First off, let’s start with the basics: you have to understand why your Fox Terrier acts the way they do before you can fix any bad behavior. These dogs were originally bred in England hundreds of years ago to hunt foxes, right? Their whole job was to chase prey down into burrows, dig them out, and bark to alert their owners when they found something. That means all those “annoying” habits you hate—digging up your flower beds, barking at every squirrel that passes your window, darting off after a cat mid-walk—are literally coded into their DNA. They’re not being bad on purpose, they’re just doing what they were born to do. If you go into training thinking you can eliminate these instincts entirely, you’re gonna be disappointed. The goal isn’t to turn your rambunctious terrier into a calm lap dog, it’s to teach them how to express those instincts in ways that don’t ruin your home or put them in danger.
The number one rule for Fox Terrier training? Ditch the punishment, stick to positive reinforcement only. I’ve seen so many owners try to yell at, yank the leash of, or even spank their terriers when they misbehave, and it never works. These dogs are incredibly stubborn, and if you punish them, they’ll either shut down entirely and refuse to listen to you, or they’ll just start hiding their bad behavior from you instead of stopping it. I had a client last year whose Wire Fox Terrier, Max, kept chewing up her shoes when she was at work. She tried yelling at him when she got home, spraying him with bitter apple, even locking him in his crate when she left, and the chewing just got worse. Once she switched to positive reinforcement: leaving him with 3 different puzzle toys stuffed with peanut butter when she left, and giving him a big treat and lots of praise when she came home and he hadn’t chewed anything he shouldn’t, the problem stopped completely in 2 weeks. Use super high-value rewards for training—think tiny pieces of cooked chicken, cheese, their favorite squeaky toy, whatever your pup goes crazy for. They’re way more likely to listen to you if they know there’s a good reward waiting for them.
First priority for any young Fox Terrier is socialization, and you have to start early, between 8 and 16 weeks old if possible. This breed is prone to being wary of strangers and reactive to other dogs if they aren’t exposed to lots of different people, animals, and environments when they’re little. Take your pup to busy parks, let them meet kids, elderly people, people wearing hats or glasses, other friendly vaccinated dogs, let them walk on concrete, grass, sand, listen to loud noises like cars, bikes, and vacuums. Don’t force them to interact if they seem scared, just let them explore at their own pace, and give them treats when they react calmly to new things. I’ve seen so many adult Fox Terriers with leash reactivity issues cause their owners skipped socialization when they were puppies, and fixing that later is way harder than doing it right when they’re young.
Now let’s talk about fixing the most common Fox Terrier problem behaviors, starting with excessive barking. Like I said earlier, barking is part of their hunting DNA, so they’re gonna bark more than a lot of other breeds, but you can teach them when it’s okay to bark and when to stop. The “quiet” command is a game changer for this. Start by waiting for them to bark, then hold up a treat right in front of their nose. The second they stop barking to sniff the treat, say “quiet” clearly, then give them the treat and praise them. Do this every time they bark, and gradually wait a little longer after they stop barking before you give them the treat. After a few weeks, you’ll be able to say “quiet” and they’ll stop barking immediately, no treat needed every single time. Also, make sure your pup is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation every single day. A bored Fox Terrier is a barking Fox Terrier. They need at least 90 minutes of active exercise a day, not just a slow walk around the block. Play fetch with them, let them run around a fenced yard, play tug of war, give them puzzle toys to work on when they’re inside. If they’re tired, they won’t have the energy to bark at every leaf that blows past the window.
Next up: digging. If you own a Fox Terrier, you’ve definitely come home to a giant hole in your yard at least once. Punishing them for digging won’t work, because it’s such a strong natural instinct. Instead of trying to stop them from digging entirely, give them their own designated digging spot. Get a big sandbox, put it in a corner of your yard, bury some treats and their favorite toys in it, and show it to them. Every time you catch them digging somewhere they shouldn’t, calmly lead them over to their sandbox, and give them a treat when they start digging there. My own Smooth Fox Terrier, Muffin, used to dig up my tomato plants every single week until I got her a sandbox. Now she only digs in there, she even buries her favorite chews in it to save for later. It saved my garden, and she still gets to do the thing she loves most. Win-win.
The third big problem most Fox Terrier owners deal with is their super strong prey drive. These dogs will chase literally anything that moves: squirrels, cats, bikes, skateboards, even running kids. If your terrier gets off leash in an unfenced area, there’s a good chance they’ll take off after something and not come back, no matter how much you call them. That’s why recall training is non-negotiable for this breed. Start small, in a fully fenced area with no distractions. Call your pup’s name followed by the recall cue, I use “come here”, and when they run to you, give them the best reward you have—something they only get for recall, like a piece of hot dog or a new toy. Gradually add more distractions: start with a friend walking past, then have a friend walk past with a dog, then with a cat on a leash, until your pup will come to you even when there’s super exciting stuff going on around them. Until their recall is 100% solid every single time, don’t let them off leash in unfenced areas. Use a long 10 or 15 foot leash for walks if you want to give them more freedom, that way you can pull them back if they try to chase something.
One thing a lot of owners forget about when training Fox Terriers is consistency. These dogs are super smart, but they get confused really easily if the rules keep changing. If you don’t let them on the couch, everyone in your house has to follow that rule. If your partner lets them curl up on the couch when you’re at work, they’re not gonna understand why you’re mad when they try to get on the couch when you’re home. Keep all your training cues the same too—don’t say “come” one day and “here” the next, that just confuses them. Also, keep training sessions short, 5 to 10 minutes max. Fox Terriers have really short attention spans, and if you drag training out for too long, they’ll get bored and stop listening. Do 2 or 3 short sessions a day, make it fun, turn it into a game, and they’ll look forward to training time instead of avoiding it.
Finally, be patient. Fox Terriers are stubborn, and they’re not gonna learn everything overnight. You’re gonna have days where it feels like they forgot every single command you ever taught them, and that’s totally normal. Don’t get frustrated, take a break, and try again tomorrow. If you’re struggling with a specific behavior issue that you can’t fix on your own, don’t be afraid to reach out to a professional dog trainer who has experience working with terrier breeds. They’ll be able to give you personalized tips that work for your specific pup. At the end of the day, all the hard work of training is worth it. Fox Terriers are loyal, funny, loving little dogs, and a well-trained one is the best companion you could ever ask for.