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Breed profile · Terrier Group

Smooth Fox Terrier

The “gentleman of the terrier world” — a small, smooth-coated hunter built to go to ground after fox, and the breed that won the first four Best in Show awards Westminster ever gave.

Help us improve it. This is one of ThePetAdvisor’s breed profiles, built from public sources with generous links to the people who actually own this breed’s knowledge. If something’s off or missing, the parent club can claim the page and set it straight — see the bottom of the page.

A Smooth Fox Terrier stacked in profile on green carpet in the show ring, with a handler in dark attire beside it
A Smooth Fox Terrier stacked in the ring, predominantly white with black and tan markings. AI-generated image.

Do you have a photo of a Smooth Fox Terrier in the American show ring? We’d love this page to lead with one. If you have a show photo you’d let us use, email it to [email protected] — tell us the dog’s name and the show, and we may feature it here.

1. Breed at a glance

AKC group
Terrier — recognized since 1885 (as Fox Terrier; a separate breed since 1985)
Size
Dog: up to 15½″ at the withers, 18 lbs in show condition. Bitch: proportionately lower, about 16 lbs.
Coat
Smooth, flat, hard, dense, abundant. White predominates, with black and/or tan markings. No stripping needed.
Temperament
Gay, lively, active — the AKC calls them the “gentleman of the terrier world.”
Energy
High. The parent club calls them “very lively, cheerful and funny” — and they mean it.

Size, weight, and coat facts are from the AKC standard as published by the American Fox Terrier Club (approved July 8, 2002; effective August 28, 2002). Temperament and energy notes from aftc.org.

2. History

Fox terriers as a type go back to Britain in the 1700s, bred for fox hunting. The Smooth is the older of the two coats, by some twenty years. Likely ancestry runs to the now-extinct Smooth Black and Tan Terriers, Bull Terriers, Beagles, and Greyhounds — a mix prized by hunters for speed, intelligence, and tracking ability. The job was to accompany packs of foxhounds and, when the fox went to ground, to dig and wiggle into the earth and bolt it — or hold it — barking to pinpoint where it had gone. “Terrier” is the earth dog’s name. (Sources: Chewy breed guide; ShowSight breed profile; National Purebred Dog Day.)

A portrait painted by Sawrey Gilpin in 1790 of Colonel Thornton’s dog Pitch, a Smooth Fox Terrier, shows a dog the breed would still recognize today — it has changed very little in more than two centuries. The Fox Terrier Club of England was founded in 1876 and drew up the first standard. Smooths were first imported to the United States in 1879. Six years later, in 1885, the American Fox Terrier Club was founded — the first specialty club ever to become a member of the American Kennel Club (1888) — and the Fox Terrier was officially recognized by the AKC the same year. Smooth and Wire were shown as two varieties of one breed for a century, until they were divided into two separate breeds in 1985. Both still sit under the one parent club. (Sources: AFTC; National Purebred Dog Day.)

Engraving of Ch. Claud Duval, a Smooth Fox Terrier, from 1900
Ch. Claud Duval, a Smooth Fox Terrier of the “new type,” as engraved in 1900. From All about dogs (New York, J. Lane, 1900). Public domain.
Engraving of Belgrave Joe, a Smooth Fox Terrier, from 1900
“Belgrave Joe,” a Smooth Fox Terrier of the “old type,” from the same 1900 book. The two engravings sat side by side as the breed’s look was settling. Public domain.

No breed owns more of Westminster’s early history. A Smooth Fox Terrier, Ch. Warren Remedy, bred by Winthrop Rutherfurd, won the first Best in Show the Westminster Kennel Club ever awarded — and then won it again in 1908 and 1909, the only dog ever to win it three times, three years running. Ch. Sabine Rarebit made it four in a row in 1910. Despite winning the first four Best in Show titles at Westminster, the Smooth has not won one since. At Crufts, the Smooth has never won Best in Show. (Sources: Fox Terrier; AKC Westminster fun facts.)

