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From Wikipedia The
Wire-Haired Fox Terrier was developed in England by fox hunting
enthusiasts and is believed descended from a now-extinct rough-coated,
black-and-tan working terrier of Wales, Derbyshire, and Durham. The
breed was also believed to have been bred to chase foxes into their
burrows underground, and their short, strong, usually docked, tails were
used as handles by the hunter to pull them back out.
Although it is said Queen Victoria owned one, the Wire-Haired Fox
Terrier was not popular as a family pet until the 1930s, when The Thin
Man series of feature films was created. Asta, the canine member of the
Charles family, was a Wire-Haired Fox Terrier, and the popularity of the
breed soared. Milou (Snowy) from The Adventures of Tintin comic strip is
also a wire-haired Fox Terrier.
In the late 20th century, the popularity of the breed declined again,
most likely due to changing living conditions in the Western world and
the difficulty of keeping hunting terriers in cities due to their strong
instincts. Among the less desirable traits of all fox terriers are their
energy, digging, stalking and chasing of other animals, and yelping
bark.
This notwithstanding, the Wire Fox Terrier has the distinction of having
received more Best in Show titles at major conformation shows than any
other breed.[citation needed] Wire-Haired Fox Terriers kept as pets show
the loyalty, intelligence, and breeding befitting such a storied breed.
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