Miniature Fox Terrier vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison

Known as Mini Foxies or Toy Fox Terriers, these dogs hail from Australia, having been bred there since the 1800s already.

They are descendants of fox terrier types which were bred in England and then brought to Australia by early settlers.

It is believed the small Smooth Fox Terriers were crossed with Manchester Terriers and then the puppies further bred and crossed with other small breeds. The idea was to have a small, light, quick dog. The Miniature Fox Terrier is exactly like this, developed as a hunting dog.

The Koolie, as a breed we know today, originates from Australia. But, before they were breed and imported, they were the mix made of Britain smooth coated blue merle Collie and the Black and Tan Collie from the Highlands of Scotland. The Koolie came to Australia to work as a kennel dog since they are known as the working, farm dog that can adapt to any weather condition. They were bred to be agile and non-aggressive quiet herding dogs, and they have kept most of those good characteristics until today.

With longevity on his side, the Miniature Fox Terrier can live to be between 10 and 14 years of age or live to be even older - up to 18 years of age.

He stands at between 24 – 30cm and weighs anything between 3 and 6kg. His coat is short but he sheds quite a bit so regular brushing will become necessary.

The coat is smooth and is mostly white and tan or white and black but it can be tri-colored too – white, black and tan.

The ears are semi-erect, semi floppy and he has a bright, expectant look about him. The tail has always been traditionally docked, giving him a distinctive look, but now it tends to be undocked.

Temperament:

Your Miniature Fox Terrier is a bold little dog, and is protective and loyal towards his human family. He is lively and courageous and has lots of energy so he will be wanting lots of games indoors and out. He will love to go on a walk every day.

They make great family pets, getting on well with children and other pets in the home. They’re adaptable and can do well in the city or the countryside.

Koolie is a medium bred. Their head is small, with a pointy jaw. Ears are pricked, semi-dropped or dropped. Their coat can be smooth or rough, short or medium length, always with the undercoat. The colours can be Red or Blue Merle, solid Red or Black, sometimes with minimal white or cream speckles. They are usually two-coloured or tricoloured, but some of them are actually one-coloured.

Some Koolie have one or two blue, green or yellow eyes. Eye colour is, of course, affected by the gene that creates the coat pattern and eye colour as well.

They are athletic dogs, with fine bone structure but great stamina. Actually, they were breed to be like that – to work hard, be noticeable among the sheep, eat little and be loyal to one person.

Miniature Fox Terriers aren’t going to disappoint you one bit in terms of making an excellent pet.They make great family pets. They are loyal companions and they also make great watchdogs, being able to adapt to life in the city as well as the countryside.

They can yap quite loudly so you need to be careful of this if you live in a small property in the city.

This is such a jaunty little dog, full of fun and high spirits. You won’t know a dull moment with such a friendly, entertaining little pet. In exchange for all he offers you in terms of friendship, he also wants your love and attention.

Provide him with good food, a good deal of exercise, a dry, warm place to sleep and your ongoing attention and he is going to shower you with his love and loyalty.

Around children

Koolie is naturally energetic, playful and affectionate so they are naturally very good to raise with children.

Special talents

They are known as great obedience dog. They are very famous as the tracking dogs.

Some of them are successful as the rescue dogs, therapy dogs or educators for school children.

Adaptability

This is not a type of dog that will be alone in the house, wait for you and then be quiet while you rest. They need a great deal of activity and they are not such great choice for indoor life anyways. The best thing for them would be the large yard, with somebody home most of the time. They are great if raised in a family, with children and active owners. They will be great for a loner at the farm as well since that is in their blood. They need enough place to run, chase, play, rest on the sun and be active as they please. They get affectionate towards their families, but they will be accepting their new home when they are older just fine.

Learning ability

They are very good at learning. Intelligent, yes, but yet very silly and playful to do what is told all the time. They will surprise you with how quickly they will pick up the new trick but not feeling like doing it every time you would like them to. Everything is a play for them, so it would be best if you know how to play, be affectionate and friendly to become a good owner of this breed.

Your Miniature Fox Terrier can live to be between 10 and 14 years of age when looked after well, but there are one or two common dog illness that can plague any dog, and Paella Luxation is one.

Patella luxation is fairly common with small dogs, occuring when the dog’s kneecap becomes dislocated from its thigh bone.Your dog will skip and hop along. Treatment for patella luxation can range from non-invasive treatments such as massage to surgery.

Dental health is important too, and seriously bad breath can be indicative of dental decay. Dental plaque can cause bad breath and lead to other health problems that aren’t directly related to teeth. The heart and kidneys can be put at risk. There are dental products such as canine toothbrush and toothpaste which can be used to clean your dog’s teeth. Don’t ever use human toothpaste as this can be toxic for your pet.

If you are careful enough, you will choose your Koolie form patiently chosen breeders, after checking the health history of the pup and the pup’s family. Advisable is to do these things in person and never to buy a Koolie from a pet shop.

Sometimes, pups can be born blind or deaf pups. They have the great chance of joint problems because of their extreme activity. Their need to run, jump and play all the time may result in damage to cartilage and ligaments, especially since they are not aware of their age most of the time.

There is a chance that pup has skin allergies or immune system issues if they are growing on a farm near the chemicals used for plants, so be careful what kind of herbicide you use if you have a Collie.

In some rare cases, they suffer from seizers. If untreated, they can cause death. If you decide to take him to a regular vet check, you will have a happy and playful life together.

Feed your terrier a quality commercially manufactured dog food twice a day. They are small dogs, but highly energetic so choose dog foods which are geared towards small, energetic dogs.

His age and his activity levels will also give you an idea as to what to feed him. Apart from dry kibble, give him simple, tasty, nutritious home-made food too.Every now and again, add in boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as potato, carrots and spinach. A little bit of raw meat occasionally can also do wonders.

Keep meals plain and simple like this to avoid stomach upsets.

Ensure your pet has constant access to fresh, cool water.

Brush him twice a week to keep the coat free of loose hair. Try and avoid bathing your pet as it causes dry skin and itchiness. Rather wipe him down with a rubber grooming mitt to keep him groomed.

Check his eyes and ears for infection. Check for fleas and ticks and any unusual lumps. Trim his nails too.

Take him to the vet when he appears to be ill and keep his vaccines up to date.

Feeding the puppy and adult

Whether you choose canned food or dry food, treats as biscuits or left-overs, the quantity is the safest way of keeping the balanced diet for your Collie. They like raw meat and raw bones. Make sure not to feed them with cooked bones because they can do more harm than good.

Grooming

Since Koolie coat can be very short with the undercoat or a bit longer with undercoat, bristle brushing every 3 or 4 days will be enough for them. Some of them like the water and some of them don’t and that is perfectly fine since there is no need for a regular bath.

Points for Good Health

Lots of activities and lots of love. They express their love all the time and you can learn a lot from them actually. They like raw bones and from-the-table delicious treats but make sure not to overfeed them.

The best type of activity

Games that need them to be fast and think quickly. Running with them, driving a bike with them (but not on the leash!) would be a great fun for them. Why not leash? They are so playful and happy and they tend to jump and run to the side to chase a butterfly or catch the falling leaf.