The modern chapter is being written by Wager. The two-year-old GCHB CH Aimhi Side Bet, owned, bred, and handled by Amy Rutherford of Elverta, California, won the Terrier Group at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on February 3, 2026, at Madison Square Garden — top honors among the 28 dogs in the group, judged by Ms. Polly Smith — and went on to the Best in Show final, where Penny the Doberman Pinscher took the top prize. The American Fox Terrier Club lists Wager as its #1 Smooth Fox Terrier of 2025. (Sources: AKC: Meet the 2026 Westminster Group Winners; AFTC.)

3. The standard, and why it’s written that way

Read the Smooth standard as an engineering spec for a fox-earth dog, and every odd detail clicks into place. The quotes below are from the official standard (approved July 8, 2002; effective August 28, 2002):

  • Built to fit down a hole. “A full-sized, well balanced dog should not exceed 15½ inches at the withers… nor should the length of back from withers to root of tail exceed 12 inches,” at 18 pounds. And: “Weight is not a certain criterion of a Terrier’s fitness for his work — general shape, size and contour are the main points; and if a dog can gallop and stay, and follow his fox up a drain, it matters little what his weight is to a pound or so.” The size limits aren’t arbitrary — they’re the dimensions of a fox earth.
  • A hunter’s build, short back. “He should stand like a cleverly made hunter, covering a lot of ground, yet with a short back, as stated below. He will then attain the highest degree of propelling power, together with the greatest length of stride that is compatible with the length of his body.”
  • A vise for a mouth. “Jaws, upper and lower, should be strong and muscular and of fair punishing strength, but not so as in any way to resemble the Greyhound or modern English Terrier.” That grip was for holding a fox.
  • The tail. “Stern should be set on rather high, and carried gaily, but not over the back or curled, docked to leave about three quarters of the original length of the tail. It should be of good strength, anything approaching a ‘Pipestopper’ tail being especially objectionable.”
  • White on purpose. “White should predominate; brindle, red or liver markings are objectionable. Otherwise this point is of little or no importance.” The predominantly white coat was valued because it let hunters tell the dog from the fox when both came out of the ground, even in poor light.
  • A hard, flat coat. “Coat: Should be smooth, flat, but hard, dense and abundant. The belly and underside of the thighs should not be bare.” No trimming, no stripping — the coat is the breed’s low-maintenance gift (see section 5).
  • Movement is the exam. “Movement, or action, is the crucial test of conformation. The Terrier’s legs should be carried straight forward while traveling, the forelegs hanging perpendicular and swinging parallel with the sides, like the pendulum of a clock.”
  • Temperament in one line. “Temperament: The dog must present a generally gay, lively and active appearance.” That’s the whole temperament section of the standard — and it’s enough.

4. Temperament & living with one

The parent club’s own description: outgoing, alert, active dogs, originally bred to be independent hunters. “Although Fox Terriers have minds of their own, they are very affectionate and companionable… Fox Terriers are a high energy breed, very lively, cheerful and funny. But after running and playing, they will sleep all night on your bed or cuddle next to you on the couch watching TV.” The AKC calls the Smooth the “gentleman of the terrier world” — “a lively, gregarious terrier with a devil-may-care attitude.” (Sources: aftc.org; AKC Smooth Fox Terrier page.)

The honest version: this is not a couch dog that happens to be small. A Smooth needs a job — training, sport, long walks, a fenced yard to tear around — and an owner who finds the mischief funny rather than exasperating. They are vocal and watchful over the home, quick to bark at strangers, and their hunting instincts mean they will chase squirrels and rabbits given half a chance. Give them work and they’re deeply affectionate clowns. Leave them bored and they will redecorate. With intelligence and determination, their careers today include obedience and agility winners, search and rescue, drug detection, circus performers, and service dogs for the disabled. Smooth Fox Terriers typically live 12 to 15 years. (Sources: aftc.org; Chewy breed guide.)

