Fox Terrier is the name most people use for two close relatives, the Smooth and the Wire, which share a build and a personality but differ in coat. British foxhunters developed them to bolt foxes from their dens, and the mostly white coat kept hounds from mistaking them for quarry. Terrier mixes are sometimes listed under the same name, so size and looks can vary.
The traits that matter most in Austin are the ones that go with a working terrier: lots of energy, a strong chase instinct and a love of digging. A Fox Terrier that spots a squirrel along Shoal Creek can ignore every command it knows, so a sturdy leash and a tall, tight fence do more than training alone. The Smooth needs little coat care, while the Wire needs regular clipping or stripping.