them their distinctive silhouette—pro- portionately longer than tall, with upright ears. Th eir diminutive size, about 10 to 11 inches at the withers and about 14 to 18 pounds when fully grown, makes them an ideal size for people who want a big dog in a small package. Th e Aussie has the distinction of being the first Australian breed to be recognized and shown in its country of origin, as well as being the first breed from that country to be accepted into the registries of other nations. Initially exhibited as the Broken- Coated Terrier in 1868 in Melbourne, Australia, the name was changed to the Australian Rough-Coated Terrier and then again to the Australian Terrier in the very late 1800s. Several were brought to England at about the same time. Th ey also became popular in India with British o ffi - cials stationed there, and were exhibited in Indian dog shows during the 1910s and 1920s. O ffi cially recognized in England by the British Kennel Club in 1933, they first came to America in the late 1940s, but it took some time for them to be recognized and shown in AKC events. Nine of them were entered in Westminster under the “Miscellaneous” class in 1958, but two
years later, in 1960, the entry jumped to 58. Th at was also the year in which they were admitted to the AKC’s registry. Along with this was the distinction of being the first new Terrier breed to be admitted to the AKC in over 20 years. Much of this is the legacy of the late Nell Fox of Ple- santpastures Kennels. She was a New Zea- land native who grew to love the Aussie and advocated tirelessly for its acceptance into the AKC and to uphold and refine the breed standard in the United States. Our a ffi liate breed club, the Australian Terrier Club of America, became an AKC mem- ber club in 1977 and now is some 150 members strong. Choosing An Australian Terrier If you’re thinking about getting an Australian Terrier, it’s important to keep in mind the heritage and history of the breed. Th e Australian Terrier has a strong working background and needs a job to do. Th eir instinct is to chase down and kill rodents and snakes. Th ey are born to dig, going to ground if needed to catch their prey. If your property has landscaping or formal gardening, an Aussie on the hunt may do some gardening of their own if
“The Aussie has the distinction of being the first Australian breed to be recognized and shown in its
country of origin, AS WELL AS BEING THE FIRST BREED FROM THAT
COUNTRY TO BE ACCEPTED INTO THE REGISTRIES
OF OTHER NATIONS.”
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