The Wire Fox Terrier was developed by fox hunters in England. They were one of many breeds probably descended from the Black and Tan terrier found throughout England and Wales.Their primary purpose was to chase foxes out of foxholes during the hunt when they had “gone to ground”. Queen Victoria of England was said to have owned one, as well as her heir, King Edward VII. This caused their popularity to rise, but they did not became popular in homes until the 1930s. This is when The Thin Man series of films featured Asta, a Wire Fox Terrier. It was then that the popularity of the breed really soared.
One of the most famous Wire Fox Terriers is Snowy (Milou) from the Tintin series of books.