- a) Blue, steel blue or dark grey blue, with rich tan (not sandy) on face, ears, under body, lower legs and feet and around vent puppies excepted).
- Preferred: The richer the colour and more clearly defined the better.
- Smuttiness is objectionable.
- Topknot blue, silver or a lighter shade than head colour. b) Clear sandy or red, any smuttiness or dark shadings objectionable.
- A topknot of a lighter shade is acceptable.
- In any colour, white markings on chest or feet must be penalised
About the Australian Terrier
Origin: Australia
- Typical life span
- 11-15 years
- Size
- Small — from its typical weight
- Weight
- 7-9 kg
- Height
- 25-28 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI group
- Terriers
- Origin
- Australia
- Known hereditary risks
- Not researched yet
About
What is a Australian Terrier?
Small, sturdy terrier with harsh double coat and distinctive topknot, known for its spirited, alert expression and courageous personality
Australian Terrier history and origins
Developed in Australia during the 19th century from British terrier breeds including Cairn, Skye, and Yorkshire Terriers. Bred as all-purpose exterminators of rodents and snakes, as well as loyal watchdogs and companions. Recognized by AKC in 1960.
Australian Terrier appearance and size
Typically 7-9 kg and 25-28 cm at the shoulder — published as one range rather than separately for males and females.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- One of the smallest of the working Terriers, was bred to be both a helper and companion in rough times and terrain
- Behaviour and temperament
“Essentially a working terrier, but its loyalty and even disposition make it equally suitable as a companion dog”
Quoted from FCI standard n°8. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Small
- Exercise needs
- —
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- 3 of 5
- Grooming needs
- 4 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- Not researched yet
Pros & cons
Pros & cons for the Australian Terrier
What you get with the Australian Terrier
- Purpose stated in the standard: “One of the smallest of the working Terriers, was bred to be both a helper and companion in rough times and terrain”
- The standard describes the breed as: “Essentially a working terrier, but its loyalty and even disposition make it equally suitable as a companion dog”
What you are taking on
- High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “The muzzle, lower legs and feet to be free from long hair”
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Australian Terrier
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording, tagged preferred.
Coat
The body coat consists of a harsh straight dense top coat approximately 6 cms long with short soft textured undercoat.
The muzzle, lower legs and feet to be free from long hair
Colour
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
Shortened from FCI standard n°8 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
What the breed standard says
- Size
- “Height at the withers: The desirable height is approximately 25 cms, , with bitches slightly less. Weight: The desirable weight is approximately 6,5 kgs for dogs, with bitches slightly less”
- FCI distinguishes an ideal from what is permitted.
Quoted from FCI standard n°8. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Australian Terrier in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
What to ask for in a Australian Terrier
No breed-specific health panel has been written up for the Australian Terrier on this platform yet. That is a gap in our records, not a clean bill of health — ask the breeder which hereditary conditions their lines are tested for, and ask to see the results for both parents, dated and from a named laboratory.
Gallery
No photographs yet
This is where Australian Terrier owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
Puppies
No puppies listed right now
No Australian Terrier breeder has a record on this platform yet, so there is nothing to list. That is a gap in our coverage, not a fact about the breed.