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Origin: Australia
Height: 10-11 inches at
the shoulder
Weight: 9-14 pounds
Exercise Needs: Moderate
Grooming Needs: Moderate
Life Expectancy: 15+ years
Good With Kids: Yes
Trainability: Medium
difficulty
Common Misspellings:
Alternate Names:
During the 1880's, what was known as Great
Britain's old Scotch dog (not to be confused
with the modern-day Scottish Terrier), was
introduced to Australia and began to cross breed
with various other dogs of similar terrier
background. The resulting puppies were
hardy, seemingly fearless, touch and exactly
what the early Australians required in a little
dog. He could help keep vermin from the
homes and barns, chase away snakes, tend the
sheep and cattle, act as guard dog and still be
the loving and loyal companion that was needed
in this harsh new territory. Believed to
be related to such breeds as the Manchester
Terrier (then called the Black-and-Tan Terrier),
the Dandie Dinmont, Yorkshire, Skye, Cairn, and
Irish Terriers, this little individual is
considered to be one of the smallest working
terriers, even though he is always big on heart.
First appearing at a show in 1868, it was
still more than 30 years before he would be
given the specific exhibition title of the
Australian Terrier, Rough-Coated. At that
time, two colors were recognized - sandy red and
blue tan. Interest in the breed quickly
spread, however, and by 1896, a breed standard
was developed, with the Australian Terrier being
exported to the United States and Europe shortly
thereafter. Today, he bears the
distinction of being the first Australian dog
breed to have been recognized and shown in his
native Australia.
The Australian Terrier is a beautifully rough
and ready little individual with a game
temperament and a sturdy form. A small
working terrier of medium bone, he is somewhat
long in proportion to his height, though one
would never dare to suggest that he's not the
biggest of dogs! The Australian Terrier
averages 10-11 inches at the shoulders and is
solidly built, with short sturdy legs, good
depth of chest, and a docked tail. His
eyes are lively, bright, and extremely
expressive, always seeming to shine with this
little terrier's happy enthusiasm. Rarely
does an Australian Terrier seem anything else
but self-assured and quick witted.
An Australian Terrier's coat bears a harsh
outer texture as opposed to the silky fine hair
of the Yorkshire Terrier - while a capable
companion, no pampered lap dog is he!
Australian Terrier puppies may resemble other
terrier breeds but, as they mature, they will
develop the breed's distinctive apron and ruff
of fur around his neck. They can be found
in a beautiful solid red shade, solid sandy, or
the commonly seen blue and tan variety.
The Australian Terrier is known for his
self-assuredness and courage. Typical of
most 'ratters,' he possesses a courageous spirit
and rarely backs down from any kind of a
challenge. While this natural aggression
towards small animals is impressive, the
Australian Terrier is also known to be an
excellent companion animal and is highly popular
with both children and the elderly.
All-around willing to please, he continues to
uphold the duties that he was bred for -
terrorizing vermin and still managing to be one
of the best companion animals that anyone could
ask for.
The Australian Terrier is a busy little
individual who enjoys rousing games of fetch and
tug of war. A natural-born working dog, he
is used to a life of earning his keep and is
quite active when he needs to be.
Fortunately, however, he also enjoys to sit by
his human companions and is content to enjoy the
quiet evenings. The Australian Terrier is
surprisingly adaptable to his surroundings,
making him capable of fitting in to whatever
lifestyle that's offered to him. Keeping
your Australian Terrier fit and healthy can be
accomplished with a couple of walks each day or
a game ball in the dog park.
The Australian Terrier requires a weekly
brushing, just to ensure that any tangles are
removed from his coat but, all in all, he's a
fairly low-maintenance grooming individual.
While they tend to have a silkier topknot on
their heads, the majority of the dog's coat is
harsh and designed to protect him from the
climate and handle life in the harsh terrain of
the bush. A monthly bath will usually keep
him nice and clean for you and his toenails may
also be clipped at this time. If you take
a few minutes to enjoy some hands-on grooming
time with your Australian Terrier, it will only
help the two of you bond closer, not to mention
making the job all the more easy.
The Australian Terrier is a wonderful little
companion dog though, be forewarned that he can
sometimes be a handle to train. Incredibly
quick-witted and busy, these little terriers are
always curious about smells and what was that
noise over there and oh what did I just see?
Ever-alert and curious, this can sometimes make
them seem like the ADD poster children of the
dog world. Nothing can be further from the
truth, however!
