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194 Australian House & GardenPhotograph from Getty Images.B
igger isn’t necessarily better,
especially when it comes to fox
terriers. That sleek little ball of
black, brown and white that Australians
know and love as the miniature foxie is
actually a smaller version of a larger,
much older breed.
Descended from English smooth-
haired fox terriers crossed with small
dogs, the Australian miniature foxie
established itself as a distinct breed
back in the late 19th century, and was
invaluable at keeping rats out of barns
and rabbits out of paddocks.
Persistent and sometimes hard to rein
in, they are bundles of energy on four
short legs. It’s easy to see why the
phrase ‘terrier-like’ is applied to
someone who won’t be dissuaded from
the task at hand...
When you consider those attributes
along with the fact that terriers get
their name from the word terra, Latin
for ground, it goes some way towards
explaining why miniature foxies are
notorious for getting themselves bitten
by snakes; they just can’t resist chasing
things down holes.
So how do they shape up as pets?
Miniature foxies, with their eager-to-
please and sociable nature, make great
companions for anyone energetic enough
to give them the attention, training and
exercise they require.
Their small size – a mere 30cm high
and weighing around five kilos whenfully grown – means they are suitable
for apartments and townhouses, but
be warned, their energy doesn’t
diminish when they come inside, so be
sure to keep your glassware and any
other prized breakables well out
of harm’s way.
Being natural hunters, miniature
foxies love to chase, and that includes
cars, cats they may not know or
anything else they might consider fair
game, so some early obedience training
is a must.
Sometimes miniature foxies just don’t
seem to realise how small they are, and
are apt to get into confrontations with
much larger dogs if not socialised
properly. So get yours down to the local
leash-free dog park to make friends at
the first opportunity. #It’s easy to see why the miniature fox terrier is
such a beloved breed, writes Roger Crosthwaite.
PETSBreed all about it
Miniature fox terriers are a long-
lived breed and reaching the
ripe old age of 18 years is not
uncommon. They are generally very
healthy, and their short coat requires
very little grooming. If they’re kept
mostly indoors, their nails will
require regular trimming. Miniature
foxie pups sell for about $750. The
Mini Foxie Club of Australia (www.
minifoxie.org) can direct you to
a registered breeder.SMALL WONDERS