Australian Terrier
Narrated from: Dog Breeds
One of the smallest terrier groups is the Australian Terrier. He could easily be confused with the Norfolk or Norwich Terrier. He is short with solid sturdy legs with dark eyes which are full of expression. The Australian Terrier has a double weather resistant coat. His coat colors include a wide array of blue and tan, a sandy color and solid red. There are many shades of blue in his coat such as blue gray, silver blue and a dark silver blue. His coat is normally two to three inches long with a little fringe hanging down from his sides and a little feathering on his legs. He is much stronger than he looks and he has a tenacious terrier attitude.
He is a tough little dog and he is very courageous. He possesses boundless energy and he is extraordinarily intelligent. He is very loyal and affectionate to his human family and he makes a fantastic family dog. He is naturally responsive and protective. His antics are sure to amuse you as you watch him play. He is very high spirited and curious. He is confident in his ability to hear and see very well. He is very responsive to training and socialization is as important with him as it is with any breed to make him well-balanced and stable. Unlike many small dogs he does not tend to be snappy. He does like to bark and will need to be taught very young what “enough” means.
He is confident enough to become the pack leader if you let him. He will need a confident, calm leader to teach him what is expected of him, but he simply wants to please his humans. He needs to understand that even the smallest member of the family is dominant over him, just as the children need to be respectful of the dog. They seem to love other inside pets but will chase small animals outside. That is what they were originally bred to do. It was their responsibility to control rodent and snake populations outside of their homes.
The Australian Terrier is a great apartment dog as long as he gets plenty of outside play. Make sure the area he is allowed to play in is secure because he will chase chipmunks and squirrels and may get lost when he is focused on a mission. He will cherish his toys and his human pack. They are usually very healthy little dogs with very few noted health problems. He will grow to only 9 to 11 inches tall and his top-end weight is not likely to be over 10 to 15 pounds, as long as you are sure not to over-feed him. When he is very young he can eat more and burn the calories he takes in but as he ages and slows a little make sure you adjust his food accordingly. Additional weight is never good for any dog’s joints.
His shaggy coat is very easy to care for. Brushing his coat distributes the natural oils on his skin and makes his coat shine. You will want to brush him several times each week to keep his coat healthy looking. He should not need to be clipped and you don’t need to wash him very often. Washing him too often will remove the essential oils from his coat and give him a dull appearance. You may occasionally need to trim the hair around his eyes and shorten the hair around his ears to keep him looking his best. The Australian Terrier rarely sheds.
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