Toy Fox Terrier - Temperament & Personality
Dog Breeds
Introduction
The Toy Fox Terrier Dog Breed has a personality and temperament that is energetic and sociable. The Toy Fox Terrier is constantly active, loves to have a job to do, and enjoys learning new tricks and commands. This breed has a very high degree of hearing and they are excellent watch dogs.
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Personality
The Toy Fox Terrier was developed in America by breeding Smooth Fox Terriers with toy breeds to bring them down to size. These dogs are a hybrid of classic terrier and toy traits: they are fearless and plucky like a terrier, but enjoy the companionship and affection that comes with being carried and coddled like a toy. They are excellent watchdogs, alert and vigilant, they will quickly sound the alarm when they hear or see someone approaching. Toy Fox Terriers bond deeply with the people they love and insist on being treated as a full member of the family, which includes sleeping in the bed. Toy Foxes make excellent family dogs and are a smart choice for first time dog owners.
Activity Requirements
Toy Foxes do not need a lot of vigorous activity to maintain health and happiness. Their favorite activity in the world is chasing a ball, which they will happily do indoors or outdoors. You should walk your Toy Fox daily, if possible, but as long as they have time to play ball, their activity requirement is pretty much met.
Active owners can enroll their Toy Fox in agility or flyball, which they love. They are highly intelligent dogs who catch on to these activities and usually excel in the ring.
Their size makes Toy Fox Terriers ideal for apartments or condos, but these adaptable animals can happily dwell in any sized living space.
Trainability
Toy Fox Terriers are highly trainable and catch on to new behaviors quickly and easily. All you need to train a Toy Fox are treats and lots of excited praise. These tiny dogs don't take kindly to being treated harshly and will mistrust you if you use physical corrections. Luckily, training them is a joy and they are naturally well-behaved, so they hardly ever test a person's patience.
Toy Fox Terriers are a snap to house train, unlike almost every other terrier and toy breed. They are small enough to use pads of canine litter boxes in the house, which is an added benefit for elderly owners or for people who live in apartments or condos.
Behavioral Traits
Toy Fox Terriers are not recommended for families with toddlers. Small children are far too clumsy and do not understand a dog's boundaries well enough to handle living with a toy breed. The child can injure the dog inadvertently, and if the dog doesn't like being poked at or picked up by a well-meaning child, the dog may snap or bite.
Excessive barking is a common complaint among Toy Fox Terrier owners. They are alert little watchdogs but will bark and just about anything that moves. Teaching your Toy Fox to obey commands to quiet down can save your eardrums and your sanity.
Appearance & Grooming
History and Health