Bred in Australia and its native, the Australian Terrier is one of the smallest working terriers in the Terrier group with ancestry going back to Great Britain. It is said that this breed was produced after crossing other terrier breeds like Skye Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Irish Terrier, Dandie Dinmont Terrier and Norwich Terrier. Its talents are varied—watchdog, agility, trick performer, shepherd dog, companion dog, and tracking dog.
Measuring 9 to 11 inches in height (body is little longer than tall) and 9 to 14 pounds in weight, the Australian Terrier is a short-legged, little, and sturdy dog. The head is long with V-shaped, erect ears. The top of the skull is covered by a topknot, the texture of which is softer and finer (compared to the coat). The eyes hold a keen expression and are dark brown in color. With an inverted V-shape area above, the nose is black. Under the body, the chest is deep set. The catlike feet are small with well-padded, compact and arched toes with black nails. Its double coat is long (about 2 to 3 inches), shaggy, stiff and weatherproof. The coat colors are varied—steel blue, dark gray blue, silver blue, dark blue, sandy, red, and tan. Simple and gentle brushing a number of times in a week stimulates the natural oils making the coat very glossy. The coat does not need any clipping. Trim the areas around the ears and eyes. Pointed scissors should not be used. Bathe when absolutely necessary. Where shedding is concerned, it sheds very little or no hair. Every three months, the coat needs plucking.
Courageous like a large dog, the Australian Terrier is loyal, very intelligent, responsive, affectionate, tough, adaptable, and bundle of energy. It is very protective towards its family members. It has keen eyesight and hearing, and is self-assured, curious, and spirited. While training, the owner must teach it when to bark and when to stop barking, and to socialize. Anyway, it picks things up very fast and the owner would have no problem while training it. The owner should also train the children in the house to be kind to this breed and how to be its leader. It is quite active indoor; still, it should be taken out for little walks on a daily basis. It loves to play and romp. It should not be allowed to get bored or left alone for a long time—it shows behavioral problems, territorial issues, and small dog syndromes. Then it becomes very difficult even for the owner to handle this dog. With other pets and dogs, it is quite friendly. It can be a great companion dog while traveling. It should be fed in little quantity; twice a day would be okay. The children, or even adults for that matter, should not be allowed to feed it unnecessarily with tidbits or junk food.
With a lifespan of 15 or more years, the Australian Terrier usually stays healthy throughout its lifetime. If there are any health problems, they are minor.
Measuring 9 to 11 inches in height (body is little longer than tall) and 9 to 14 pounds in weight, the Australian Terrier is a short-legged, little, and sturdy dog. The head is long with V-shaped, erect ears. The top of the skull is covered by a topknot, the texture of which is softer and finer (compared to the coat). The eyes hold a keen expression and are dark brown in color. With an inverted V-shape area above, the nose is black. Under the body, the chest is deep set. The catlike feet are small with well-padded, compact and arched toes with black nails. Its double coat is long (about 2 to 3 inches), shaggy, stiff and weatherproof. The coat colors are varied—steel blue, dark gray blue, silver blue, dark blue, sandy, red, and tan. Simple and gentle brushing a number of times in a week stimulates the natural oils making the coat very glossy. The coat does not need any clipping. Trim the areas around the ears and eyes. Pointed scissors should not be used. Bathe when absolutely necessary. Where shedding is concerned, it sheds very little or no hair. Every three months, the coat needs plucking.
Courageous like a large dog, the Australian Terrier is loyal, very intelligent, responsive, affectionate, tough, adaptable, and bundle of energy. It is very protective towards its family members. It has keen eyesight and hearing, and is self-assured, curious, and spirited. While training, the owner must teach it when to bark and when to stop barking, and to socialize. Anyway, it picks things up very fast and the owner would have no problem while training it. The owner should also train the children in the house to be kind to this breed and how to be its leader. It is quite active indoor; still, it should be taken out for little walks on a daily basis. It loves to play and romp. It should not be allowed to get bored or left alone for a long time—it shows behavioral problems, territorial issues, and small dog syndromes. Then it becomes very difficult even for the owner to handle this dog. With other pets and dogs, it is quite friendly. It can be a great companion dog while traveling. It should be fed in little quantity; twice a day would be okay. The children, or even adults for that matter, should not be allowed to feed it unnecessarily with tidbits or junk food.
With a lifespan of 15 or more years, the Australian Terrier usually stays healthy throughout its lifetime. If there are any health problems, they are minor.