The Wire Jafox’s history
is rather obscure, as is most hybrids. This designer dog was developed by
crossing a Japanese Chin with a Wire Fox Terrier. The Japanese Chin is a very
ancient dog that is believed to have originated in the Chinese imperial court. These
dogs were highly valued and were often given as prized gifts. It is thought
that the emperor of Japan got a Chin as a gift, and this was the arrival of the
breed to the island which gave it its name. Here, this dog was considered a
separate being (chin). They were probably crossed with small Spaniel
dogs, developing into the Japanese Chin we know today. The breed was unknown
worldwide until 1853, when international trade was first implemented in Japan.
Many of these dogs were taken to Britain and to the United States. It is known that the President Franklin
Pierce was one of the first Japanese Chin’s owners in the United States, where
it was known as the Japanese Spaniel. The breed became very popular amongst
wealthy people. The American Kennel Club recognized the Japanese Chin in 1888. Fox Terriers originated in England. This has been a very popular breed
since its early beginnings. In the late 18th century, English
hunters were needing a dog that could enter fox dens and take them out,
hence the development of the Fox Terrier. There’s a painting from the
1790s which includes Colonel Thornton’s Smooth Fox Terrier, Pitch. The breed
has changed very little since then. Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers were considered
a different variety of the same breed for a long time. Wire Fox Terriers are
believed to have descended from rough-coated Black and Tan Terriers from Wales, Durham, and
Derbyshire. Wire and Smooth Terriers were freely crossed, aiming to make the
Wire Terriers whiter and to improve their appearance. It is well-known that England’s
King Edward VII had a Wire Fox Terrier named Caesar. When the king died, his dog
marched in the funeral procession. Wire Fox Terriers were imported to the U.S.
in the 1880s. These dogs became very popular in the 1930s thanks to ‘The Thin
Man’ series and its Wire Fox Terrier star, Asta. The American Kennel Club recognized the Wire
Fox Terrier in 1985.