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Australian Terrier Dog Breed Introduction
Australian Terrier is a small-sized terrier dog type that originated in Australia. It was developed from the Great Britain types of dogs. The Australian Terriers have a natural liking for the handicapped, children, and the elderly. These dogs were bred for working and companionship. Therefore, they tend to be very friendly and enjoy interacting with people. An Australian Terrier tends to get along with other dogs, although, some male dogs may not get along with other males in the home.
These pooches are known for their soft and silky hair topknot that otherwise contrasts the shaggy double coat. As true Terriers, Australian Terriers love digging and running after small furry critters. When compared to other terriers, this breed has a long neck and back. The Australian Terriers are alert dogs that will bark when someone is approaching hence making excellent watchdogs.
Australian Terrier Origin | History
The Australian Terrier was developed from the several breeds of working terriers brought to Australia during the 19th century by the British settlers. This breed is a result of interbreeding Yorkshire, Cairn, Norwich, Dandie Dinmont, Skye, and Scottish Terriers. The Australian Terriers were bred to eradicate mice, rats, and snakes. Initially, the breed was known as Rough Coated Terrier before it was recognized in 1850. This breed was later renamed as the Australian Terrier in the late 19th century( 1892). The Australian Terriers were first shown at a dog show in Melbourne in 1906. The Kennel Club of the United Kingdom recognized this breed in 1933 followed by AKC in 1960, and the United Kennel Club in 1970.
Australian Terrier Life Span
The Australian Terriers have a lifespan of 11 to 15 years.
Australian Terrier Grooming
The Australian Terriers have a harsh double coat that is weatherproof. The coat is also mud and dirt repellant. Therefore, this breed has minimal grooming needs. Weekly brushing and combing will suffice to keep the coat looking healthy. The Australian Terriers that participate in conformation shows have their coats hand stripped or plucked to maintain the harsh texture of the coat.
The long hairs that grow between the eyes are easily plucked with fingers or tweezers. If left unattended, they will irritate the eyes. The coat is also hand stripped twice a year during Spring and Fall to help in getting rid of the old hair and promote new hair growth. The Australian Terriers need an occasional bath every 3 months or so unless they roll in something stinky. Regular bathing and shampooing the coat changes the harsh texture to soft interfering with the dirt repellence capability.
Frequent baths can also make the skin of this breed dry and flaky. After bathing your pet, thoroughly rinse off the grooming products from the coat to prevent skin irritation. Trim the nails of Australian Terriers fortnightly using nail clippers or grinders to prevent overgrowth, cracking, and splitting. brush the teeth of an Australian Terrier at least twice a week if not daily using a dog formulated toothpaste and toothbrush. Remember to clean the ears on a weekly basis to remove debris or wax buildup using cotton balls and ear cleanser solution.
Australian Terrier Short Hair | Haircut | Grooming Styles
The preferred haircut for an Australian Terrier that participates in conformation shows is hand stripping. The body coat is plucked or stripped to a length of 2.5 inches. Although, the feet, tail, rear legs from the hocks down, and pasterns maintain a short hair. Otherwise, some pet owners may prefer to clip the coat into a puppy cut if the dog is not participating in show dogs. For this haircut, the hair on the body is clipped to a length of a half to one inch giving the Australian Terriers a short hair look.
Australian Terrier Shedding
The Australian Terriers have a double harsh weather resistant coat that sheds all-year round at low levels.
Australian Terrier Coat
The Australian Terriers have a double coat. The top coat is harsh and straight while the undercoat is soft and short.
Australian Terrier Hypoallergenic
The Australian Terriers are regarded hypoallergenic dogs. They have a harsh double coat that sheds minimally throughout the year and produces less dander. However, allergists also recognize that at times a particular canine allergy patient may be able to tolerate a particular dog. Although, the people who are tolerant of the breed cannot be stretched to fit all allergic people and the entire breed of dogs. For this reason, a pet owner should spend lots of time with a particular Australian Terrier to determine whether the dog aggravates their allergies before adopting.
Australian Terrier Training
The Australian Terriers are upbeat, lively, and intelligent dogs. However, they may be willful and stubborn. Therefore, they need a consistent and firm but gentle approach when training. Parents should also set this breed for a successful training by assuming pack leadership from an early age. A functional pecking order helps this breed to understand that it is under the leadership of a respected, trusted, and loving leader who will make decisions for the well-being of the entire pack.
This breed has a strong urge to run after small furry critters. Therefore, pet parents should introduce cats or other pets that the dog may perceive as prey from an early age so that they may get along just fine. However, Australian Terriers may be reluctant in sharing human attention or toys even with training. Two males may not be able to share a household.
Socialization training is key to raising a well-adjusted and well-mannered Australian Terriers. This training exposes the dog to a wide variety of people, animals, places, surfaces, smell, situations, sight, experiences, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, doorbells, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, whistles, sirens, and washing machine. Enrolling the Australian Terrier in a puppy class will also serve as a form of socialization. These classes enable the canines to interact in a controlled environment. Puppy classes are also beneficial to the pet parents. They enable the them to not only identify and correct bad habits but also have access to training information and assistance.
