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General Appearance
A small, sturdy, medium-boned working terrier, rather long in proportion to
height with pricked ears and docked tail. Blue and tan, solid sandy or solid red
in color, with harsh-textured outer coat, a distinctive ruff and apron, and a
soft, silky topknot. As befits their heritage as versatile workers, Australian
Terriers are sound and free moving with good reach and drive. Their expression
keen and intelligent; their manner spirited and self-assured.
The following description is that of the ideal Australian Terrier. Any deviation from this description must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Size - Height 10-11 inches at the withers. Deviation
in either direction is to be discouraged. Proportion -
The body is long in proportion to the height of the dog. The length of back from
withers to the front of the tail is approximately 1-1½ inches longer than from
withers to the ground. Substance - Good working
condition, medium bone, correct body proportions, symmetry and balance determine
proper weight.
Head
The head is long and strong. The length of the muzzle is equal to the length of
the skull. Expression - Keen and intelligent. Eyes
- Small, dark brown to black (the darker the better), keen in
expression, set well apart. Rims are black, oval in shape. Faults:
Light-colored or protruding eyes. Ears - Small, erect
and pointed; set high on the skull yet well apart, carried erect without any
tendency to flare obliquely off the skull. Skull -
Viewed from the front or side is long and flat, slightly longer than it is wide
and full between the eyes, with slight but definite stop. Muzzle
- Strong and powerful with slight fill under the eyes. The jaws are
powerful. Nose - Black. A desirable breed
characteristic is an inverted V-shaped area free of hair extending from the nose
up the bridge of the muzzle, varying in length in the mature dog. Lips
- Tight and dark brown- or black-rimmed. Bite -
Scissors with teeth of good size.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck - Long, slightly arched and strong, blending
smoothly into well laid back shoulders. Topline -
Level and firm. Body - The body is of sturdy structure
with ribs well-sprung but not rounded, forming a chest reaching slightly below
the elbows with a distinct keel. The loin is strong and fairly short with slight
tuck-up. Faults: Cobbiness, too long in loin. Tail
- Set on high and carried erect at a twelve to one o'clock position,
docked in balance with the overall dog leaving slightly less than one half, a
good hand-hold when mature.
Forequarters
Shoulders - Long blades, well laid back with only
slight space between the shoulder blades at the withers. The length of the upper
arm is comparable to the length of the shoulder blade. The angle between the
shoulder and the upper arm is 90 degrees. Faults:
Straight, loose and loaded shoulders. Elbows - Close
to the chest. Forelegs - Straight, parallel when
viewed from the front; the bone is round and medium in size. They should be set
well under the body, with definite body overhang (keel) before them when viewed
from the side. Pasterns - Strong, with only slight
slope. Fault: Down on pasterns. Dewclaws
- Removed. Feet - Small, clean, catlike; toes
arched and compact, nicely padded turning neither inward nor outward. Nails
- Short, black and strong.
Hindquarters
Strong; legs well angulated at the stifles and hocks, short and perpendicular
from the hocks to the ground. Upper and lower thighs are well muscled. Viewed
from behind the rear legs are straight from the hip joints to the ground and in
the same plane as the forelegs. Faults: Lack of
muscular development or excessive muscularity. Feet -
(See under Forequarters.)
Coat
Outer Coat - Harsh and straight; 2½ inches all over
the body except the tail, pasterns, rear legs from the hocks down, and the feet
which are kept free of long hair. Hair on the ears is kept very short. Undercoat
- Short and soft. Furnishings - Softer than
body coat. The neck is well furnished with hair, which forms a protective ruff
blending into the apron. The forelegs are slightly feathered to the pasterns. Topknot
- Covering only the top of the skull; of finer and softer texture than
the rest of the coat.
Color and Markings
Colors: Blue and tan, solid sandy and solid red. Blue
and tan - Blue: dark blue, steel-blue, dark gray-blue, or
silver-blue. In silver-blues, each hair carries blue and silver alternating with
the darker color at the tips. Tan markings (not sandy or red), as rich as
possible, on face, ears, underbody, lower legs and feet, and around vent. The
richer the color and more clearly defined the better. Topknot -
Silver or a lighter shade than head color. Sandy or Red -
Any shade of solid sandy or solid red, the clearer the better. Topknot
- Silver or a lighter shade of body coat. Faults:
All black body coat in the adult dog. Tan smut in the blue portion of the coat,
or dark smut in sandy/red coated dogs. In any color, white markings on chest or
feet are to be penalized.
Gait
As seen from the front and from the rear, the legs are straight from the
shoulder and hip joints to the pads, and move in planes parallel to the
centerline of travel. The rear legs move in the same planes as the front legs.
As the dog moves at a faster trot, the front and rear legs and feet may tend to
converge toward the centerline of travel, but the legs remain straight even as
they flex or extend. Viewed from the side, the legs move in a ground-covering
stride. The rear feet should meet the ground in the same prints as left by the
front feet, with no gap between them. Topline remains firm and level, without
bounce.
Temperament
The Australian Terrier is spirited, alert, courageous, and self-confident, with
the natural aggressiveness of a ratter and hedge hunter; as a companion,
friendly and affectionate. Faults: Shyness or
aggressiveness toward people.
Approved August 9, 1988
For More information visit AKC.org