The
Australian Terrier is a small sized
breedDog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of
dogThe dog is a domesticated form of the Gray Wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animals in human history...
of the
terrierA terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, very active and fearless dogs.- History :...
dog typeDog types are broad categories of dogs based on function; dog types are not identical to modern dog breeds but dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance, including ancestral forms that arose undocumented over a long period of time...
. The breed was developed in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, although the ancestral types of dogs from which the breed descends were from
Great BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
.
The Australian Terrier is a small dog with short legs, weighing around approx. 6.5 kg (14 lbs) and standing about 25 cms (10 ins.) at the
withersThe withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
, with a medium length shaggy harsh double
coatThe coat of a dog is the pelage that covers its body. A dog coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarse topcoat, or a single coat, without an undercoat...
that is not normally trimmed.
The
Australian Terrier is a small sized
breedDog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of
dogThe dog is a domesticated form of the Gray Wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The domestic dog has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animals in human history...
of the
terrierA terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, very active and fearless dogs.- History :...
dog typeDog types are broad categories of dogs based on function; dog types are not identical to modern dog breeds but dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance, including ancestral forms that arose undocumented over a long period of time...
. The breed was developed in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, although the ancestral types of dogs from which the breed descends were from
Great BritainGreat Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island. With a population of about 59.6 million people, it is the third most populated island on Earth. Great Britain is surrounded by over 1000 smaller...
.
Appearance
The Australian Terrier is a small dog with short legs, weighing around approx. 6.5 kg (14 lbs) and standing about 25 cms (10 ins.) at the
withersThe withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
, with a medium length shaggy harsh double
coatThe coat of a dog is the pelage that covers its body. A dog coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarse topcoat, or a single coat, without an undercoat...
that is not normally trimmed. Fur is shorter on the muzzle, lower legs, and feet, and there is a ruff around the neck. The coat colours are shades of blue or red with a lighter coloured topknot, and with markings on face, ears, body and legs of a colour described in the breed standard as "tan, never sandy". The tail was traditionally docked. As with most pet dog breeds, all proportions and aspects of the body and head as well as colours and markings are extensively described in the breed standard.
History
The Australian Terrier is descended from the rough coated
typeDog types are broad categories of dogs based on function; dog types are not identical to modern dog breeds but dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance, including ancestral forms that arose undocumented over a long period of time...
terriers brought from Great Britain to Australia in the early 1800s. The ancestral types of all of these breeds were kept to eradicate mice and rats. The Australian Terrier shares ancestors with the
Cairn TerrierThe Cairn Terrier is one of the oldest terrier breeds, originating in the Scottish Highlands and recognized as one of Scotland's earliest working dogs, used for hunting burrowing prey among the cairns....
, Shorthaired
Skye TerrierThe Skye Terrier is a breed of dog that is a long, low terrier that is hardy.-Coat:The Skye is double coated, with a short, soft undercoat and a hard, straight topcoat, which must be flat against the body and free of curl. The ideal coat length is 5 1/2 inches , with no extra credit for a longer coat...
, and the
Dandie Dinmont TerrierDisambiguation: "Dandie Dinmont" is also a character in Guy Mannering, a novel by Walter Scott A Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a small breed of dog in the terrier family...
;
Yorkshire TerrierThe Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog breed of Terrier type, developed in the 1800s in the historical area of Yorkshire in England. The defining features of the breed are its small size and its silky blue and tan coat...
s and
Irish TerrierThe Irish Terrier is a dog breed from Ireland, one of many breeds of Terrier.The Irish Terrier is an active, compactly sized dog that is suited for life in both rural and city environments. The red, harsh coat protects an Irish Terrier well in all kinds of weather.-Appearance:Breed standards...
s were also
crossedA crossbreed or crossbred is an animal with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. Crossbreeding refers to the process of breeding such an animal, often with the intention of creating offspring that share the traits of both parent lineages, or producing an animal with...
into the dog during the breed's development.
Development of the breed began in
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
about 1820, and the dogs were at first called the Rough Coated Terrier. The breed was officially recognised with the founding of the first breed club in 1887, and the breed was recognised as the Australian Terrier in 1892. The Australian Terrier was shown at a dog show for the first time in 1903 in
MelbourneMelbourne is the capital city and most populous city of the State of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne city centre is the anchor of the larger geographical area and statistical division known as the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area – of which Melbourne is...
, and was also shown in Great Britain about the same time.
The Kennel ClubThe Kennel Club is a kennel club based in London and Aylesbury, England.Founded on 4 April, 1873, the club is the oldest of the world’s all-breed kennel clubs. It is the governing body for dogs in the UK and its primary objective is 'to promote in every way, the general improvement of dogs'...
(UK) recognised the breed in 1933. The
American Kennel ClubThe American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
recognised the Australian Terrier in 1960, and the
United Kennel ClubThe United Kennel Club is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. According to the website, the club records 250,000 registrations annually. The UKC is not part of the International Canine Organisation, Fédération...
(US) in 1969. It is now recognised by all of the major kennel clubs in the English speaking world, and also is listed by various minor kennel clubs and other clubs and registries.
Health
There are three completed health surveys for Australian Terriers. Two surveys, one in 1997 and one in 2002, have been conducted by the Australian Terrier Club of America. The Club is currently collecting data for their next survey.
The UK Kennel Club has a 2004 survey, but it has a much smaller sample size than the Australian Terrier Club of America surveys. Some of the respondents in the American surveys were from Australia, but there is no separate Australian health survey.
Mortality
In both 1997 and 2002 Australian Terrier Club of America surveys, median longevity of Australian Terriers was 11 years (total sample size of 230 deceased dogs). In the Kennel Club (UK) 2004 survey, median longevity was 12.1 years, but the sample size was only 11 deceased dogs. 11 years is a typical median longevity for purebred dogs in general, but on the low end of longevities for breeds similar in size to Australian Terriers.
Major causes of death in the 2002 survey were cancer (67%), old age (17%), undetermined (16%), and diabetes (13%).
Morbidity
Among 619 living dogs in the 2002 Australian Terrier Club of America survey, the most commonly reported health problems were endocrine (primarily diabetes), allergic dermatitis, and musculoskeletal (primarily luxating patella and ruptured cranial cruciate ligament). Other conditions reported among more than 4% of the surveyed dogs were adult onset cataracts and ear infections. The much smaller 2004 UKC survey, with 28 living dogs, suggested similar health concerns.
Temperament
The breed standard describes the ideal Australian Terrier temperament as spirited, alert, "with the natural aggressiveness of a ratter and hedge hunter". Aussies rank 34th in
Stanley CorenStanley Coren is a psychology professor and neuropsychological researcher who has become best known to the general public for a series of books regarding the intelligence, mental abilities and history of dogs...
's
The Intelligence of DogsThe Intelligence of Dogs is a book on dog intelligence by Stanley Coren, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver...
, being of above average "Working and Obedience" intelligence, indicating good trainability. As with other terriers, they can be dog-aggressive and somewhat bossy, and care must be taken when living in a multi-pet household. In general, adult male terriers do not get along well with other adult male dogs. Since the Australian Terrier was also bred for companionship, they tend to be very people friendly, and enjoy interacting with people.