The Toy Fox Terrier is both a toy and a terrier, and has attributes of both. The TFT is courageous, smart, loyal and active, and is truly a big dog in a tiny body! He is friendly and outgoing to people that he meets (after a brief introduction), yet retains a very loyal personality toward his owners. This said, many members of the breed have “take-charge” attitudes and would be happy to rule the household if given the task. Of course… this is not recommended at all, and owners of the TFT are encouraged to establish rules and boundaries early on.
The TFT is intelligent and takes well to training. Their extroverted nature and their great willingness to please makes them well-suited to learning. If an owner decides not to do any training, however… the Toy Fox could turn into a problem barker, extreme digger and/or might just decide to rule the roost! Obedience training is a must in order to prevent these things from happening!
Toy Fox Terriers are extremely intuitive to the moods of their owners – one of the many reasons why they can be such loving and loyal companions. This is not to say they are serious all of the time, however. In fact, these little clowns know how to be quite funny when they want to be (a trait they carry with them throughout their whole life). They do well with people of all ages although they are too delicate to live with very young children. The Toy Fox Terrier prefers to be included in the activities of his family.
Always alert and at-the-ready, the TFT makes a great watchdog. He is also well-suited to performing obedience, hunting mice and other rodents, and any number of jobs. Unlike some other toy breeds, the TFT is versatile and enthusiastic enough to take on all sorts of tasks. If the owner is less desirable of giving him a true job, he is also fine with just hanging out and being a lapdog. He truly has attributes from the best of both worlds of the terrier and toy groups! It is worth noting that while he has a fair amount of energy, his diminutive size means that he can exercise himself by running laps in the living room if need be. Walks and adventures outside are appreciated, however! 
Toy Fox Terriers are able to live in an apartment or a larger home, just as long as they live indoors and not outside (they do get cold easily). They are easy keepers, with very little grooming required. Their tiny size means that they are also inexpensive to feed. They are even easy to housebreak! Just make sure not to overfeed these little guys as they are prone to becoming overweight.
The Toy Fox Terrier is generally healthy, although potential owners should be aware that there are a few health problems that are more common in the breed. Patella luxation, Hypothyroidism and Von Willebrand’s Disease pop up from time to time – so make sure to purchase a puppy from a breeder who screens for these issues! Well-bred TFTs are athletic and healthy, and should have no issues running, hunting mice and generally being little balls of energy. Normal lifespan for the breed is 13-14 years.
TFTs have a mischievous nature and love to play. They also have a lot of hunting instinct and a fairly high prey drive. This means that they will keep you on your toes – patience and energy are helpful for an owner of a TFT to have! Also helpful is a fully fenced yard, so they don’t wander off or chase a furry creature away from the property. Furthermore, the breed does best when able to be around their owners for much of the day. Those who work long hours might want to look elsewhere.
TFTs don’t normally live harmoniously with small pocket pets, so make sure such animals are kept out-of-the-way in secure cages if they are part of the household. When it comes to other pets, they often get along with household cats and dogs as long as they were socialized early and raised with them. With strange dogs, they may or may not get along – supervision is often recommended to make sure that everyone plays nice!
