Australian Terriers: description of breeds and their content

The Australian Terrier is a smart, hardworking dog designed to serve the people. In it, the similarity with the ancestors - terriers, although not pronounced, is guessed. He is much shorter in height than his ancestors.

The Australian Terrier Standard was developed in the 19th century as a human helper. The small size dog is similar to the decorative one, but it was used as a working one. Thanks to her keen sense of smell, her hunting qualities were used. The dog perfectly caught rats and other rodents, he could even get them out of the hole. He helped the shepherds to graze the sheep, warning with loud barking of danger, informed the owners about the presence of snakes, which Australia is rich in.

Experts still have not come to an unambiguous conclusion where the selection actually took place. At the time of the appearance of these animals, Australia was a colony of Britain and there is an assumption that the pygmy terrier came to Australia from England at the beginning of the 19th century. According to the second version, the dog is still a product of the labor of Australian breeders. They are so convinced of this that they consider the breed to be their national treasure and puppies are allowed to be taken out of the country only with special permits.

In fact, in parallel with the working terrier, his closest relative, the snare terrier, was bred. Unlike the first variant, which had a hard, protruding coat of a working dog, the snare was intended for housing as a decorative dog with soft silky hair.

Today both lines are considered Australian Terriers. The breed was officially registered in 1933 at the English Cynological Organization.

Representatives of both lines have both differences and similarities with each other. Consider first the description of the Australian Hunting Terrier:

• height to the withers is 25-26 cm;
• the dog weighs within 6.5 kg;
• the head is medium in size with a flat forehead and a rounded occipital part;
• moderate, without sharp lines, the transition from the forehead to the muzzle, which becomes narrower towards the nose;
• strong jaws endowed with a scissor bite, with an even row of teeth and thin black lips;
• the eyes are small, rounded, set not wide, have a dark brown color;
• the nose is black with wide noticeable nostrils;
• the ears are thin, mobile, set high, erect triangular in shape with a slight rounding;
• the body is long, the waist is narrowed, the chest is wide and the back is straight, able to maintain its shape while running;
• the neck is not long, with a smooth bend, without dewlap;
• the limbs are short, refined, but strong with rounded small brushes and hard dark claws;
• the tail is raised vertically, it is allowed to be docked up to the middle of the length, if the tail remains in its natural shape, it acquires a slight curvature;
• the coat is stiff, protruding, about six centimeters long, the mane on the neck around the head does not need a haircut;
• the color can be red, sand, steel, blue and tan, red, puppies are born black.

The Australian Terrier looks inconspicuous, according to external data it is inferior to the snare. But this little dog contains so many positive qualities that they would be enough for several large dogs. He is hardened, courageous, hardy, a real helper and hard worker in hard farm affairs. The Australian Wire-haired Terrier does not pretend to be a soft sofa in a warm apartment, like a snare, it gets along well both in the house and in the aviary.

The dog is obedient, outgoing, very loyal to its owner. Despite the working purpose, the pet is affectionate, tactful, cheerful. The only thing that can be reproached for him is his dislike for his own kind.

The second line of the Australian Terrier (snare) is smaller, more graceful and belongs to the decorative breeds. You can keep it both in a private house and in an apartment. Representatives of this breed are as follows:

• the dog has a height to the withers from 18 to 23 cm;
• weighs 4 or 5 kg;
• the head is medium in size, commensurate with the body;
• a strong jaw with a full set of strong teeth;
• eyes of moderate size, can be round or oval;
• a small nose with wide black nostrils;
• the transition from the head to protruding, high-set ears is well pronounced;
• the body is small, elongated, muscular and strong, the chest is shallow, of moderate plane, the back is straight;
• the neck is slightly bent, not long;
• the coat is thick, soft, silky, forms an even, beautiful coat;
• the color is silver or blue with tan.

Puppies are born dark and completely brighten by the age of one and a half or two years. As it grows, the coat becomes longer, but stiffness of movement is not allowed. Therefore, areas with too long fur are trimmed on their own.

The snares are an inexhaustible source of cheerfulness and optimism. He is very active, if he is deprived of walking in the fresh air, the accumulated energy will literally blow up the whole house. The silky terrier loves children and enjoys playing with them. Despite the pampered appearance, the dog has a bold and confident character, is able to keep the situation under control. The pet is strongly attached to the owner, does not like to be alone, participates in all family affairs, is very curious.

The Australian Silky Terrier (snare) is a scaled-down version of the standard Australian Terrier. Differences in appearance and character between them are noticeable to the naked eye.

• Working on two lines of dogs, independently of each other, breeders set different goals - they did not require hunting and guarding abilities from snares, they had to delight the owners with their beautiful decorative appearance.
• In addition to different purposes, differences are clearly visible in appearance, snares are smaller and more intelligent than their relative, in appearance they resemble Yorkies, and hunting terriers are similar to kerns.
• The main difference between these species relates to their coat. A working dog does not need a long silky coat, like a snare, with such fur it will not fit into a single hole. The standard Australian Terrier has a hard coat of medium length, reddish-black in color. In snares, the hair on the body is long with a silvery color, divided into a parting; on the muzzle, the fur has a reddish tint.

The similarity in these two species is also noticeable, pets of short stature with a long body. Both can be blue with fawn, which is typical for all Australian terriers, but the hunting variant can also have a red color.

