Page 232 - Showsight February 2013

Judging The Toy Fox Terrier
By Kelley Maldon
ATFTC Judges Education Chair T he Toy Fox Terrier is a
small terrier that ranges
in size from 8½" to 11
½". They are the epit-
ome of a big dog in a
small package. Their
personality and temperament should
reflect terrier courage and animation. They
should have grace, elegance and agility all
displayed in equal measures that balance
and compliment the total dog.
Type and temperament are embodied
in a well-balanced, square package of terri-
er attitude that moves forward with grace,
elegance, gusto and style. The body is bal-
anced with the length approximately equal
to the height. The length is measured from
the point of shoulder to the point of but-
tocks with the height being measured from
the withers to the ground.
Substance should be substantial but not
overdone for the size of the dog. Although
the AKC breed standard makes no men-
tion of the correct weight for a Toy Fox
Terrier, the original UKC breed standard
that was the blue print for the breed does.
It states a dog of correct size should weigh
between 3½ and 7 lbs. The UKC standard
goes so far as to disqualify a dog that does
not fall within this size range. Toy Fox Ter-
riers are both “Toys” and “Terriers”.
The Toy Fox Terrier’s characteristic
traits are his elegant head, square ath-
letic body with a short tail set on high,
and his short, satiny and predominantly
white coat (with or without body spots).
He is naturally well-groomed, proud,
animated and alert.
The head is elegant, balanced and
expressive with no indication of coarse-
ness. The distance from the nose to the
stop is equal to the distance from the stop
to the occipital point. The skull is slightly
rounded but never domed or apple head-
ed. The expression is intelligent, alert and
full of interest. The eyes are round and
dark, set well apart and fitting well into
the sockets. The ears are high set, close
together and balance with the size of the
head and the body.
“The Toy Fox Terrier’s
characteristic traits are his
eleganT head, square aThleTic body
wiTh a shorT Tail seT on high, and his shorT,
saTiny and predominanTly whiTe coaT
(with or without body spots).”
228 • ShowSight Magazine, February 2013