quite capable of pulling most people down the block due to size, muscle mass and bone density. Some might be able to pull granny’s arm right out of her socket! An 11 ½ -inch Toy Fox Terrier with no weight limit can eas- ily be too much dog for the average American household. (In the 1920s, Toy Fox Terriers that were too big for their own breeding program were intro- duced into the Rat Terrier’s breeding program. With this newest strain, Rat Terrier breeders began producing their own toy-sized offspring.) Link: dogtime. com/dog-breeds/rat-terrier
ting a small male with a large female does not solve this problem! Observ- ing and documenting those dogs that predominantly carry and produce smaller offspring is the key. Striving to reach a consistency in size is a worthy goal and one I believe our breed is in desperate need of. As a breeder, going bigger is no prob- lem whatsoever, especially since our origin is the Smooth Fox Terrier. But, to maintain what breeders strove to achieve in creating and maintaining the toy size and weight for so many genera- tions is hard work.
DO TOY FOX TERRIERS REALLY WANT TO BE LIKE THESE BREEDS?
French Bulldogs G General Height: 11 inches to 1 foot tall at the shoulder G General Weight: 16 to 28 pounds
“...TO MAINTAIN WHAT BREEDERS STROVE TO ACHIEVE IN CREATING AND MAINTAINING THE TOY SIZE AND WEIGHT FOR SO MANY GENERATIONS IS HARD WORK.”
Miniature Bull Terriers
Like all the Bull breeds, the Miniature Bull Terrier packs a lot of muscle mass onto its frame. G Height ranges from 10 to 14 inches G Weight ranges from 23 to 33 pounds (10 to 15 kilograms)
Now I know that some will say that in order to improve the conformation of the TFT, we need to stay away from a weight standard since it seems logical that bigger and denser bone mass should equal better conformation and a reduc- tion in the likelihood of bone breakage. Those who hold to this concept are just as likely to feel that larger bitches are better able to produce larger litters and less likely to run the risk of c-sections, but I will leave this particular issue to another article. Bigger or larger weight or bone does not equal better or more correct conformation nor does it equal less likely to break. Frailness in bone or conformation should not be tolerated in any size TFT. Why are TFTs prone to having broken limbs? That too will be a whole other article. To produce a light framed, healthy, sturdy “toy-sized” Toy Fox Terrier as close to the breed standard should be the priority of every breeder. This takes focus, determination, self-disci- pline and a willingness to remove over time those TFTs that exceed both the weight and height standards and those that tend to produce larger TFTs. Put-
It is my hope that our breed never succumbs to extremes and that breed- ers resist fads and fancies. May judges in all registries play their part in keep- ing the Toy Fox Terrier both a Toy and a Terrier! Don’t be afraid to call for the wicket. Don’t pass over the smaller TFT as inferior or less than in regards to breeding stock. Toy Fox Terriers are toy dogs! And, they are terriers! If you see a TFT that could give a mini or standard rat a beating, then you are looking at way too much TFT! Two key words in our standard should come to mind: refined and elegant. Another beautiful word in our standard is “moderate”. When in doubt, ask yourself two questions. First, would I let my elderly mother or grand- mother manage this dog all by herself? Secondly, the most important ques- tion you should ask yourself is, “Does Size Matter?” REFERENCES G dogbreedinfo.com/ratterrier.htm G www.canidae.com/blog/2013/07/
Staffordshire Terriers
All about the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, info, pictures, res- cues, care, temperament. Link: www.dogbreedinfo.com/staf- fordshirebullterrier.htm . G Height: Males 14-16 inches (36-41 cm) G Height: Females 13-15 inches (33-38 cm)
Basset Hounds
All about the Basset Hound, info, pictures, breeders, rescues, care. Link: www.dogbreedinfo. com/bassethound.htm G Height: Males 12-15 inches (30-38 cm) G Height: Females 11-14 inches (28-36 cm)
Parsons Russell & Jack Russell Terriers
The standard height for the Parson is 12 ½ -15 inches, the Jack Russell Terrier is 10-12 inches.
difference-between-parson-jack- russell-and-russell-terrier.html
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