Australian Terrier

January 22, 2023

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History

The Australian Terrier is a breed native to Australia, as you probably guessed by the name. However, despite the fact that the breed is considered Australian, it originated from British Terriers, which were imported by settlers. During the creation of the breed, various terriers interbred with each other until they got a small but very funny and in many ways useful companion.

The breeding involved the Yorkshire Terrier, the Skye Terrier, as well as the Dandie Dinmont Terrier’s forerunner, and the Wirehaired Terrier. The first European settlers in Australia lived in rather harsh conditions, they had to start everything from scratch, in a new climate and in a completely different environment from the one they were used to. Therefore, the requirements for dogs that had to share the hardships with their owners had to adapt.

That is why the Australian Terrier, although very small, is hard and fearless – it was required of him to not only be a watchdog that can warn of danger but also to serve as a hunter of rodents and small animals, and these instincts are still strong in the breed. They were used not only on farms but also in gold mines for catching snakes.

Surprisingly the Australian Terrier is the first local breed that received official recognition in Australia. They were first shown in 1868 in Melbourne as the “Australian Long-Haired Terrier” and officially renamed to “Australian Terrier” in 1897.

This breed was first brought to England by employees of the diplomatic service in the first half of the 20th century, and the Australian Terrier received official recognition from the British Kennel Club in 1933. From the UK, the breed came to the US in around the 1940s, when military personnel and military journalists brought them with them from England during the Second World War.

In 1960, the Australian Terrier became the 114th breed recognized by the American Kennel Club and in 21 years (since 1939) the first new breed of terriers. The Australian Terrier Club of America was founded in 1957 and became a member of the AKC in 1977.

Description

These are small, strongly built dogs with curly hair. The ears are upright, the muzzle is with a beard, the limbs are short but proportional, and the tail is short. The color can be sandy, red, and blue with a tan.

Personality

The Australian Terrier breed has a very open and playful character, which makes the life of others around them more interesting – there is no doubt about it. However, the mood of the dog is directly related to the mood of its owners, as this breed is extremely attached to its owner. That is, it is attached so much that it takes over the state of mind of loved ones. If you are happy, the dog will be happy with you, but if you are sad, he will share your sadness, peacefully lying next to you on the couch. And will not get eccentric behavior at the wrong time.

The Australian Terrier is a breed that loves games, fun, entertainment, and all kinds of activities. In fact, the activity does not have to consist of games, because if you live in a house, the dog will definitely try to hunt for rats or rodents. With this breed, your lawn is always at risk because it likes to dig.

Generally, any small animals and even cats make the Australian Terrier want to hunt them. Also if you teach your dog to get along with your own in-house cat, then all other cats will still remain enemies. The tendency to hunt various small animals can be suppressed but it must be done from a very early age.

Living Conditions

Dominant character traits make the dog very funny, playful, and always ready for games. The breed has a certain subconscious attraction to the disabled, elderly, and children, which makes it an excellent companion for these groups of people. However, young children need to be careful, as the Australian Terrier has a certain limit of patience, and if the child steps over it, the dog will not endure.

While walking, you need to be on your guard, as this breed may try to attack larger dogs, although usually, the attack continues only until the first fight.

Training

The Australian Terrier needs education and training, as well as socialization. They love to learn new commands, however, you will also need to pay attention to obedience and cancel commands so that you can, for example, silence the dog at the right moment, or stop him when he tries to bark at a large dog in the park or a stranger.

During the training process, keep a positive attitude and use various types of encouragement. In addition, you can not do without a sense of humor and patience. Sometimes, these dogs need the firm hand of a leader, but not in the sense of rudeness and beatings, but in the sense of a leader and reasonable severity when needed.

You need to try to make training sessions as active and fun as possible, as this breed can get bored quickly. In addition, it is necessary to constantly bring something new to the table, or else they can get bored. Monotony in this case would be the worst idea. Overworking the Australian Terrier is not worth it, just like forcing him to train. If you see that the dog is tired, extend the session for another five, a maximum of 10 minutes, no more.

Care

The Australian Terrier needs to be brushed about 2 times a week, the dog needs to be bathed at least once a week or more often. Nails should be trimmed 3 times a month, ears should be cleaned 3 times a week, and eyes should be cleaned daily.