American Toy Fox Terrier

The American Toy Fox Terrier or abbreviated amerta, a decorative breed bred in the USA, has its own original history of origin and features. Thanks to competent breeding work, its representatives do not have most of the health problems inherent in dwarf dogs, and have a lot of positive qualities. Today, unfortunately, it is not often possible to meet dogs of this breed - tiny livestock, cocky and surprisingly charming.

Breed origin

The idea of ​​creating a breed of miniature dogs was influenced by the wide distribution of circus corpses traveling around the States and entertaining the audience with original, spectacular performances. These tiny, active pets had to help their artistic owners and rid them of unpleasant neighbors - rodents.

The breed appeared in the 30s of the 20th century, when interest in various outrageous works steadily grew. As a basis, breeders took the best representatives of two breeds - smooth-haired fox-terriers and chihuahua. Due to the use of high-quality individuals, the offspring resulting from mating did not have serious defects.

In addition, these small dogs turned out to be excellent helpers of hunters who put these crumbs in a bag and carried with them. Dogs were quick and agile, so they successfully pursued a small beast. The breed has existed for a long time, but has not received international recognition. But in 2003, it was approved by a reputable American dog breeders club.

Description of American Toy Fox Terrier breed

Amertoy is a small, harmoniously composed doggie weighing from 1.5 to 3 kg, but his height does not exceed 20 cm at the withers. The ears are a special sign of representatives of this breed - in adults they are large, thin, resemble a leaf of a tree or the ears of a bat. Another nuance is that amertians naturally have a small tail. The general description of the Fox Terriers is as follows:

1. The head is small, elegantly set, without rudeness, slightly wedge-shaped, with dry cheekbones. The muzzle is elongated, with tight-fitting lips, there is a pronounced narrowing to the nose. The jaws are strong, form a regular, scissor bite.
2. The eyes are medium, slightly almond-shaped, shiny, with a dark iris - can be from dark brown to brown shade. Glance smart, lively, interested.
3. Ears are high, erect, with pointed tips, triangular.
4. A neck with a graceful bend, dry, muscular, no suspension, smoothly passes into the shoulders. Harmoniously combined with the head.
5. The body of the amertas is equipped with embossed muscles, starting from the ribs, there is a narrowing to the lower back. The back is straight, even, the croup is round, the chest is of decent depth, with developed muscles, the front part is well developed. The line of a stomach is well tightened.
6. Tail high landing, shortened from birth.
7. In representatives of this breed, the limbs differ in harmony, elegance, straight and stand parallel to each other. They have well-defined angles of joints and developed, embossed hips.
8. The paws are oval in shape, with arched fingers clenched into a tight lump, well-developed paw pads and strong, black claws. Mandatory procedure for removing dewclaws.

Wool and colors

American fox terriers have a short, shiny, tight-fitting fur, reminiscent of satin, it completely covers the body of the animal. The remaining hair in the shoulders and neck is slightly longer than in other areas.

The skin of dogs is thin, elastic. If it is too thin, sagging, devoid of elasticity, and the coat is dull, without shine, then this is considered a disadvantage. The vice is wool with a wave. The predominant color on the body is white, but on the head it should not be more than half.

The best colors are as follows:

1. White with spots of black and tan color . Black hair prevails in the head area. The auricles are black in color on the outside, but inside is a black, narrow edging. The presence of tan spots in the area of ​​the cheekbones, jaws, eyebrows. Some individuals have a white hole on the head, it can also go with the muzzle border behind the nose. Its presence is optional. The standard allows the presence of white markings on the lower part of the muzzle.
2. White with black . The white coat on the body should be predominant, regardless of whether the dog has spots or not. The spots emphasize the whiteness of the rest of the hair, make the dog more bright, elegant. Dogs with pure black marks without tan or brownish impurity, or with small tan marks and brown spots combined with a black spot, are more valued.
3. White with dark red . The coat is reddish in color in the head area. On the outside they are covered with a red coat, on the inside they have a narrow red fringing. In the area of ​​the cheekbones, jaws and above the eyes, spots of dark or light colors, but should stand out against the main background. Some dogs have a borehole; it can continue as a pip over the nose. The presence of small white spots in the lower jaw area is allowed. The wide groove extending to the eye area is considered a disadvantage. The same category includes spots on the extremities located below the wrist or hock.

Colors that do not meet existing requirements, and the presence of other shades of coat, are breed defects. In white and dark red color, red hair should be saturated in color, mixed with chocolate or brown.

The nature of the breed

Toy Fox Terrier is a funny, clever doggie that remains perky and cheerful throughout life. There is no time to be bored with him, especially since the pet will not cease to amaze with its amusing tricks and tricks.

Despite its modest size, the amerta is a very brave, courageous dog, infinitely devoted to the family, not without pride and vigilance. In the family, she is cute and friendly, gets along well with children. But relationships with babies can be problematic - she will not tolerate bullying and careless treatment. Feeling discomfort or pain, he is likely to snap back.

It treats strangers wary, with disbelief. But in the same breed, individuals with different characters are found: some doggies are stubborn and impulsive, others are flexible and calm.

From the terriers, the amertas were given a special passion for digging holes, loud and floody barking. They simply adore exploring a new area - for a long time and persistently, capturing all the aromas. Not a single moving small object will be left without attention. In the summer, the dog can rush with excitement for butterflies and other insects, in the fall - for fallen leaves.

