Breed History
The Smooth Fox Terrier began to be recognizable as a distinct breed during the 18th century in England....
A 1790 painting by Colonel Thornton of his dog, Pitch, is perhaps the first recorded evidence of the breed. For most of their respective histories, the Smooth Fox Terrier and Wire Fox Terrier have been thought to be different varieties of the same breed, but the current thought is that the two dogs actually developed along different lines. The Smooth is likely descended from the Smooth-Coated Black and Tan Terrier, Greyhound, Beagle and Bull Terrier.Aside from the old terrier standby of exterminating rodents and other pests, the Smooth Fox Terrier was also used as a fox bolter. Accompanying a Foxhound pack, the quick little Fox Terrier would bolt after the fox, scaring it from its hole. In this line of work, dogs with white coats were preferred, as they were more easily discernible from the fox in the dark. The Smooth Fox Terrier was one of the first breeds to be shown in the ring, entering dog shows about twenty years before the Wire Fox Terrier. The Fox Terrier (both Smooth and Wire) was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885. Though many at that time already viewed the Smooth and Wire to be different breeds, the AKC did not formally grant that status until 1985.