Information about the Australian Terrier dog breed

The Australian Terrier is one of the smallest members of the Terrier family. Here you find a short-legged, well-built little dog. We see a long head with V-shaped ears, wonderful sharp expression. His nose is black and has a distinctive V-shaped top. His teeth should come together in a scissors bite. They are only a shade longer than they are tall, standing about nine to ten inches tall. We see a deep chest that is well placed under his body. They have small cat-like feet, with arched toes that end in black nails. They have a bow that only covers the top of the skull. From their coloration they look solid tans, shades of blue and this includes dark blue, with many other shades of blue as well. They can be silvery blue, here we see the dark color at the tip of the hair, but each hair alternates throughout. Solid red is found in this breed and blue and tan. Its fur is double and is between two and three inches long.

History: The Australian Terrier dog was developed in Australia and is believed to have come from these breeds of Terrier, Norwich, Yorkshire, Skye, Cairn and Dandie Dinmont. Its use was for the control of rodents and snakes. They have been used as herding dogs, agility dogs, performing tricks, and guard dogs. Here we meet Australia’s first recognized native dog.

Temperament: The Australian Terrier wants to please, and this allows him to be one of the best trainees in the terrier family. This breed is energetic, curious, and lovable, all with boundless energy. Get over that with more courage than many of the bigger dogs. This dog is loyal and shows a lot of affection to its owner. With all this the dog is very intelligent and self-confident. He has good hearing and eyesight. Unlike some Terriers, this dog is not agile, but he loves to bark and training is needed to reduce his enthusiasm for barking. As with all dogs, this dog needs to know that you are the boss, good training and constant reinforcement will help the dog with this, and it is great self-confidence. This dog is friendly with other dogs and pets.

Health problems: Here we have a dog that is generally in good health. There are no set conditions with which the Australian Terrier breed suffers.

Grooming: the Australian Terrier dog will need a brushing every two days. His coat is long but easy to care for. When you brush the coat, you help release oils that give the dog a beautiful shine. Bathing has to be limited as this removes the protective oils. As part of the Terrier family, this dog will need to be plucked every few months. This breed sheds little.

Living Conditions: The Australian Terrier dog is fine for apartment living, but will also need to go for walks. Keep them on a leash when they are outside, as they may chase other small animals and will love to leave you in their wake.