How long does a Wire Fox Terrier live?

The listed lifespan for a Wire Fox Terrier is 12–15 years.

How tall is a Wire Fox Terrier?

The listed height for a Wire Fox Terrier is 15 in.

Is a Wire Fox Terrier good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Wire Fox Terrier is 5 out of 5.

When is a Wire Fox Terrier full grown?

The growth size band for a Wire Fox Terrier is 8–12 months.

Terrier Group

Wire Fox Terrier

Wire Fox Terrier is a small dog in the Terrier Group. Adult weight is 18 lb (male), 15–17 lb (female), height is 15 in, and the listed lifespan is 12–15 years. AKC describes the temperament as Alert, Confident, Gregarious.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Wire Fox Terrier dog — Photo: Arizonaland at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan12–15 years

Weight18 lb (male), 15–17 lb (female)

SizeSmall GroupTerrier Group

Height

15 in

Energy

4 / 5

Shedding

2 / 5

Grooming

3 / 5

Trainability

4 / 5

Good with kids

5 / 5

The breed record

Across 45 single-size small breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 13.5 years is about the same as the 13.6-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 16.5 lb is about the same as the 16 lb average for those small breeds.

The listed origin is England. The coat is described as double, wiry, medium. The AKC energy score is 4 out of 5, 0.4 points above the group average of 3.6 for the Terrier Group. Shedding scores 2 out of 5, so loose hair is limited. Grooming scores 3 out of 5. Trainability scores 4 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 5 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 107 in 2025.

Adult size is usually reached in 8–12 months (size-band statement (Salt et al. 2017): very small dogs reach maturity at 8-12 months). AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Patella Evaluation and Cardiac Exam. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

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