By Pam Bishop; Edited by Deb Angus

As with most breeds, Fox Terriers are very good fits in their environments. But new families should keep in mind that a large number of FTs that end up in rescue situations are turned over by those with toddlers. In the adult FT, a few concerning attributes include territorialism, and overall feisty and energetic behavior. For puppies, there is fragility, teething and other rambunctious puppy demeanors, all of which may upset baby, parents or other pets.

For example, if you have a newborn after the dog has been in the home, the baby may be seen as a threat. The dog can be possibly jealous and feel a sense of abandonment resulting in unwanted behavior. If you have young children and are considering getting a puppy, take steps to carefully introduce the dog and create an appropriate environment.

General handling of a puppy is also a consideration: young children like to pull ears, tails, grab a handful of hair and all sorts of other antics that may prompt the pup to retaliate. And little puppy legs can break if dropped by an unaware toddler trying to carry the pup around the house. Protect the puppy and the child by carefully monitoring interaction.

Another good reminder is about teething: puppies teethe from ages four to six months and those little suckers are sharp. Not only will you need to watch furniture, wood corners, rugs and carpets, window blinds and just about any other surface in your home, but the small child is a sweet chew toy too. Leave the puppy with the baby unsupervised and you may have a howling babe who has been subjected to the needle-like ivories.

Keep in mind, many homes with young children have no problems and those knowledgeable about the breed seem to have a great advantage. There are pluses and minuses to having Fox Terriers and children together. But, in general, we suggest holding off on adopting a Fox Terrier until the kids are older – they can be a wonderful buddy to the older child.

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