5. Grooming: the easy coat in the terrier world

Here is the Smooth’s great practical advantage over its Wire cousin: the coat takes care of itself. A weekly brushing with a firm brush or a hound glove is usually enough to keep the short, dense coat looking sharp, and unless the dog gets into something messy, a bath about once a month — every four to six weeks — will do. No trimming. No stripping. (Grooming facts from Chewy and Wisdom Panel.)

One thing to know before you buy the white furniture: Smooths do shed. The hair is short, so it’s less noticeable than the fur of many breeds, but it sheds year-round and somewhat heavily when the weather changes in spring and fall — brush every other day during the seasonal shed. Beyond the coat, the routine is nails every two weeks and teeth at least three times a week, daily if you can manage it.

6. Health testing

The national parent club recommends two health tests for breeding stock (per AKC’s published breed-club health testing requirements):

  • Patella evaluation (luxating patellas occur in the breed)
  • Cardiac exam

If you’re buying a puppy, ask the breeder to show you these results — and check the current OFA/CHIC requirements for the breed, which the parent club updates over time. Some breeders test beyond the two required tests — hips, Legg-Calvé-Perthes, BAER hearing, eyes, DNA panels — as their own practice; that’s above the club requirement, not instead of it.

Conditions sometimes reported in the breed — not screening requirements, just what to know about — include patellar luxation, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, mitral valve disease, primary lens luxation, cataracts, and deafness. (Sources: MetLife Pet Insurance breed spotlight; PetGov breed profile.)

7. The specialty year: the national specialty is the anchor

Every breed has one show a year that matters most: the parent club’s national specialty. For Smooths, that’s the American Fox Terrier Club’s national specialty — and the AFTC holds two a year: a roving national each March (Louisville, Kentucky, in recent years) and the October national at Montgomery, held each October in Pennsylvania as part of the Montgomery weekend cluster. The October show draws the deepest Smooth entry of the year, from the most serious fanciers in the country, and a Best of Breed win there is among the most prestigious in the breed.

What judges are looking for comes straight from the standard: a balanced, short-backed terrier, 15½ inches and 18 pounds, with the hard, flat, smooth coat, the keen expression, and movement that’s “the crucial test of conformation.”

The most recent national specialty was Sunday, October 4, 2026, at the Montgomery County Kennel Club show in Macungie, Pennsylvania — the club’s 315th specialty show, judged by Ms. Molli Nyman of Finland, with sweepstakes judged by Mr. D. Andrew Green. Best of Breed went to GCHG CH Aimhi Side Bet — “Wager” — who went on to place third in the Terrier Group under Ms. Pamela Bruce. (Sources: the official Montgomery premium list; AKC event results.)

The year’s other national specialty, the roving national, was Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the Evansville Kennel Club show in Louisville, Kentucky, judged by Mr. James A. Moses.

No Smooth entry count from the official Montgomery judging program is published here — the program is no longer hosted by the superintendent, and no text-accessible copy could be verified.

Best of Opposite Sex, Winners Dog, and Winners Bitch from the 2026 Montgomery specialty had not been published in an official source as of November 2026 and will be added here when they are.

The next national specialty is the 2027 roving national, Saturday, March 13, 2027, at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky (Evansville Kennel Club host show; entries close Wednesday, February 24, 2027). Judges had not been announced as of November 2026.

The October 2027 Montgomery national had not been announced as of November 2026; dates and judges to be announced.

Full Montgomery weekend guide →

8. Regional specialties through the year

The national is the anchor, but it’s not the only specialty. Regional fox terrier clubs hold their own specialties through the year, and they’re where most exhibitors actually campaign their dogs. The verified 2026 Smooth specialties:

