 min

editorial daily planning range

Adult-size estimate

12 months

approximate model input

Life with a Smooth Fox Terrier

Leave a Smooth Fox Terrier unsupervised in a garden for five minutes and you may come back to a neat hole under the fence and an empty lawn. In the dog's mind that is not naughtiness, it is the job it was bred for. Fox terriers ran with English foxhounds in the 18th and 19th centuries, and when a fox went to ground, the terrier went in after it to push it out.

Personality is what defines the breed. Smooths are bright, fearless, quick to react and very funny. They love games, particularly anything involving chasing, shaking a toy and carrying it off in triumph. Most are affectionate with their people, but few are lap dogs that lie still for hours; they would rather be investigating the kitchen bin or the hedge.

The breed shares its roots with the Wire Fox Terrier, and for many years the two were treated as coat varieties of one breed. Most kennel clubs now register them separately. The Smooth's short coat makes it the easier of the two to keep tidy, but underneath they share the same zest.

Other dogs can be a flashpoint, since Smooths rarely back down, and small pets such as rats or guinea pigs are seen as prey. With children old enough to play sensibly, though, a Smooth can be a tireless, entertaining companion.

What stands out

Training

Smooths are clever and quick to learn, but also independent and easily distracted by anything that moves. Keep lessons to around 5 minutes and make yourself more interesting than the surroundings with tug games and high-value treats. Repetition bores them, so change the task often.

Read the full training guide

Easy to train

Open with strangers

Good with other dogs

A great match for

active owners who enjoy a cheeky, bold dog
families with school-age children
people interested in agility or earthdog trials
homes with securely fenced gardens

Think twice if

strong prey drive and chase instinct
digging and escape attempts
can be scrappy with other dogs
recall is often unreliable

Personality and needs at a glance

Living together

Good with children

Good with other dogs

Open with strangers

Apartment friendly

Copes with alone time

Energy and character

Energy level

Playfulness

Easy to train

Barking

5 means very vocal

Care and climate

Grooming needs

Shedding

Drooling

Handles cold

Handles heat

How much a Smooth Fox Terrier eats

Illustrative calculations for neutered adults at midpoint breed weights, with food at 370 kcal per 100 g and 100 g per cup. These are not measured breed requirements. Use actual weight, the food label and veterinary body-condition advice.

Dog	Weight	Calories	Dry food
Female, relaxed lifestyle	7 kg	420 kcal	115 g (1.3 cups)
Female, typical pet	7 kg	480 kcal	130 g (1.3 cups)
Male, typical pet	8 kg	530 kcal	145 g (1.5 cups)
Male, very active	8 kg	670 kcal	180 g (1.8 cups)

Full Smooth Fox Terrier feeding guide Calculate for my dog

Care guides for the Smooth Fox Terrier

Feeding5 cups, divided into two meals. Busy dogs burn more, but a Smooth that spends its days on the sofa can put on weight quickly.Read more Puppy growthSmooth Fox Terrier puppies are small and mature quickly in body, usually reaching adult height at around 9 to 10 months and filling out by 12 months. 5 kg.Read more ExerciseAim for about 60 minutes of activity a day, with at least part of it off lead in a secure area or in structured play. Smooths enjoy ball games, flirt poles, agility, earthdog trials and long walks full of sniffing.Read more GroomingWeekly brushing with a bristle brush or grooming glove keeps the flat coat gleaming. Shedding is steady rather than dramatic, and the short white hairs weave into fabric, so a weekly session with a lint roller may become a habit.Read more HealthFor a small terrier, the Smooth is fairly healthy, but primary lens luxation (where the lens of the eye slips out of place), deafness in some mostly white dogs, kneecap luxation and a hip condition called Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease are all known in the breed. A DNA test exists for primary lens luxation, and good breeders use it and have puppies' hearing checked.Read more

Things owners are often surprised by

1Once shown together with the Wire Fox Terrier as one breed, now recognized separately by most kennel clubs
2Bred to run with foxhounds and drive foxes out of their earths
3A mostly white body was favored so hunters would not mistake the dog for the fox
4Typically weighs around 7 to 8 kg (15 to 18 lb)
5Known for stiff-legged bouncing leaps when excited

Smooth Fox Terrier questions

What is the difference between a Smooth and a Wire Fox Terrier?

The coat is the main difference. The Smooth has a short, flat, hard coat that needs only a weekly brush. The Wire has a dense, wiry coat that needs hand stripping or clipping several times a year. The two share history and temperament and were once shown as a single breed, but most kennel clubs now treat them separately.

Do Smooth Fox Terriers bark a lot?

They can. The breed is alert and reactive, so passers-by, the doorbell and wildlife in the garden often set them off. Enough exercise and mental work reduce nuisance barking considerably. Teaching a quiet cue and keeping your own voice calm also helps, since a shouting owner can sound like someone joining in.

Are Smooth Fox Terriers good with cats?

Many live peacefully with a cat they were raised with, but plenty never lose the urge to chase cats they do not know. Early introductions, lots of supervision and a baby gate the cat can slip through improve the odds. Small caged pets such as hamsters and rabbits are a much riskier combination.

Why does my Smooth Fox Terrier dig so much?

Digging is part of the breed's heritage, since these terriers were bred to follow foxes underground. Rather than fighting it, give your dog a designated digging patch or sandpit with toys buried in it, and praise it for using that spot. Supervise in areas you want to protect and check fence lines for fresh gaps.

Are Smooth Fox Terriers hypoallergenic?

No. They shed short hairs all year and produce the same allergens as other dogs. Their coat is easy to keep clean, and brushing outdoors cuts down hair in the house, but a person with dog allergies will probably still react. Spending time with adult dogs of the breed before committing is the most reliable test.

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