Dogs of this breed can be quite cocky, coming into conflict with other, even very large brothers. Ameroeans have all the qualities inherent in good watchmen - pronounced territoriality, clear, loud barking and alertness.

Like most representatives of decorative breeds, these toi love to be in the spotlight, need affection and communication. Therefore, if a person does not have free time to spend it with a four-legged friend, then you should not buy a puppy of the American fox terrier.

Not receiving a daily portion of communication and attention, the dog becomes sad, in addition, it begins to create a lot of problems. When amertoy has the opportunity to run around and play enough, he turns into a calm pet, who only needs to sit down at the owner’s feet and take a peaceful nap.

Dogs of this breed can get along well with other pets, be it a cat or a dog. But for alien animals, the entrance to its territory will be closed, the dog will vigilantly guard it and drive away all who try to invade.

The small dog, rodents and birds, will be considered a potential prey. So, if there is a canary or a parrot, a hamster or a guinea pig in the house, then you should not endanger them by having a puppy of an amertoy.

Care and Health

Dogs of the American Fox Terrier breed do not require complicated care, they can even be called unpretentious pets. Their short, smooth coat is enough to comb out 1-2 times a month using a suitable brush. Eyes and teeth should be inspected periodically for diseases and contamination.

But the ears should be wiped weekly with a cotton swab soaked in a special antibacterial lotion. With regular, long walks, the pet’s claws naturally stitch. In other cases, they are trimmed using a claw cutter.

Specialists urge owners of such dogs to be vigilant in the spring, when parasites of all sorts become active - lice eaters, fleas, ticks, etc. "Thanks to their" small size, it is not difficult for amert to "collect" them from grass and land. Therefore, it is important to regularly treat the animal with insecticidal agents. For the same period, you can put on a pet a collar that is anti-cloud, which will make the protection even more reliable.

Training

These little dogs love to be near the owner, and any interaction gives them pleasure. And this must be used for fruitful training and education.

Those fox terriers are very smart, curious and quick-witted, they absorb new knowledge like sponges and easily learn commands. Important aspects are early socialization and obedience courses, which will benefit only these high-handed, doggies.

You can entrust the training to basic teams even to a grown up child or a novice dog breeder. Of course, the teacher must be persistent, firm, but be fair. It is also very important for the owner to show that he is the leader in the family, and his authority is indisputable. Then he will understand that the leader’s place is taken here and will not pretend.

With amertoy, if necessary, you can take specialized training courses. For example, these doggies are often used as assistants for people with disabilities - physical, mental disabilities, who are deaf.

Diseases

Among the decorative breeds of that fox terrier, they are distinguished by good health. Their average life expectancy is 15 years. But this only applies to offspring received from healthy parents with good genetics. With random breeding, puppies are often born with different genetic abnormalities.

Amertian slender limbs can be called their most vulnerable spot. Quite often, these doggies are diagnosed with dislocations of the patella. In advanced cases, this pathology can cause lameness or deformation changes in the structure of the skeleton. In addition, common pathologies are as follows:

• Perthes syndrome - necrotic changes in the femoral head;
• dermatological diseases (scabies, dermatitis, demodicosis, etc.);
• allergic manifestations;
• von Willebrand syndrome (hereditary blood disease);
• congenital form of hypothyroidism.

Feeding

Like all fox terriers, amertoys have excellent appetite and are almost omnivorous. But owners should carefully monitor what their pet eats, as these dogs are prone to food allergies. With natural feeding, it is advisable to exclude beets and millet, which are strong allergens.

Pet food should be given in small portions, given the dog’s lifestyle. Lazy doggies should eat less to rule out possible obesity. It is advisable to increase the amount of food for active Toya.

Most often, owners are inclined to the option of feeding the pet with industrial feeds. Modern high-quality rations contain all the necessary elements, they are easy to dose. It is enough to give a dog food twice a day - in the morning and evening hours.

To avoid the difficulties that arise when choosing the right food, you can ask the breeder how he feeds the puppies. If the owner wants to transfer the dog to diets of a different brand, then this should be done gradually.

Pet content

Compact and unpretentious - this is how the owners of their amertas characterize. If the family lives in a small apartment, then there is sure to be a place for a little four-legged friend.

Do not think that this fidget can be accustomed to the tray and not be taken outside, like many representatives of dwarf breeds. The seething blood of the terriers flows in the veins of the toy, making them so active, mobile and cheerful.

In good weather, walks can be long, until the dog requires it, to take him home. If the weather outside the window, then the pet should be dressed in clothes and still go for a walk.

Photo of American Toy Fox Terrier

Video of the American Toy Fox Terrier

Buying a puppy

When deciding to purchase a puppy of the American Toy Fox Terrier breed, do not rush. It is important to choose an experienced breeder or nursery that specializes in breeding two or three breeds, but no more. Only with competent breeding is it possible to get puppies without genetic disorders.

Puppies of this breed are not cheap, at least you will have to pay 15,000 rubles. On average, the offspring that meets the standard and is allowed to mate costs about 40000-50000 rubles.

In Moscow, there are 2 nurseries in which you can purchase amertoy:

• Alma da Steol, Moscow http://almadesteol.com/
• Galaho Happy Day, Moscow https://galachohappyday.jimdo.com/

Amerthoi are small fox terriers with dignity, courage and devotion. They are not pampered, sensitive individuals, therefore, treat such a pet should be like an ordinary dog, with respect and seriousness.