equal balance whether seen from front or profile and it should be in proportion to the dog. This head study exemplifies proper stop, ratio, proportion, strength, shape and ear size and placement. An apple head is faulty. Muzzle is parallel to top of skull and strong enough to grasp a varmit. Lips are small and tight. Bite is preferred full and complete with strong white teeth that meet in a scissors. Lost teeth should not to be faulted as long as the bite is correct. Neck is proudly erect, arched, curved, muscular, and should not be throaty. In fact, this is a dog that fills up his supple skin so there should be no wrinkles anywhere. The neck length is approximately the same as the head but you don’t need to measure. This stan- dard clearly describes overall balance with no one feature exaggerated. A swan neck would be too weak to allow the TFT to snap the neck of a rodent in one swift shake. Topline is level wheth- er moving or standing. The Body tapers slightly from ribs to flank when viewed from above and has moderate tuck-up. It should not appear racy in outline, this is a Terrier with substance. The chest is deep and muscular with well sprung ribs and deep brisket, reaching to the elbow. The Back is straight, level, and muscular and the Loin is short and strong. The Croup is also level with topline and well rounded. The Tail is set on high, held erect and in propor- tion to dog, meaning docked to the 3rd or 4th joint. Forequarters are well angulated but not overdeveloped meaning they are well muscled but not bulging. The forechest is well developed. Feet are small and oval with strong well-arched tight toes and deep pads. Hindquarters are strong and mus- cular, both the upper and lower thigh, which should be of good length. Weak underdeveloped rear quarters could be from “lack of conditioning” but in a dog as active as the TFT, that means the exhibit is not properly kept. A Toy Fox Terrier will always be hard and muscu- lar if well bred and given even a short opportunity to exercise each day. Stifles are clearly defined and well angulated so a steep rear with weak tendons is a serious genetic flaw in a dog that has always earned its keep, or it indicates lack of care. The breed is not cow- hocked. Period. Rear Dewclaws should be removed if present.
Photo © Holloway
Coat is shiny, satiny, fine in texture and smooth to the touch. It is not open, coarse or wiry. The ruff and onto the neck and shoulders is slightly longer. Although the standard states it uni- formly covers the body, it will be thin- ner on muzzle, inside of legs, and feet. The coat should feel as though the dog is snugly wrapped in satin. Color is usually tri-color but white and tan, black and white, and tri-color with chocolate in place of black is equal- ly acceptable. The body is always over fifty percent white regardless of the head color. The Tri-Color (black head or chocolate head) must have sharply defined tan markings on cheeks, lips, and eye dots. Body spots (black, tan, or chocolate) should be rich and clear and of the same color as the head. Blaz- es are acceptable but may not touch the eyes or ears. The body should be
clear white but a small amount of tick- ing is not penalized. Gait is smooth and flowing, not mincing, not high stepping and most definitely not hackney. The front legs should reach well out in a straight line from shoulder to foot with no wasted motion or flipping of pasterns. The rear has strong drive as befits a dog that is fit and muscular enough to do the many tasks we have asked of him. Again, emphasis is on a level straight topline and the head and tail carriage is erect. Temperament is intelligent but let’s face it, no standard calls for the dog to be a dullard. This standard spells it out. He learns new tasks easily, is eager to please, and adapts to almost any situa- tion. He is like other Terriers and not easily intimidated so you can forgive a puppy for being a bit overwhelmed, but the adult should be self-possessed, spir- ited, determined. Then, just to be sure you got the message, it warns that any dog lacking good Terrier attitude and personality is to be faulted. You will either like this spirited little dog, or you won’t. But what you must do is take time to learn what makes him a Toy Fox Terrier and how to weigh his many virtues and then make a commit- ment to judge him with his background and heritage in your mind. Feel free to judge him with pride in what Americans can do. He is among only a few breeds developed in this country and he takes a back seat to none!
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