Why did Wire Fox Terriers fall out of fashion?

After "I Love Lucy" they were all downhill.

I have one. She's awesome. People stop us on the street to pet "Asta", "Milou", or "Snowie".

I have a Welsh Terrier. She's awesome.

Because they're weird looking.

That's a heavily groomed show dog, R4. I would never do this to mine. But it helps with winning the Westminster show...

I love Welshies too, R3. And Lakeleands.

Weird you say, R4?

Wire Fox Terriers prefer the company of intelligent people.

I take it back.

Who's the blind makeup artist who tried to draw on Lucy's eyebrows?

My grandparents had them. The last one was inexplicably named “Mike”. Whenever I see someone with one, I get so excited because they’re so rare! I looked up the breeders and the nearest one to me is six hundred miles away, in Ohio. They are great dogs.

I had to search for a long time until I found breeder near Albany.

Like most terriers, aren’t they a bit willful?

Yes they are R12. They walk you, you don't walk them.

Scotties were also very popular in the same era. You rarely see them now.

[quote] I have a Welsh Terrier. She's awesome.

I have a welshie too! Aren't they best? Mine loves all people and dogs (even when they don't like him).

Do you have a pic at hand, r16?

R17, definitely

And here R17

I had a Westie (West Highland terrier) for 18 years, loved him dearly but never again for terriers!

re: Scotties upthread, they can be quite snappy!

There may be other breeds that do it too but I've only seen welsh terriers sit upright in chairs/sofas like humans do. Adorable!--they really think they are humans. You don't own them--THEY own you. And I'm cool with it.

BEYOND adorable R20 & 19.

R23, thank you, I appreciate the compliment! He's the first dog I have ever owned and I'm obsessed. I was warned not to get a terrier as my first dog but aside from having that terrier stubborness/ADHD, I don't think he's particuarly crazy.

Gurls, let’s stay on topic. Nobody else has a Wire Fox Terrier? I would post a picture of mine but she is very private, like the Greta Garbo of dogs.

Charlie the Welshie was the White House dog of the Kennedys!

R21, I have a 3 year old Westie.....your pooch sounds like he/she wore you out. Terriers are absolutely more work for sure.

R27 - you're not Lucy's papa are you?

Clint Eastwood loved a Welshie.

And here it is:

Wow, compare the first family at R26 with the one we have now. Makes me ill. The Trumps apparently have no pets, which is a good thing for pets.

Also meant to say, all breeds have their day--terriers in the 30s, collies in the 40s, cockers in the 50s, etc.

The fact that Trump hates dogs say everything yo need to know about him. What a contrast to previous occupants.

The Trumps are first family to have no pet since...uh, I don't know when. At least they knew that it wouldn't burnish their image because we all knew it would ring false, soulless cunts that they are.

Ugh and back to the Trumps we go. Poor wire hair terriers. Maybe after Covid and Trump the 2020’s will explode into debauchery like the 1920’s and Asta will make a comeback.

I love "The Thin Man", R34. They are bitching and boozing throughout the movie. I would not call it debauchery. And its the 1930s.

My sister (to whom I am currently not speaking "for reasons well known to her" ) has a wire fox terrier she obtained from a rescue group. He is very sweet with people but a crazed killer of other animals, both wild and domestic. He has, in the past, attacked two of my Scottie dogs and each time mayhem ensued. Scotties don't take that sort of thing sitting down and my husband, whose hand got in the way while trying to break up the fight, got chomped pretty badly. Naturally, we didn't blame our Scottie, as he was merely trying to defend himself. Anyway, even though fox terriers are charming, of the two breeds, Scotties are the more iconic and, may I say, soulful!

[quote] my husband, whose hand got in the way while trying to break up the fight, got chomped pretty badly.

idiot

R28, yes, it’s me!!!

You pour water on dogfights.

Like everything else, the wires were being imported from China. The wires had a high tariff imposed by Trump.

YES...before you get your panties in a was....I AM JOKING. They are great dogs.

Looks like a happy pup, R20.

R41, to quote my landlord/friend "he's the happiest dog I"ve ever met". I got so lucky with this dog. I feel even more grateful after passing by many chihuahas--nastiest breed ever.

To Pee or not to Pee. Has anybody had the daddy? He is sorta cute.

I think the lack of terrier breed diversity is because the breeders are all trying to shrink the Yorkshire terrier and are also able to charge more because of the name. Plus other smaller breeds like the Boston Terrier is having its day right now. Sad because the dogs suffer unnecessarily, breed traits mutate with the over breeding, changing the reputed behavior of the breeds.

The Sealyham Terrier was very fashionable in the 20s and 30s - as good as disappeared now. I remember when they were still around in the early 70s.

Pekingese were very popular when I was a kid (60s) - people were always saying don't touch him he's snappy. I think they were overbred. Don't see them anymore. They were replaced by the Shitzu.

I think Wire Fox Terriers have fallen out of favor because of their nature. Their instinct is to hunt, so unless you give them plenty of exercise and lots of yard space to play, they get easily bored and destructive and can terrorize other pets in the house. Most people today don't the time or inclination to devote to such a needy dog or the yard space for him to roam.

I love Terriers because they are so beautiful, but r48 is correct they are incredibly difficult dogs to own because they are working dogs bred to dig out foxes and rodents and worry them to death. One of my best friends has one of the most beautiful dogs I've ever seen, a lovely Lakeland Terrier (which is related to a wirehaired fox terrier), and he said although he loves the dog, it has been so much work for him and has been so destructive to his yard and his house he will never get another one.

[quote] The fact that Trump hates dogs say everything yo need to know about him. What a contrast to previous occupants.

Trump has been the first pet hater ever to occupy the Oval Office.

I wonder if they could be put to work hunting rats in NYC. They would probably get more done than Bill de Blasio.

They need to be put to work on the rats in the White House.

You just have to exercise them a lot R49. We live with one in an apartment in New York and she is great. We walk her 1-2 h every day. They are great hiking and beach dogs. She does hate the other dog on the floor.

R19 & R20 - he looks like a different dog. I guess when he has his hair cut he loses all of his curls. He looks cute in both pics. Happy-go-lucky, as you said.

The Scotties I knew were very nippy and yappy. (Nippy and Yappy should have been their names!) Beautiful looking, though.

Wirehaired Fox Terriers were very skittish.

The Scottie I knew was not. Quiet and very gentle.

I once phoned the breeder in England about getting another one - such a character "I've been breeding them since 1928!" She would have nipped right back at you, R55.

they bite...nasty dogs...many lawsuits from their angry nature.

That is a GORGEOUS dog R4. Wtf are you talking about? I really want an Irish, they are so stunning, or a Westie, but I’m mostly worried they are too aggressive with cats and things that move quickly, and they are super high energy and must be constantly exercised.

If I get another Westie I'll get a gurl one, I think they're mellower.

Terriers have such intense personalities. The ones I’ve been around can be snappy, ocd, demanding, difficult with other pets and had anxiety disorders. They are also very intelligent.

Nonsense R57. The bite no more than other dogs.