THE AUSTRALIAN TERRIER
1. What are your thoughts on your breed’s current sustainability issues? 2. Your opinion of the current quality of purebred dogs in general, and your breed in particular. 3. The biggest concern you have about your breed, be it medical, structural, temperament-wise, or what. 4. The biggest problem facing you as a breeder. 5. Advice to a new breeder? Advice to a new judge of your breed? 6. What’s the most common fault you see when travel- ing around the country? 7. Anything else you’d like to share—something you’ve learned as a breeder, exhibitor or judge or a par- ticular point you’d like to make. 8. And for a bit of humor, what’s the funniest thing that you ever experienced at a dog show? KERRIE BRYAN Kerrie Bryan owned her first Australian Terrier as a pet in australia in 1950. In 1991, in the America, she joined the Wis- miss Kennel established in 1970 by Carol Sazama. She contin- ues to breed and co-own with Carol Sazama and shows as an owner, breeder and handler. I live in Colorado. Outside of dogs, I am very involved in the sustainability of the natural environment in Colorado, specifically Boulder County. I monitor raptors for the County and work with a number of nature organizations. I have an extensive garden and spend many hours with the dogs there. Australian Terriers are not alone in facing decreasing litter registrations. I do not believe that the decreasing litter regis- trations are caused only by a lack of pet owners interested in Australian Terriers as to the best of my knowledge, breeders have not had a problem placing their puppies recently. In a changing society, many interests (and breeds and novel cross breeds) vie for people’s attention and demands on their spare time. Breeding purebred dogs is a serious and sometimes arduous hobby and demands an apprenticeship on not only the actual breeding process but on the nature of pedigrees and how best to preserve the structure and temperament of Australian Terriers through a planned breeding program. The traditional role of dog shows was as a vehicle for choosing the dogs that best portrayed the innate traits of
the breed. To some extent that remains a subsidiary object of dogs shows but the overall nature of shows has changed, and the competitive nature of shows is in the ascendency. That can be daunting for new owners and would-be breeders. A small number of dedicated breeders are committed to breeding Australian Terriers exhibiting the structure and temperament innate in those terriers. Before Australian Ter- rier were show dogs, they were working dogs. Uniquely, because of the topography of Australia they were also bred as a companion to the far-flung homesteaders. Australian Terri- ers are well suited to being companion dogs and performance dogs. They love a job. I do believe that most of our breeders ai for well-rounded dogs. The biggest concern I have about the breed is a decreasing gene pool. The biggest problem facing me as a breeder is finding the time to devote to a long-term serious breeding program as one ages. A new breeder should discuss the breed with a number of experienced breeders. Mentoring is so important for new breeders. Take the time to observe not only your breed but other breeds, movement and structure. Go over a lot of dogs with experienced breeders who will be honest about their dogs- both Australian Terriers and other breeds. Judges should reward the innate qualities of the breed and above all terrier temperament. Terriers were not meant to be judged only as a pretty picture. What are the characteristics that make an Australian Terrier essentially and Australian Terrier rather than a generic dog ? There is a point to that topknot and ruff.- defense against the snakes they were bred to kill. The most common fault I see when traveling around the country: if you mean in Australian Terriers, I would say that it would be too long in loin, lack of keel and length of jaw—all qualities essential to this working terrier. Often grooming has depleted the topknot and ruff which are the essential charac- teristics of an Australian Terrier. Another point I’d like to make is that breeding happy, well- structured Australian Terriers is a serious task and that one must aim for a well- =rounded dog as well as for a winning dog in the show ring. My young male had won Winners Dog and was competing in Breed. We were all lined up in front of the judge when his sister (held—or not held—by a friend), dashed into the ring
S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , M ARCH 2019 • 281
Powered by FlippingBook