Description

The "Aussie," as it is affectionately known, is one of the smallest in the Terrier Group. The Australian Terrier is a sturdy, short legged, little dog. It has a long head, with erect, v-shaped ears and sparkling dark eyes. The black nose has a v-shaped space above it. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite. The body is slightly longer than tall, with a level topline. The chest is strong, moderately wide and deep. It has small cat-like feet and the docked tail stands up. The rough-textured, weatherproof coat is about 2-3 inches (5-6.5 cm.) long and comes in solid red, sandy, or dark or silvery blue with tan markings on the head and legs. The breed sports a stop knot between the ears, and an apron and ruff that are lighter colored and finer-textured than the rest of the coat. When an Aussie puppy is a few days old the dewclaws are usually removed.

Origin

Developed in Australia, and one of the smallest working terriers, the Australian Terrier was first shown as the Australian Rough-Coated Terrier in 1868 in Melbourne, Australia. Officially recognized in 1933, the breed was probably created by crossing many Terrier breeds including the Irish, Cairn, Norwich, Dandie Dinmont, Yorkshire, and the Skye Terriers. He was used for rodent and snake control, as a watchdog, and even as a shepherd and as a companion. The Australian Terrier is relatively new to the United States, and was first recognized by the AKC in 1960. Some of the Australian Terrier's talents are watchdogging, tracking, agility, and performing tricks.

Temperament

The Australian Terrier is a tough, cheeky little fellow with the courage of a much larger dog. It has boundless energy and is very loyal, showing great affection for its immediate family and its extraordinary intelligence makes it a responsive and very protective companion. It is an alert, amusing and loveable little dog. Spirited, curious, and self-assured, it has very keen hearing and eyesight, so it makes an excellent watchdog. It wants to please its master and is more easily obedience trained than most other terriers. This breed is not snappish, likes to bark and is very good with children provided they do not tease the dog. They are friendly with other dogs as well as other pets. However they may chase small animals outside the house and should be in a safe area at all times. Strangers, on the other hand, may find these dogs unfriendly although they are really not excessively suspicious. This is a good dog to travel with. The training of the Australian Terrier needs to be strict because this self-confident dog prefers to follow its own ideas, although they learn very quickly. The Australian Terrier is a very economical breed to feed.

Height

Height: 9-11 inches (23-28 cm.)

Weight

Weight: 9-14 pounds (4-6 kg.)

Known Health Problems

The Australian Terrier is a hardy, healthy breed. It is long lived and free of any major hereditary diseases.

Conditions for Living

The Australian Terrier is good for apartment living. It is fairly active indoors and will do okay without a yard provided it is taken for walks on a lead. They should not be allowed to roam free because they have a tendency to chase.

Exercise Requirments

The Australian Terrier is an adaptable little dog, which needs to be safe area.

Life Expectancy

About 15 or more years Litter Size Average of 4 Puppies

Grooming

The stiff, long, shaggy coat is easy to care for and does not need clipping. Simply brush several times a week, being gentle with the soft undercoat. Brushing stimulates natural oils and will soon bring the coat to a high gloss. Because the breed standard is for a hard coat, don't wash this Terrier too often - any more than about once a month will make the coat lank. The coat should be brushed while it dries. Be sure to trim around the eyes and ears, if necessary, with blunt-nosed scissors. It also requires plucking about every three months. The nails should be clipped regularly. The Australian Terrier sheds little to no hair.

Group

Terrier, AKC Terrier