A True fancier should ask: Why is a "Stop" so important a feature to a Fox Terrier ?

Many other breeds need to have this feature in their make-up for similar specific reasons associated with their work, in some breeds it may be far more exaggerated, but it is a very necessary component in the make-up of a dog for his work.

If it was not an important feature for the Fox Terrier to have, it would have not been written into the original standard by men who knew just how important it was to the dog, in enabling him to do his work with the most possible assistance.

The skull and topline of the forface being parallel to each other, with the standard asking for a near circular shape of eye, is one part of the reason for it would be impossible to achieve the circular shape without the stop. View other breeds without the "stop" and it is easy to see what shape of eye is then obtained, and why it is necessary to have a "distinct stop" to have a near circular eye. The Bull Terrier is one with slant shaped eyes on the side of the head without a defined stop.

One only has to view the photos of the old time Fox Terriers to see clearly defined "stop" even though it may be a little over large, but the eyes are set straight into the skull with good spacing which emphasises the wording "there should be more dip in the profile, between the forehead and the top jaw than is seen in the case of the Greyhound where the stop is not distinct, but the skull is inclined to run down to the forface without any defined "stop". The main purpose would be to reduce the size of the eyes as well as provide a deeper set eye for protection.

Unfortunately the years the "Distinct Stop" has been lost in quite a few strains and quite often we see the slop down from the skull which does effect the setting-shape-and expression from the eyes, which can typify the "downfaced" forface to the head.

Heads without the correct stop invariably relates to the skull formation - incorrect chiselling and its importance to the forface giving a common appearance to the head, unfortunately judges with lack of knowledge accept these mis-shapen heads and if the problem is not curtailed, become accepted as being correct, and what is really correct is then considered to be incorrect.

I have had the experiences with fanciers and judges who do not know the correct shape of a Fox Terriers head - correct chiselling and its importance - correct distinct stop, strength of forface and squareness of jaw.

Many do not know that the back begins at the base of the neck and ends at the end of the rib cage. Many think it begins at the base of the neck and continues to the tail. This is the topline, not the back. The Spring of Rib is virtually unknown as so little is seen of correct spring of rib in the bodies of the dogs of today.

This article was taken from "The Fox Terrier Club of NSW Bi-Monthly Information Schedule.