AUSTRALIAN TERRIER: READY, WILLING & ABLE!
OM and RACH and FAST CAT Aussies along with several Air Retrieve and Dock Diving Master Advanced dogs. The AKC Trick Dog winner in 2022 was Australian Terrier “Maddy.” As owners of this best-kept secret, we are tasked with showing the dog world what we can achieve with our little Terriers. Taking my first Aussie (Martha) to Camp Gone to the Dogs in Vermont years ago showed me that she could and would do anything I asked of her. As a result, I returned home with increased enthusiasm for the breed and attempted to join a Tracking group that trained weekly. All was good to go until I advised the group of which breed I was tracking with, resulting in my being disinvited. Not to be discour- aged, I bought a book, trained alone by myself, and made numerous training mistakes. But Martha forgave me for my errors, and at our first Tracking test she and I passed with flying colors—much to the amazement of the judges and exhibitors. (I was still not invited to join the group in Connecticut, but I was “terrier tenacious” and bullied my way into the group over time anyway). Training and competing in Obedience and Rally have seriously piqued interest in this little-known breed. Judges regularly express surprise and pleasure when an Aussie is in the placements. Increasingly, fellow competitors ask about the breed. Each interac- tion represents a chance to highlight our breed. Even in Earthdog, where Aussies are not well known, each qualifying ribbon and title piques interest from fellow terrier owners. Australian Terriers competing in Dock Diving and Air Retrieve are making waves (pun intended), and these little dogs often shine in Nosework and Barn Hunt activities. The ATCA is so proud of our outstanding performance dogs that each month we feature an Aussie that has excelled in its chosen field. Be sure to check our website every month to see videos, slide shows, and interviews featuring the owners and their performance dogs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Heather Rife, DVM has been owned by Australian Terriers since 2003. They have titled in Earthdog, Agility, Tracking, Obedience, Rally, Fast CAT, and Barn Hunt. Heather is always happy to discuss whether an Aussie could be the right fit for you. She can be contacted through email at dogvetdvm@gmail.com
288 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MAY 2023
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