AUSTRALIAN TERRIER PROPORTIONS a guide to understanding
BY JANE TENOR AND IDA ELLEN WEINSTOCK
T he Australian Terrier is one of the smaller terrier breeds. ground effortlessly. Measurements made of past National Specialty Best of Breed winners, some of which were also Best in Show winners, revealed that their front legs were 50 to 60 percent of their height from the point of the withers to the ground. The ATCA Breed Standard calls for a height of 10" to 11" from withers to the ground. The HEAD is long and supported by a long, strong, slightly arching NECK which arises from well laid-back shoulders. The BACK is slightly longer than its height, measured from the top of the withers to the ground. The BODY is long, with the additional length coming from well- developed forechest before the front legs, and buttocks below and behind the tail. Aussies are sturdy, medium-boned, spirited, working terriers. While Aussies are one of the shorter-legged terriers , their legs are not short in comparison to their height. They need long enough legs so that their length of stride allows them to cover IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS OF CORRECT HEAD TYPE Measured from the occiput to the top of the stop, the flat skull is equal in length to the muzzle . The muzzle is measured from the bottom of the stop’s slope to the front of the nose. Correct proportions of the skull and muzzle are 1:1. The head is long and strong. The jaws are powerful. The top-skull is slightly longer than it is wide. The cheeks are smooth and clean, not prominent, coarse or heavy.
“BREED WINNERS, SOME OF WHICH WERE ALSO BEST IN SHOW WINNERS, REVEALED THAT THEIR FRONT LEGS WERE 50 TO 60 PERCENT OF THEIR HEIGHT FROM THE POINT OF THE WITHERS TO THE GROUND. “
There is fill under the eyes, and width and fill between them. Ears are small, pointed, erect, set on high and well apart.
In the above photo of a young Aussie, the length of muzzle and top-skull are correct. The cheeks are clean, the small, dark, oval eyes are set well apart with fill between and under them. His expression: keen, alert and intelligent, is ideal. Also, observe the slight slope of the stop. The muzzle is strong with width at the front; not snipey. (An incorrect snipey muzzle is weaker, its power diminished.)
266 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2023
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