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Monday 7 April 2014

A-Z Challenge 2014 - 'F'


F - Fox Terrier, Fox Hound

There are two breeds of fox terrier for us to admire. 


Smooth Fox Terrier - Ivory Super Pride
(By Renata Schwarzove (CZ) - Owner)
The Smooth Fox Terrier's original job was to hunt vermin and it was often seen as a stable dog.
However I have to say it's the wire-haired terrier that is my favourite.


Wired-haired Fox Terriers
(Listed on Flickr as Daisy & Gatsby - by Alicia Nijden, CC BY 2.0)
Great rabbiters, but as their name implies they will also pursue foxes, They originated in the coal-mining areas of Durham and Derbyshire.

Those of you who are fans of Herge's "Adventures of Tintin" will know that his dog Snowy is a white Wired-haired Fox Terrier. 

In literature, Montmorency,a wired-haired too, accompanies the men in Jerome K Jerome's "Three Men in a Boat."

Thomas Hardy was not a fan of the smooth fox terrier after he was bitten by one. His wired-haired dog, appropriately named Wessex, featured in two of his poems.
"Dead Wessex." A Dog to the Household as you might guess from the title is a much sadder affair. I'll let you find that one for yourself.

Foxhounds, one of the four foxhound breeds are scent hounds, bred to hunt. However fox hunting with dogs is now banned in the UK and they have to follow a laid-down scent instead.

Pack of Foxhounds - August 2004
(By Luna04 at fr.wikipedia - CC BY-SA 3.0)
I just wonder how long it will be before they ban the old folk songs too,


Or is it a case of "if you can't beat them, join them?"



16 comments:

Alan Burnett said...

They really are handsome looking dogs aren't they.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

enjoyed the shots

Pat Hatt said...

The wired haired one would be my favorite too, the cat may have issues though haha

Jo said...

Well at least real fox hunting is banned now. I love that pic of the fox amongst the dogs. I also prefer the wired-haired version.

Let's face it, when we were young, the sight of the hunt was a wonderful thing and always enjoyed. It wasn't until many years later that people, and I, wised up.

Jo said...

Just played the song. Haven't heard that in years, brought back some memories.

Jo said...

Damnit Bob, now I have an earworm. D'ye ken John Peel....

S. L. Hennessy said...

They're such cute cute dogs. I want one so bad!! Happy A to Z!

Kim Van Sickler said...

My first dog was a mutt: a lab-terrier mix. She was the size of a fox terrier and all black. She loved to fetch and swim and go on runs with me. A real sweetheart!

Julie Flanders said...

They are both cute but I love the wire-haired the most too. Love their beards. :)

L. D. said...

I like seeing all the shots of the dogs. The fox among the dogs is a classic.

Cherie Reich said...

I think the wire-haired terriers are much cuter. :)

A-Z Challenging at Untethered Realms

Unknown said...

Beautiful Dogs.

alberta ross said...

When I was 10 my first dog was a Manchester Terrier which I was told was a mix between the smooth and wire - lived until he was 19, independent to the end - long after I had grown up and left home.

I haven't seen a Manchester for years are they still around I wonder - or have they fallen out of fashion

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Bob - wonderful photos .. and I too love the Wired Haired Fox terriers .. but stunning photos - the show dogs! Also the hunting pictures .. while the 'might as well join them' .. is fun ..

Cheers Hilary

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Bob .. I love the wire-haired fox terriers too - love their beards .. while the dogs look so well groomed and photos so professional (I know they are) .. but the fun .. 'might as well join them' picture is just enjoyable to see ...

D'ya'Ken John Peel .. is a favourite song and I don't ride or hunt ..

Cheers and no comment on rules and regulations! Hilary

Lisa said...

I'm a great fan of TinTin and "Snowy" as he's called in English. (Milou in the original French)And have to love that photo of the fox in the herd of dogs! Cute.