Keeping dogs includes not only caring for them, but also walking, feeding, vaccinating, treating, giving birth and keeping puppies. Let's consider all the points in order.

As we have already found out, the Australian Terrier has two lines, which have a coat of different lengths and structures. The decorative look - snares requires special care, so we will focus on it. The coat of a hunting terrier is also looked after, only less often. Moreover, he does not need a haircut.

• Bathe the dogs as they become dirty, about once every two or three weeks. Use special zoo shampoos or balms. After a walk, they wash their paws, and in the summer they wipe the fur with a damp cloth.
• Eyes and ears should be wiped with a damp swab daily to remove excess secretions. If inflammatory processes are found, the eyes are washed with chamomile infusion or special pharmaceutical preparations.
• The teeth are brushed with a dog toothbrush and toothpaste once or twice a week. If up to a year old the puppy's milk teeth have not changed to molars, you should consult a veterinarian. For the normal condition of the teeth, dogs need to be given solid food, special toys and mosles.
• The claws are cut as needed. Dogs that often walk outdoors will naturally rub their claws on hard surfaces.
• The grooming of the fur of the snare requires more thorough grooming than the working terrier, which has medium length and hard fur, although it also needs combing. Active shedding is not very noticeable, there will be no wool throughout the apartment. But the dog should be combed during this period every day, especially in hard-to-reach places, using not only a comb, but also a special slicker. It is necessary to monitor the formation of tangles, the matted wool is sorted by hand, then combed with a brush. To make the procedure easier, the fur is moistened with water or balm.
• It is not necessary to cut a medium-coated terrier. As for the snare, it needs to be trimmed about four times a year, as the dog's dense coat can become entangled. Show pets visit the grooming specialist several times a month. You can take care of a dog that does not participate in exhibitions yourself and, having purchased a machine, cut your hair yourself.

Walking is worth talking about separately. Initially, dogs were bred to help humans and special working qualities were required from them; during selection, emphasis was placed on endurance and activity. These properties are fixed in both lines of Australian terriers, so the dogs need increased exercise and many hours of walking. Representatives of the indoor decorative breed need walks 1-3 times a day from one to three hours per walk. The dog spills out the energy that was not expended on the street at home.

Hunting terriers are often kept in private homes that have a yard where the dogs can run as long as they want. If a working dog lives in an aviary, he also needs walks. During the walk, the owner can engage in training the pet, raising it. It is necessary to do this, since the working genes of the dog make it hunt on the street for everyone who moves - rats, pigeons, cats.

In the spring-autumn period, dogs need overalls. They are not put on to warm the animal, they are necessary to protect it from dust and dirt, since terriers are short and with long hair can "sweep" the ground.

From late spring to autumn, after each walk, the pet should be examined for ticks. If the parasite is found, an inexperienced dog breeder should see a veterinarian. In any case, it is better to have a blood test.

Australian Terriers do not require any specialties, but the food should be healthy and balanced. The dog cannot be fed with leftovers from the master's table, they may contain spices, smoked meats, fatty or fried foods, which will have a bad effect on the digestion process.

Puppies eat 4 to 6 times a day in fractional portions. As you grow, the number of feedings decreases, and the single dose increases. An adult dog is fed twice a day after walking. The serving should be 20% of the pet's weight.

The animal's diet can be natural food or premium dry foodthat do not contain starches and other additives harmful to the dog. Unlike natural food, vitamins and minerals do not need to be added to them, since the product is completely balanced and suitable for a healthy diet.

Dry food has its advantages:

• it is balanced and meets the needs of animals;
• no need to cook food for the dog;
• easy to store;
• do not cause allergies;
• help to maintain weight within the normal range.

Recommended products for natural nutrition:

• lean chopped raw meat or poultry fillets;
• boiled offal (liver, stomach, heart, lungs);
• dairy products several times a week (cottage cheese, natural yogurt, yogurt, kefir, low-fat cheese);
• boiled pulp of sea fish - twice a week;
• porridge is cooked from rice, millet, oatmeal, buckwheat in water or broth, they should be no more than 10% of the total diet;
• it is necessary to add fruits and vegetables to dishes to improve the functioning of the digestive system, as well as greens - salad, parsley.

To keep your pet in good health several times a year should be shown to the veterinarian for prophylactic purposes and routine vaccinations should be carried out.

Complex vaccination, which includes vaccines against hepatitis, plague, enteritis, leptospirosis, should be done at 1.5; 2.5; 7 months, then - in one year, and in subsequent years - once every 12 months. The first rabies vaccination is given at 7 months, and then, annually.

With regard to diseases, due to short legs, dogs can suffer from joint dysplasia, in which limbs become bent and swollen. Dogs can also suffer from epilepsy, diabetes mellitus, they have dislocations of the knee joints.

Australian Terriers are smart enough but can show their character. It is necessary to begin to engage in their upbringing from 2-3 months, they even at an early age understand quite well what they want from them.

To keep the snare in the apartment, you should teach him to walk in a cat litter or on an absorbent diaper.

During training, the dog cannot be punished physically, it is enough to lower his voice, an intelligent pet will understand everything. To consolidate the effect, it is better to reward the terrier with treats.

Australian Terriers are wonderful and intelligent companions with an adequate psyche and a cheerful disposition. They can be kept in families with children, hunters and active people. Dogs respond to a kind attitude with great love and devotion.

For the characteristics of the breed, see the following video.