“Fox-terriers are born with about four times as much original sin in them as other dogs are,” wrote English writer Jerome K. Jerome, and few owners would disagree.
In his novel, “Three Men in a Boat,” Jerome’s canine character “Montmorency,” is a Fox Terrier whose ability to cause trouble is an inherent part of his charm. His highest honor in life was to sit on items just about to be packed, and then to be reprimanded for it. The following is a passage from the book:
“Montmorency’s ambition in life is to get in the way and be sworn at. If he can squirm in anywhere where he particularly is not wanted, and be a perfect nuisance, and make people mad, and have things thrown at his head, then he feels his day has not been wasted. To get somebody to stumble over him, and curse him steadily for an hour, is his highest aim and object; and, when he has succeeded in accomplishing this, his conceit becomes quite unbearable. He came and sat down on things, just when they were wanted to be packed; and he laboured under the fixed belief that, whenever Harris or George reached out their hand for anything, it was his cold damp nose that they wanted. “
Though the book was initially intended to be a serious travel guide, the humorous parts of the story took over and left the serious bits to be regarded as more of a distraction to the plot.
Montmorency was described as a Fox Terrier, but images have varied with regards to his conformation. Most show him to be a Smooth Fox Terrier.