Keep the training sessions short and upbeat. Australian Terrier tend to get bored with routine and long training sessions. Make use of positive training methods such as toys, treats, playtime, verbal praise, and petting as opposed to yelling, kicking, or shoving that makes training counterproductive. Start teaching basic command words like come, sit, stay, wait, heel, etc. one at a time until the dog is well-acquainted before proceeding to the next command word. Effectively housebreak an Australian Terrier by creating a feeding schedule, potty training, and crate training.
Australian Terrier Temperament | Personality | Traits
- Intelligent.
- Alert.
- Lively.
- Playful.
- Affectionate.
- High-prey drive.
- Stubborn.
- Willful.
- Bold.
- Friendly.
- Cheerful.
Australian Terrier Exercise
The Australian Terriers are active and playful dogs that need regular exercise to keep them from becoming bored, unhappy, or destructive. Daily play sessions indoors or outdoors, daily walks, or hiking will help to keep this breed physically and mentally stimulated. However, Australian Terriers should play in a safely secured yard and go for walks and hikes while on a leash due to their strong hunting instinct.
Australian Terrier Bark
This is an alert breed that will bark to notify the owner if someone is approaching.
Australian Terrier Height
The Australian Terriers have a height of 10 to 11 inches ( approx. approx. 25 to 28 cm ).
Australian Terrier Weight
Mature Australian Terriers have a weight of 15 to 20 pounds ( approx. 6.8 to 9.07 kg ).
Australian Terrier Size
An Australian Terrier is a small-sized terrier dog that has a height of 10 to 11 inches ( approx. approx. 25 to 28 cm ) and a weight of 15 to 20 pounds ( approx. 6.8 to 9.07 kg ).
Australian Terrier Health Issues
The Australian Terriers are healthy and robust dogs that have a life span of 11 to 15 years. However, they may suffer from certain health issues such as Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, patellar luxation, allergies, and diabetes mellitus.
Apart from Australian Terrier, other dog breeds include:
Australian Terrier Names
The Australian Terrier parents may decide to get a name for the pet before it joins them home from the breeder or days after the pet has settled home to understand better the personality of a particular dog. Parents may get name inspirations from the Australian heritage, coat color and texture, personality of the dog, movies, celebrity Australian Terriers, songs, food, historical figures, and nature.
Regardless of where the parent will source the name, he or she should ensure the name chosen will not be a source of embarrassment if uttered out loud in the public parks and malls. Australian Terriers and other dog breeds better understand names that have vowels.
If a parent has chosen a long name, they should make an effort of finding a cute nickname for the pet. Avoid giving your Australian Terrier a name that rhymes with the command words to avoid confusion. If a pet shares a name with any family member or guest that frequent your home, it may cause confusion. Some of the names that Australian Terriers owners give to their pets include;
- Payne.
- Jinx.
- Chloe.
- Paula.
- Zoe.
- Sparky.
- Rex.
- Poco.
- Dinky.
- Cutie.
- Gus.
- Maddy.
- Harley.
- Tiny, etc.
Australian Terrier Food
The amount of food that Australian Terriers feed on depend on their activity level, age, metabolism, size, and body build. Australian Terriers puppies tend to have a high metabolism rate as compared to adults and senior dogs. Therefore, a pup needs to feed on a total of 3 or 4 times a day from when it starts weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Australian Terriers should feed on two meals a day for the rest of their lives with snacks and treats in between. However, Aussie Terrier owners should watch out for calorie consumption and weight level to avoid overfeeding their pets.
Australian Terriers may feed on dry food, wet food, home made, or a raw diet depending on the budget and time of the pet parent. Regardless of the food type, the owner should ensure that the dog feeds on a balanced diet to maintain a good health eventually allowing it to develop cognitively and physically. If the Australian parent decides to feed the dog the commercial dry or wet food, he or she should ensure the first three ingredients are proteins from a known source.
The commercial pet food should neither contain preservatives, chemicals, additives, Meat by-products, generic meat products, nor fillers. The same goes to the snacks. Dry or wet food should also be formulated for small-sized puppies, adults, and senior depending on the age of your Terrier. Make a habit of checking the physique of your dog to know whether it is overweight or underweight.
If you can see the ribs, chances are the pooch is underweight. Although, if the ribs are not visible but you can feel them without pressing hard, the pet has an ideal weight. If you cannot feel the ribs, the pet is obese. After getting a puppy from a breeder, the owner is likely to switch to another quality food. They should gradually do this over a period of four weeks by mixing both old food and new food. As the weeks progresses, the amount of old food reduces as the new food increases until the Australian Terrier is only feeding on new food during the fourth week.
Australian Terrier White | Colors
The Australian Terriers may have a solid red, solid sandy, or blue and tan color. Any white markings on the feet or chest are undesirable.
Are Australian Terriers Hypoallergenic
Yes. The Australian Terriers shed at minimal levels throughout the year and produce less dander. Although, there is no truly a hundred percent hypoallergenic dog breed. Therefore, owners should spend lots of time with a particular dog before adopting to ensure the dog does not trigger their allergies.
Do Australian Terriers Shed
Yes. The Australian Terriers shed at low levels all-year round.
Australian Terriers Quick Facts
- The Australian Terrier is the first native Australian breed recognized in Australia and other countries.
- This breed ranks 34th in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs.
- Australian Terriers are adaptable to many climates.
