Australian Terrier – Small But Sturdy & Confident

The Australian Terrier may be small (if slightly elongated) in stature, however, what they lack in size they more than make up for in spirit. So if a small but plucky and character filled terrier is what you fancy read on and learn a bit about this relatively modern breed (well the 19th Century is recent by dog breed standards).

Image: G.Cox/Shutterstock.com

Quick Overview

Name:                                                                  The Australian Terrier

Size:                                                                       About 9.8 inches tall at the shoulder

Weight:                                                                Roughly 6.5 kgs when fully grown

Grooming:                                                          Once a week

Training:                                                               Reasonably easy, intelligent, and sharp

Exercise:                                                              Daily walks but an hour is enough

Temperament:                                                 Friendly but yappy

Origins:                                                                 Australia although bred from dogs from other continents

Lifespan:                                                              10+ years

Breed Type:                                                        TERRIER

History and Origins of The Australian Terrier

Early in the 19^th century, the newly settled land of Australia still needed a strong supply of working dogs. While the Australian Cattle dog and other collie-types had been making an impact in the farming world, there was still a big gap in the need for ratters. Ratters are those smaller, terrier type breeds that are great for chasing vermin and were incredibly popular back in the days before we had sewers. This rough coated little addition to the Australian dog breed family was purposefully created to meet this gap in skills.

British migrants imported Cairn terriers, Skye, Dandie Dinmont, Yorkies and Irish terriers and crossed them all together in one big genetic mash up to create the Australian terrier. This happened around 1820, with the resultant breed being known as the Rough Coated terrier. As the years went on, selective breeding saw a dog emerge that was a lot more resistant to the Australian heat than any of its predecessors. The little terrier breed was added to the Australian Kennel Club in 1850 but was renamed in 1892 to the Australian Terrier. The breed was shown at a dog show in Melbourne in 1906 and has grown in strength ever since. In 1933 it was added to the UK Kennel Club register, and in 1970 it made it into the AKC in the US.

This is a hardy, heat-adaptive little beast with a big attitude. He’s yappy, he chases things, he will never leave your side and you will never even sense another rat within a mile radius. These are tough good boys that will be loyal till the end. We love them and we’re fairly sure you will too.

Fun Australian Terrier Facts!

The Australian Terrier is a great wee dog with a giant heart. It will be loyal to the end like any good terrier will. Let’s look over some of the funniest things about them to reassure all the new owners out there that they have found the right breed.

• They have five other dog breeds in their genetics – all terriers. They are the ultimate terrier…
• This breed has very few health conditions. Some have musculoskeletal disorders and the odd one has diabetes.
• All of the breeds it was made up from (like Frankendog) came from Britain.
• The Australian Terrier rank number 34 in Stanley Coren’s book about intelligent dogs.

Let’s get back to the important things. How hard is it to train one of these terriers, anyway?

Is it Hard To Train An Aussie Terrier?

The Australian Terrier is incredibly people orientated. They will go out of their way to make a master happy. This being said they are also incredibly intelligent little floofers. If you don’t keep them stimulated on some level, you might end up with a chewed up sofa. They are quick witted, will figure things out on their own, but need a bit of outside stimulation to keep them alert. This is not the type of dog you buy to sit and look out the window. Though if you do, you can count on them barking at every single cat…

What Temperament/Nature do they Have?

The Australian Terrier has a bold, fearless, defensive nature that you might associate with smaller dogs. It is unlikely to be the one that starts a fight with another animal, but it won’t back down if someone threatens the pack. They can be walked off the lead with training, but they are still likely to chase anything that rushes past. It is best advised that you ensure they get some form of obedience training to stop this or at least to work on recall. Another issue they might have is under socialisation – especially if you get your terrier from a shelter.

Since these dogs are so small, owners are a little scared to let them socialise with bigger dogs. If you can, make sure they are introduced to lots of others early on in their lives to prevent them being grumpy later.

Are They Healthy?

Since they are a reasonably new breed of terrier, there are few known health issues. The median age of the dog should be between 11 and 12 years but there are no common problems. You should watch out for patellar luxation and hip dysplasia in most dogs. Skin conditions inherited from the parent breeds might also be an issue. You should also watch for the diabetes that we mentioned earlier.

What About Grooming?

The tails on these dogs were traditionally docked to stop them from hurting their spine while they worked the fields. Years of this has led them to have fairly short tails as a breed. However, you should not dock any animals tail and if you come across a breeder who has done so you should report them. This is a cruel practise that is not needed if your dog isn’t a working dog (and even then its debatable).

Otherwise, you should keep their nails trimmed and their fur brushed so it doesn’t matt. They have a rough coat, so they don’t need much attention and aren’t likely to shed or get their fur tangled. That rough coat is nice and waterproof though, so it pays to keep it brushed. Once a week is enough.

Where Should I Buy My Australian Terrier?

You should only ever buy any dog from one of two places. You should first visit a shelter and then go to a breeder. The breeder you choose ought to be registered with the AKC or the UKKC or your country’s equivalent. This way, we can prevent puppy farming and stop the unnecessary suffering of dogs all over the world.

Interested In Australian Dog Breeds?

Want to check out a few other breeds from this fine country? then you can read our other related overviews here

There may (or may not) be a few other things you should know about different dog breeds over at Five Minutes Spare HQ. It’s a little like a rollercoaster on our home pages… You get a different experience every time. Drop by and see for yourself…