Breed family · UK guide · Original sources
Smooth or Wire Fox Terrier: what is the difference?
The Royal Kennel Club and the FCI each publish a separate standard for the Smooth and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both standards set the same height limit, 39 cm for dogs with bitches slightly less, and describe the same lively, white-bodied terrier. The clearest difference is the coat: short and flat in the Smooth, dense and very wiry in the Wire, which the Kennel Club lists as needing grooming more often. These are show-ring descriptions and registry categories, not predictions about an individual dog.
Consulted : Royal Kennel Club Smooth standard, Wire standard, the Smooth and Wire breed listings, and FCI standards N° 12 and N° 169.
The two breeds: the published guidance
Figures are the registries' ideals or listed categories. The Royal Kennel Club's note for puppy buyers says its size figures describe the ideal, so an individual dog may be larger or smaller.
| Measure | Smooth Fox Terrier | Wire Fox Terrier |
|---|---|---|
| Height (RKC and FCI) | Dogs not over 39 cm; bitches slightly less | |
| Weight (RKC) | Dogs 7.5–8 kg, bitches 7–7.5 kg | Ideal in show condition 8 kg for dogs, bitches slightly less (FCI: 8.25 kg for males) |
| Coat (RKC) | Straight, flat, smooth, hard, dense and abundant | Dense and very wiry, 2–4 cm long over a softer undercoat |
| Colours (RKC) | White predominates: all white, or white with tan, black and tan or black markings | White predominates, with black, tan or black and tan markings |
| RKC listing: size, exercise | Small · Up to 1 hour per day | Small · Up to 1 hour per day |
| RKC listing: grooming, coat length | Once a week · Short | More than once a week · Medium |
| RKC listing: lifespan, vulnerable native breed | Over 12 years · Yes | Over 12 years · No |
"Vulnerable native breed" is a Royal Kennel Club listing category, not a statement about any dog's health.
One history, two coats
The Royal Kennel Club's Smooth listing says the Smooth was the first fox terrier variety to be recognised, bred as an earth dog for hunts and made mainly white so it could be told apart from the fox. It dates the first Fox Terrier classes to 1862 and the first breed club and standard to 1876. Its Wire listing says the Smooth was the more popular until 1920, after which the Wire overtook it, and that the work of trimming and presentation has since made the Wire less popular. FCI 12 says both forms come from British origins.
Grooming: the practical difference
The listings put the Smooth at once a week and the Wire at more than once a week, and give the Wire a medium coat length. The Wire standard describes a coat with set lengths on different parts of the body, and its listing mentions the demands of trimming and presentation. Ask how the actual dog's coat is kept, how often it is professionally groomed and what that costs near you; see our grooming guide.
Named health tests
Both Kennel Club listings name eye testing under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme as a best-practice check before breeding. A named test is not a result: ask a breeder for the parents' actual results.
Read the separate profiles
- Smooth Fox Terrier: sourced care, history and questions
- Wire Fox Terrier: sourced care, history and questions
Both standards describe the same temperament: friendly, forthcoming and fearless. That is a show-ring ideal, not a prediction, so meet the actual dog and ask about its history with small animals and other dogs. Explore Your Doggy Match or compare the two profiles.
Sources and limits: Royal Kennel Club breed standards for the Fox Terrier (Smooth) (last updated 1 January 2025) and (Wire) (last updated 1 August 2025); Royal Kennel Club breed listings; FCI standards 12 and 169, both dated 8 September 2026. Pages checked 31 October 2026. These are show-ring ideals and general care categories, not medical or behaviour evidence, local availability or an individual dog's needs.