CHAPTER VI. 

 THE WIRE-HAIRED FOX TERRIER. 



MUCH contained in the preceding chapter is appli- 

 cable to the wire-haired fox terrier, for in colour, 

 make, and shape, the two ought to be identical, 

 though the one has a smooth close coat, the other 

 a hard close coat and somewhat rough. 



This should be hard and crisp, not too long, 

 neither too short, but of a tough, coarse texture, 

 finer underneath, all so close and dense that the 

 skin cannot be seen or even felt, and, if possible, 

 so weather and water resisting that the latter will 

 stand on the sides like beads, and run off the whole 

 body as it is said to do, and does, off a duck's 

 back. There must not be the slightest sign of 

 silkiness anywhere, not even on the head. A curly 

 jacket, or one inclined to be so, is far better than 

 a silky one. Indeed, some of the best coated dogs 

 of this variety I have seen had more than an 

 inclination to be curly the crispest hair on the 

 human head has usually a tendency to be so, and the 



