Toy Fox Terrier vs Smooth Haired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison

The Smooth Haired Weimaraner is a beautiful silvery-grey dog that was once bred for hunting way back in the 19th century.

He has always been described as an all-purpose gun dog bred from crossing different German and French hunting dogs with the Bloodhound.

History of this dog dates back to 1897. This is when a club was formed in Germany for the breed.

The small Toy Fox Terrier was developed in the United States of America and is a smaller look-alike of the larger Smooth Fox Terrier.

Several toy breeds as well as the Smooth Fox Terrier were used to bring about the small Terrier dog.

Small though they are, they have had a role to play, particularly on farms where they've been used as ratters. They’ve also been used in circuses to perform tricks. These days they excel as being devoted companions of their human masters. These dogs are recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC).

The lean, well muscled Smooth Haired Weimaraner is athletic to look at, brimming with energy and vitality. The coat is smooth and short and is a magnificent steel grey to silver coat which even tends to be a blue-grey color.

The short coat makes the dog low maintenance. He is also a low shedding dog. He is a medium to large sized dog standing at between 57 and 70cm in height and weighing in the region of 25 to 40kg.

The tail has always been docked, giving him that distinctive, dignified appearance. The tail then measures about 6 inches in length.

These dogs are also excellent water dogs with their webbed paws. The ears of the dog are medium length and floppy and the eyes are light amber or a blue-grey color.

Temperament:

You just have to look at the Smooth Haired Weimaraner and you can see how he just loves being with his human owner all the time, so much so that he is known for separation anxiety. Sometimes he can become so distraught separated from his owner that he can even injure himself trying to reach his owner. Being separated for too long can cause him anxiety issues.

Certainly this dog is going to need the right kind of training and socialization to calm him. They’re also full of energy too and are going to require a good amount of exercise.

The Toy Fox Terrier stands at between 22 – 29cm in height and weighs between 1.5 and 4kg. He is squarely built, with alert, dark eyes, and large, erect ears.

The high set tail is nearly always docked. The coat of this dog is short and smooth and it sheds moderately. Color is mostly white with tan or black markings. The face is nearly always black and tan.

His body is lean, lithe and muscular and gives the impression of being well-groomed. The females give birth to between 2 and 6 puppies with the gestation period being 60-64 days. Have your dog spayed to avoid unwanted puppies.

Temperament:

Toy Fox Terriers are loyal, protective dogs and they make excellent watchdogs in terms of barking a lot when needed.

He is such a sport and wants to be part of all the activities that his human family are busy with. They make great playmates for older children, but care should be taken with toy breeds and small, undisciplined children who could hurt them.

These dogs also get on well with other pets in the home and they can adapt easily to life in the city or the countryside. He isn’t the brightest dog, but intelligent enough to learn some basic commands.

His deep loyalty to his human family makes him a little bit aloof with strangers. While he is eager to please, he also has a mind of his own and this is when training and socialization turn him into an obedient little dog.

He has loads of energy too and will rely on his human owners to take him on walks and play ball games with him.

Your distinctive silvery-grey Weimaraner with his velvety ears and striking eyes is such a loving dog, desiring to be with his human family as much as possible.

They are also good with children. Their loving nature and eagerness to please will ensure that you have a fully integrated 4 legged family member in your home who wants to be involved with everything you're busy with.

Small and spunky, the Toy Fox Terrier is such an entertaining little pet, full of beans and curiosity.

He has sharp eyes and his hearing is good and this makes him a good watchdog. He is independent and intelligent, playful and jaunty.

When you allow one of these little dogs into your home, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without one, as he promises to be loving and loyal throughout your friendship with him.

There are some common dog illnesses that most dog owners fear, and hip dysplasia is one. Fortunately the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals tells us that Weimaraners aren’t prone to this dysplasia the way some dogs are.

One cause for concern however is bloat, and as a deep chested dog breed, the Short Haired Weimaraner can be prone to this life threatening illness.

Known also as gastric torsion, the stomach swells up and the dog becomes lethargic and restless. Immediate veterinary intervention is required. One way to diminish your dog’s chances of getting bloat is to rather feed him two smaller meals a day as opposed to one large meal.

Also, skin allergies are fairly common with these dogs. If redness appears on the skin or the skin is dry and itchy with a rash and he is losing his hair, you may well need to get your pet to the vet. It is why we always recommend giving your pet some raw meat added to the diet and this can help to prevent skin allergies.

Toy Fox Terriers are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they're prone to certain health conditions.

It is highly unlikely he’ll get any of the common dog illnesses there are if he is looked after well, but he could.

Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease: 

This is a common dog disease of small breeds, and it is very similar to hip dysplasia. Problems with the femur causes wear and tear with arthritis coming about as well.

Training:

Every dog, especially the Smooth Haired Weimaraner with his anxiety issues, should be trained and socialized, and these dogs are easy to train because they’re intelligent and they want to please.

Grooming:

The short silvery coat simply requires a good brush-down twice a week to remove the few loose hairs there are. Even if you don’t need to brush him, just do it because of the type of dog the Weimaraner is.

He loves the closeness of owner and dog. It’s a good time to check him over for ticks and fleas, to feel for unusual lumps, to look inside his ears for signs of infection, to check his eyes too, that they’re bright and clear.

Diet:

If you feed your Smooth Haired Weimaraner commercially manufactured dog food, it needs to be one of the best ones with fairly high protein content. If feeding kibble, you can enhance the food by adding in some tasty home-made food. The Weimaraner’s stomach is easily upset so you want to add in easily digestible home-made food free of exotic spices and richness.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots is super tasty and nutritious. Your Weimaraner will love such simple, good food and you can add a little to his dry kibble twice a week.

Also important is to add in some raw meat as this ensures a healthy skin. Make sure he has a constant supply of cool, fresh water.

This little dog is essentially a companion. Just like people get these little dogs to be a companion, the dog also needs to receive proper care too.

Make sure your pet gets the right amount of food and also the right type of food. He’ll need food rich in vitamins and minerals. He’ll also benefit from wholesome home-made food – boiled chicken, brown rice, sweet potato, spinach and carrots – simple, harmless foods like that.

Don’t be tempted to pop peanuts, chocolates, grapes, onions and other human foods into his mouth as it can give your pet a stomach ache and diarrhea.

Get your pet to the vet if he’s sick. He’ll need vaccines too to prevent some of the deadly canine diseases there are.

Provide your pet with adequate games and other forms of exercise. Exercise is essential for good health.

Spay or neuter your dog to avoid an unwanted litter of puppies. There are health benefits to having this done too.

Groom your small dog regularly and get rid of those loose hairs. With his short hair, the Toy Fox Terrier is considered to be a low maintenance dog.