Providing your Australian Terrier a
distraction-free training program is very
helpful and will assist in keeping his attention
focused on you. Also use lots of praise
and positive reinforcement, rather than
punishment - the Australian Terrier loves a fuss
to be made over him and strives to please his
humans. Challenge him with new experiences
often and keep him wanting to learn more - if
you can accomplish that, you'll find the
Australian Terrier puppy to be a very quick and
eager pupil.
The Australian Terrier is a surprisingly
healthy and robust breed with relatively few
health concerns. The most common ailment
to strike these hardy little scrappers is
luxation of the patella. Otherwise, they
are prone to hair loss and skin conditions,
though neither are life threatening. As
with any breed, it's best to ensure that you get
your Australian Terrier puppies from a reputable
and respected breeder with positive references.
Doing so will help to alleviate some of the risk
of future heartbreak.
Australian Terriers are wonderful companion
animals, whether you're a single adult, part of
a family, or an elderly person - they are quick,
bright and adapt to their surroundings, even
content to change their own personal lifestyles
to please their owners. Australian
Terriers are known for their patience and
playfulness with children as well.
Additionally, their easy-to-manage coat makes
them more preferable to some, than dogs that
require a great deal of grooming.
One downfall with the Australian Terrier is
his rough and ready Terrier 'tude.
Sometimes having an inclination to take on dogs
much bigger than himself, he can often get
himself into hot water. Additionally, if
you have cats or small animals, you will need to
be wary of the Australian Terrier, due to his
natural born hunting instinct. With proper
socialization, training and lots of love, you
may discover that the Australian Terrier is the
right breed for you!
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There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Australian Terrier dog breed. We've compiled a list
of Australian Terrier information sites to assist you in quickly
locating quality information about the Australian Terrier dog breed,
while avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor
attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general.
If you know of a Australian Terrier information site that offers
unique, quality information and photos of the Australian Terrier
breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief description so
that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our list below.
Australian Terriers are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking
at Australian Terrier pictures, you can usually gain more insight
into what these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can
help you decide if you really want to become a Australian Terrier
owner. The following sites below offer pictures of Australian
Terrier dogs, Australian Terrier puppy photos, funny Australian
Terrier photos and more. Enjoy!
Now that you have decided that the Australian Terrier is the
right breed for you, it's time to start the process of finding a
responsible Australian Terrier breeder from which to buy a healthy,
well-socialized puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good
breeders - and bad breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first
Australian Terrier puppy you find at the cheapest price available!
To buy a puppy from a responsible Australian Terrier breeder, you
may need to pay more and wait longer. The additional money and
waiting time will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste from a
newspaper ad, pet store or "backyard breeder", and you'll likely
also purchase a great deal of additional expense and heartache,
since you will likely end up falling in love with a puppy with
health and behavioral problems that will likely need special care,
plenty of veterinary visits, regular medication - or even
euthanasia. But do your homework and find a responsible, caring
Australian Terrier breeder who home-raises their puppies with love,
screens their breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health
guarantee and post sale support, and who genuinely loves the
Australian Terrier breed and is in it for the love of the breed,
rather than profit, and you can be fairly well assured of getting a
healthy, happy, long lived and affectionate family companion that
will provide you and your family with many years of joy, laughter
and companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Australian
Terrier puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many
sites now online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for
puppy mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear
of these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the
breeders whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
Australian Terrier clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn
even more about the Australian Terrier dog breed, help you locate a
responsible Australian Terrier breeder, or help you find a
Australian Terrier dog or puppy in need of a second chance for a
loving, forever home. We've compiled the following list of
Australian Terrier clubs and Australian Terrier rescues web sites
for your convenience:
Choosing a name for your Australian Terrier puppy can be a
daunting task! There are so many names to choose from that it can
take a lot of thought and research to find just the right name for
your Australian Terrier. Usually, it's best to get to know your
puppy for a few days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will
help you decide on just the right name to choose. Does he have a
sense of humor? A serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to
one side? A strange love of cantaloupe? By observing your new
Australian Terrier puppy over the first days or weeks, you should at
least have a clue about what type of name you want to give. There
are a ton of dog names and pet names web sites on the internet. Some
are wonderful information resources, while others, unfortunately,
are just "garbage" sites set up with the sole purpose of cashing in
on visitor hits for this popular subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Australian Terrier puppy. These sites offer inventive,
unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
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