Dog breed · United Kingdom
Fox Terriers are two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of British terriers, and are related to other modern white terrier breeds. In addition, a number of breeds have diverged from these two main types of fox terrier and have been recognised separately, including the Jack Russell Terrier, Miniature Fox Terrier and Rat Terrier. The Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers share similar characteristics, the main differences being in the coat and markings.
History: English physician John Caius described the English terrier type in his 1577 work English Dogges. By the 18th century, it was recorded that all terriers were wire haired, and black and tan in colour. The earliest record of any white terrier was a dog named Pitch, who was owned by Colonel Thomas Thornton in 1790. The dog was the subject of a painting by Sawrey Gilpin, who created a portrait of it while it was still alive. An engraving of this painting, made prior to 1810, was accompanied by the text, "It would be necessary to notice Colonel Thorton's terriers if they were only on account of his justly celebrated Pitch, from whom are descended most of the white terriers in the kingdom." Dog writers of the early 20th century suggested that Pitch was a terrier-greyhound cross, which was how the colour was introduced into the breed.
Not much is known of early 19th century breeding practices that came to create the modern Fox Terrier. However it is thought that the Beagle, Old English Bulldog, English Toy Terrier, Pointer and even Dalmatian were all used in the creation and stabilisation of the breed.
From 1870 onwards, a complete pedigree for Fox Terriers exists. Three dogs, known as Old Jock, Trap and Tartar, are the ancestors of most modern strains of white terrier. Old Jock was bred from a black and tan terrier, while Trap was from the strain out of Reverend John "Jack" Russell's dogs. Russell would later have the Jack Russell Terrier series of breeds named after him. Although definitive history on Tartar is not known, he is also thought to have come from black and tan terrier stock. Of the female dogs from this period, Grove Nettle was the best known. In addition to those dogs, another named Old Tip is thought to be the forefather of the modern Wire Fox Terrier.
