Wire Haired Fox Terrier vs Tibetan Spaniel - Breed Comparison

The Wire Haired Fox Terrier originates in England, and it is thought that the dog developed from the white English Terrier being crossed with the Bull Terrier and maybe even the Beagle.

The hunting crowd wanted a dog that was small enough to disappear down a hole to flush out a fox.

Even though the Wire Haired Fox Terrier used to be a pet of Queen Victoria as well as King Edward VII, it only became popular as a family pet in the 1930s.

Known fondly as the Tibbie and being referred to as little lions’, the Tibetan Spaniel is an ancient dog breed.

They appear in ancient art dating way back to 1100BC. This tells you that this small dog has been around for a jolly long time.

When you look at him, you can see that his predecessors were the Pekingese and the Lhaso Apso. It’s odd actually that he is called spaniel, as he doesn’t look like a spaniel at all and he has certainly never been a gun dog. He is more of a companion breed.

Even today, you’ll find these dogs living with monks in monasteries. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1984.

The Wirehaired Fox Terrier is a medium-sized dog, standing at between 33 and 38cm in height and weighing between 6 and 9 kg.

The face is fairly long and he has semi-erect, semi-floppy ears and the high set tail is usually docked. The double coat is wiry, curly and coarse and is essentially white with tan or black markings. White is always the predominant color of the Wire Haired Fox Terrier.

Temperament:

This little dog is cheerful, cheeky, playful, feisty, lovable and full of the joys of life. He is also strong-willed and independent.

He makes a great playmate for kids and loves being in the company of his human family. He will get on well with other pets in the family too.

He is intelligent which means you can have him easily trained and socialized and the kids will love to teach him some tricks too. He is a high energy dog and will require a good dose of exercise.

He’ll become stressed and frustrated if he doesn't get the exercise he needs.

Weighing between 4 to 7kg and standing at 23 to 30cm, the silky, double coat is fairly long and it sheds throughout the year.

The coat can be any color really, from tan to cream to brown and black and even a mix of colors.

The eyes are dark brown, the ears medium length and feathery and the tail is long and feathery too. The nose is fairly short and blunt.

Temperament:

The Tibetan spaniel is a small, active dog breed but not known to be shy or timid. He is an assertive dog, and intelligent too.

He would be better off having training and socialization as he is strong willed, stubborn and independent. He is loving, sweet and devoted to his owners.

He makes a good watchdog dog and will adapt well to life in the city or in the countryside. He can be both social and aloof, enjoying having his human family around him even though he may not be interacting with them.

He is playful and gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He makes an excellent pet for older people too – he just needs to get his regular exercise.

One thing is for sure – when you bring a Wire Haired Fox Terrier into your home, you’re going to have a dog with endless energy. It is why they make such good pets when you’ve got kids in the house.

They like to please their owners and they respond well to training and socialization. They’re also brave and protective, making good watchdogs.

They’re loving, loyal and companionable, and there are plenty of stories about the loyalty of these dogs. Anyone who has had one of them as a pet will tell you what splendid dogs they are.

The Tibetan Spaniel dog is energetic and active, but doesn't require a lot of exercise. This makes him suitable for life in the city as well as the countryside.

He'll enjoy going on walks but he will also look forward to ball games.

They’re social dogs and will relish any interaction with their human family. Give him the love and care he deserves and you’ll be rewarded with a loyal, loving friend.

These robust little dogs can succumb to any one of the many common dog illnesses there are -

Epilepsy:

The Wirehaired Foxy is a healthy dog, but it is thought that Epilepsy could be a problem with this breed. Your spunky dog may seem a little bit confused before he falls to the floor lying on his side and twitching like he’s having a bad dream.

This is brought on by uncontrolled bursts of electrical activity in the dog’s brain. The seizure can last for a minute or so but even so, whether it is a twitch or violent shuddering, it can leave you shocked and disturbed.

He can sometimes even urinate during the seizure. It is imperative to get your pet to the vet who will know precisely how it can be controlled.

Dental Problems:

Dental disease is also a common problem with dogs and unfortunately, your Wire Haired Fox Terrier also battles with this. The problem starts with tartar build-up on the teeth and then it can cause infection of the gums and roots of the teeth.

Left unattended to, your pet could lose his teeth, and it jeopardizes your pet’s health as well.

Tibetan Spaniels are generally healthy, especially if you provide them with good food and exercise.

Whenever you’re looking to buy a puppy, make sure that you do research on where the puppy comes from. You don’t want to bring your puppy home and find that you’re faced with a host of health problems.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

This eye problem effects photoreceptor cells which deteriorate over time and ultimately lead to blindness. It is an inherited disease that occurs in quite a few different breeds of dogs.

Dogs with this disease should never be bred. It isn’t a painful condition but you usually notice it when your dog has night blindness. Day blindness also occurs and later on cataracts can develop too.

Groom your pet. Brush twice weekly. Wire Haired Fox Terrier owners like to hand their pets in at professional groomers to have their hair cut short and made more manageable. The hair is kept quite long around the muzzle.

Check inside the ears that there are no signs of infection.

Trim the nails.

Exercise your pet every day.

Provide your pet with the best food there is. Always buy high quality food that can contribute to your pet’s health and which is suitable for his size, age and activity levels. The Wire Haired Fox Terrier is inclined to be a greedy dog and with a dog like this weight gain can slowly increase and can become a health problem.

Spay or Neuter. This is an excellent idea for your pet if you don’t want puppies. Not only that, spaying or neutering actually decreases the likelihood of your pet getting some types of cancer.

Provide your pet with his own dry, warm, quiet sleep area.

Exercise:

The Tibetan Spaniel isn’t fixated on games and exercise like some other dog breeds are, but even so he isn’t a couch potato either. He will certainly require some moderate exercise such as a good walk every day.

Diet:

You canine friend relies on you to make good food choices for him. Just like human beings have to watch what they eat if they want to remain healthy, dogs can’t just eat anything.

Feeding him an inferior diet will allow sickness. Commercially manufactured dog foods should be chosen with care, and there is a lot of information on the packaging to guide you.

Getting enough minerals and vitamins is imperative for good health. You should also try to give him some simplistic home-made food, while steering clear of toxic foods that could give your pet a whole lot of digestive problems. These are things like chocolates, crisps, peanuts, grapes, onions and spicy, exotic foods.

Just stick to simple, nutritious foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables.

General Care:

• Tibetan Spaniels will benefit from early socialization and training because then they become obedient and well mannered to have around with you wherever you go.

• Provide a warm, dry, quiet sleeping space.

• Get your pet to the vet when he’s sick. As it is, he will need vaccines against serious pet illnesses as a puppy.

• Have your pet spayed or neutered to prevent an unwanted litter.

• Provide general grooming – a brush twice a week, checking inside the ears for redness, checking the eyes and checking for any unusual lumps.