Our guest columnist, Vic Wagner has helped to establish and organize two regional Specialty Clubs, the Australian Terrier Club of the Greater Chicago Area and the Copperstate Australian Terrier Club. His article helps us to celebrate the one hundred anniversary of the renaming of our breed, which replaced Australian Rough Terrier.

A grand small dog, big in nature but small in structure, can be a fitting monograph of the Australian Terrier Breed. Commonly called an "Aussie’ by its fanciers, it is a "fair dinkum cobber" (a true friend or companion)as expressed in Australian slang. It is a proud, alert, intelligent and loyal dog, as well as hardy, protective and playful. The Aussie's temperament is two fold: much like that of a sporting breed until roused, when the self-confident terrier spirit can predominate. It is a canny individual, that also may act without reflection or consideration of the possible consequences, as when facing off with a larger member of another breed.

The early settlers of the Australian outback quickly found need of a small sturdy dog, capable of withstanding the temperature extremes, inclined to keep varmints such as rats and snakes in check and be a protective companion. The predecessor of today's Aussie met those requirements and was found as a household pet as well as earning his keep with his outdoor activities. The early breed had its origin simultaneously in several remote areas of Australia, with "sporting terriers' earth dogs from the British Isles being used. . The cross breeding of recognized terrier breeds including the Scottish, Skye and Dandie Dinmont has resulted in what was known as the Broken Hair or Australian Rough Terrier. The new breed had the desired features including a weather resistant double coat of course hair over a soft under coat, and the desire and ability to pursue its quarry under ground. Further selective breeding with the Cairn and Yorkshire terriers, set the desired size and color. In Australia in 1897 the breed was officially named the AUSTRALIAN TERRIER.

The Aussie quickly gained the favor and admiration of Foreign Service members and some of the British aristocracy who introduced them to other Commonwealth nations. In 1933 the Australian terrier breed was recognized by the Kennel Club of England. In time, world travelers and returning American service men of World War I and II brought them to the United States. An active group of Aussie fanciers on Long Island, N.Y. promoted the breed in the 1940's. With the foresight and perseverance of breeder/exhibitors including Mr. & Mrs. Milton Fox, the American public was introduced to the "darlings from down-under" at shows in the Miscellaneous Class. After making its debut in the Westminster Kennel Club show in 1957, the Aussie gained an enthusiastic following and was recognized by the AKC in 1960.

The Australian terrier is considered by its fanciers to be an all around, conveniently sized breed as a family pet. With the desired traits of a watchful and loving companion with a sense of affection and loyalty combined with the senses of a hunter, the Aussie is an investigator and will readily assume the task of being a protector, yet sympathetic with the mood of quietness or rousing activity.

The general appearance of an Australian Terrier is a small, medium boned dog, rather long in proportion to a height of 10-11 inches, with small erect and pointed ears, a straight dense coat, ruff and topknot of softer hair and sporting a docked tail. Coloring may be blue and tan, or solid sandy or red. The physical characteristics and disposition of the male and female are quite similar. An Aussie is always a terrier, with keen hearing and sense of scent, with a confident air and voice of authority. The Aussie sheds coat lightly, requires a minimum of regular grooming, is economical to feed, is long lived and readily accepts a crate as its own abode. Perhaps having a deviant sense of humor, the Australian terrier must be taught which end of the leash he or she is on, and that can be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Reprinted with permission of AKC Gazette