General Appearance
The Toy Fox Terrier is truly a toy and a terrier
and both have influenced his personality and
character. As a terrier, the Toy Fox Terrier
possesses keen intelligence, courage, and
animation. As a toy his is diminutive, and
devoted with an endless abiding love for his
master. The Toy Fox Terrier is a well-balanced
Toy dog of athletic appearance displaying grace
and agility in equal measure with strength and
stamina. His lithe muscular body has a smooth
elegant outline which conveys the impression of
effortless movement and endless endurance. He is
naturally well groomed, proud, animated, and
alert. Characteristic traits are his elegant
head, his short glossy and predominantly white
coat, coupled with a predominantly solid head,
and his short high-set tail.
Size, Proportion
and Substance
Size: 8.5 - 11.5 inches, 9 -11
preferred, 8.5 - 11.5 acceptable.
Proportion: The Toy Fox Terrier is
square in proportion, with height being
approximately equal to length; with height
measured from withers to ground and length
measured from point of shoulder to buttocks.
Slightly longer in bitches is acceptable.
Substance: Bone must be strong,
but not excessive and always in proportion to
size. Overall balance is important.
Disqualification: Any dog under 8.5 inches
and over 11.5 inches.
Head
The head is elegant, balanced and expressive
with no indication of coarseness.
Expression is intelligent, alert, eager
and full of interest. Eyes:
clear, bright and dark, including eye-rims, with
the exception of chocolates whose eye-rims
should be self-colored. The eyes are full, round
and somewhat prominent, yet never bulging, with
a soft intelligent expression. They are set well
apart, not slanted, and fit well together into
the sockets. Ears: The ears are
erect, pointed, inverted V-shaped, set high and
close together, but never touching. The size is
in proportion to the head and body.
Disqualification: Ears not erect on any dog
over six months of age. Skull:
is moderate in width, slightly rounded and
softly wedge shaped. Medium stop, somewhat
sloping. When viewed from the front, the head
widens gradually from the nose to the base of
the ears. The distance from the nose to the stop
is equal to the distance from the stop to the
occiput. The cheeks are flat and muscular, with
the area below the eyes well filled in.
Faults: Apple head. Muzzle:
Strong rather than fine, in proportion to the
head as a whole and parallel to the top of the
skull. Nose: Black only with
the exception of self-colored in chocolate dogs.
Disqualification: Dudley nose.
Lips: are small and tight fitting.
Bite: a full complement of
strong white teeth meeting in a scissors bite is
preferred. Loss of teeth should not be faulted
as long as the bite can be determined as
correct. Disqualification: Undershot,
wry mouth, overshot more than 1/8 inch.
Neck,
Topline and Body
The neck is carried proudly erect, well set on,
slightly arched, gracefully curved, clean,
muscular and free from throatiness. It is
proportioned to the head and body and widens
gradually blending smoothly into the shoulders.
The length of the neck is approximately the same
as that of the head. The topline
is level when standing and gaiting. The
body is balanced and tapers slightly
from ribs to flank. The chest
is deep and muscular with well sprung ribs.
Depth of chest extends to the point of elbow.
The back is straight, level,
and muscular. Short and strong in loin with
moderate tuck-up to denote grace and elegance.
The croup is level with topline
and well-rounded. The tail is
set high, held erect and in proportion to the
size of the dog. Docked to the 3rd or 4th joint.
Forequarters
Forequarters are well angulated. The shoulder is
firmly set and has adequate muscle, but is not
overdeveloped. The shoulders are sloping and
well laid back, blending smoothly from neck to
back. The forechest is well developed. The
elbows are close and perpendicular to the body.
The legs are parallel and straight to the
pasterns which are strong and straight while
remaining flexible. Feet are small and oval,
pointing forward turning neither in nor out.
Toes are strong, well-arched and closely knit
with deep pads.
Hindquarters
Hindquarters are well angulated, strong and
muscular. The upper and lower thighs are strong,
well muscled and of good length. The stifles are
clearly defined and well angulated. Hock joints
are well let down and firm. The rear pasterns
are straight. The legs are parallel from the
rear and turn neither in nor out. Dewclaws
should be removed from hindquarters if present.
Coat
The coat is shiny, satiny, fine in texture and
smooth to the touch. It is slightly longer in
the ruff, uniformly covering the body.
Color
Tri-Color: Predominately black head
with sharply defined tan markings on cheeks,
lips and eye dots. Body is over fifty-per-cent
white, with or without black body spots.
White, Chocolate and Tan: Predominately
chocolate head with sharply defined tan markings
on cheeks, lips and eye dots. Body is over
fifty-percent white, with or without chocolate
body spots. White and Tan:
Predominately tan head. Body is over
fifty-percent white with or without tan body
spots. White and Black: Predominately
black head. Body is over fifty percent white
with or without black body spots. Color should
be rich and clear. Blazes are acceptable, but
may not touch the eyes or ears. Clear white is
preferred, but a small amount of ticking is not
to be penalized. Body spots on black headed
tri-colors must be black; body spots on
chocolate headed tri-colors must be chocolate;
both with or without a slight fringe of tan
alongside any body spots near the chest and
under the tail as seen in normal bi-color
patterning. Faults: Color, other than
ticking, that extends below the elbow or the
hock. Disqualifications: A blaze
extending into the eyes or ears. Any color
combination not stated above. Any dog whose head
is more than fifty-percent white. Any dog whose
body is not more than fifty-percent white. Any
dog whose head and body spots are of different
colors.
Gait
Movement is smooth and flowing with good reach
and strong drive. The topline should remain
straight and head and tail carriage erect while
gaiting. Fault: Hackney gait.
Temperament
The Toy Fox Terrier is intelligent, alert and
friendly, and loyal to its owners. He learns new
tasks quickly, is eager to please, and adapts to
almost any situation. The Toy Fox Terrier, like
other terriers, is self-possessed, spirited,
determined and not easily intimidated. He is a
highly animated toy dog that is comical,
entertaining and playful all of his life. Any
individuals lacking good terrier attitude and
personality are to be faulted.
Disqualifications
Any dog
under 8.5 inches or over 11.5 inches.
Ears not erect on any dog over six months of
age.
Dudley nose.
Undershot, wry mouth, overshot more than 1/8
inch.
A blaze extending into the eye or ears.
Any color combination not stated above.
Any dog whose head is more than fifty percent
white.
Any dog whose body is not more than fifty
percent white.
Any dog whose head and body spots are of
different colors.
Approved: July 8, 2003
Effective: August 27, 2003 |