  • Fox Terrier Club of Northern California — designated specialty with sweepstakes, Saturday, February 14, 2026, at the Sun Maid Kennel Club show, Fresno, California. Judge and entry counts were not listed in the sources consulted.
  • Mid South Fox Terrier Club of Memphis — designated specialty, Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Louisville Kennel Club show, Louisville, Kentucky, judged by Ms. Lee Whittier.
  • Fox Terrier Club of New England — specialty with sweepstakes, Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Ladies’ Dog Club show, Wrentham, Massachusetts, judged by Mr. Richard W. Powell. Six Smooth entries.
  • Fox Terrier Club of Chicago — designated specialty with sweepstakes, Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the Great Lakes All Terrier Association show, Grayslake, Illinois. Sweepstakes judge Mr. Mark Ulrich; regular-class judge and entry counts were not listed in the sources consulted.
  • Mid South Fox Terrier Club of Memphis — designated specialty with sweepstakes, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Dog Days of Summer Cluster, Batesville, Mississippi. Judge named in the premium list: Kim Ruoff (the premium list does not cleanly separate the regular-class judge from the sweepstakes judge).
  • Greater Twin Cities Fox Terrier Club — specialty, Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Superior, Wisconsin, judged by J. P. Wade. Nine Smooth entries (4 dogs, 5 bitches).
  • Greater Twin Cities Fox Terrier Club — specialty, Sunday, September 20, 2026, at Superior, Wisconsin, judged by Mr. K. E. Berg. Ten Smooth entries (6 dogs, 4 bitches).
  • Fox Terrier Club of New England — specialty with sweepstakes, Friday, October 2, 2026, at the Hatboro show, Macungie, Pennsylvania (Montgomery weekend). Fifty-two Smooth entries; sweepstakes judge Debra Bohle.

Other regional specialties and supported entries will be listed here as they are verified — this section is built from show data, not guesswork. 2027 regional dates had not been announced as of November 2026. Browse upcoming show weekends →

9. Clubs

  • American Fox Terrier Club — the AKC parent club for both Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers, founded 1885. Breeder referral, rescue contacts, and the official standard live here.
  • Fox Terrier Club of New England — holds its specialty, with sweepstakes, at the Hatboro show on the Friday of the Montgomery weekend.
  • Fox Terrier Club of Chicago — holds a designated specialty for Smooth and Wire.
  • Fox Terrier Club of Northern California — AKC-listed specialty club for Fox Terriers; hosts the annual “Wire Walk & Smooth Stroll.”
  • Fox Terrier Club of Maryland — AKC-listed specialty club for Fox Terriers.
  • Lone Star Fox Terrier Club — AKC-listed specialty club (Dallas, Texas).
  • Fox Terrier Fanciers of Puget Sound — AKC-listed specialty club with breeder referral and a breed-rescue contact.
  • The Smooth Fox Terrier Association (UK) — the Smooth-specific club in Britain, founded 1932.

Regional clubs are listed from AKC club and event records. Know a regional fox terrier club we should list? Tell us — or claim the page below.

10. Rescue

  • American Fox Terrier Rescue, Inc. — the national network of unpaid volunteers across the United States and Canada that takes in Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers from animal shelters and helps re-home dogs being given up by owners.
  • Fox Terrier Rescue Northeast — a 501(c)(3) member of American Fox Terrier Rescue, Inc., fostering Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, with Smooths regularly among its adoptable dogs.

11. Breeder vs. rescue: honest guidance

Want a puppy from health-tested parents with a predictable temperament? Go through the AFTC’s breeder referral — the club’s own guidance says to buy from a member breeder bound by its code of ethics, and to ask for the patella and cardiac results in section 6 above. Open to an adult dog? A breed rescue like the ones in section 10 knows its dogs’ personalities and will match you honestly — including telling you when a Smooth isn’t the right fit. Either path beats a pet store or a no-questions-asked online seller.

12. Is this your club’s breed? Claim this page.

Parent club, regional club, or rescue: this page is yours to improve. Send corrections, better history, show-grooming tips, upcoming specialty dates, or rescue updates to [email protected] and we’ll update it — with credit to your club. ThePetAdvisor is the front door, not a replacement: every page here funnels visitors to you.

Sources

ThePetAdvisor is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the American Kennel Club, the American Fox Terrier Club, or any show superintendent.