Common characteristics, the ancestors of the Australian Terrier, the meaning of their name, development, distribution and recognition of the breed, today's situation. The Australian Terrier or Australian Terrier is a fairly small dog, weighing on average about six and a half kilograms and growing at the withers twenty-five centimeters. The body of the animal is long, and the limbs are short.
The head is slightly large in relation to the body. The muzzle is moderately long, wide, ends with a black nose. The dark, small eyes are set wide apart, showing friendliness and activity. The ears of the animal are somewhat small and mobile. The tail is traditionally docked at half its natural length. In some countries, this practice is prohibited.
The coat of the Australian Terrier is double. The top coat is medium, shaggy and very coarse to the touch, with a thick undercoat. The fur is shorter on the muzzle, lower legs and feet, and there is a ruff around the neck. Color - shades of blue or red with a lighter upper tuft and markings on the head, ears, body and limbs. The markings should never be sandy.
History of the ancestors of the Australian Terrier, appearance and use
Australian Terrier is an ancient Australian breed. Much of the history of its development is not documented, but much can be assumed. It is quite clear that the dog evolved over several decades, and possibly centuries, from different species of British terriers. The species has adapted to the unique climate conditions of Australia and has proven itself well in work and as a family companion since the period of official recognition in the 1800s.
Terriers are one of the oldest known canine groups, whose origins are lost in time. They were almost certainly originally developed in the British Isles for millennia. The name comes from the French word "terre" or the Latin word "terrarius", both of which mean land or land. It stuck because of the traditional use of such dogs: chasing small mammals in their burrows. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the oldest use of the word "terrier" goes back to 1440, and suggests that these dogs already existed at that time. However, the species is almost certainly many centuries older, and this termite most likely entered the English language in 1066 with the invasion of the Normans.
Roman records tell of small, fierce hunting dogs from the British Isles, most likely terriers. Archaeological excavations from the Roman period in England seem to confirm that their origins date back to well before the 1st millennium AD. NS. They identified short-legged, long dogs similar to the modern Skye Terrier or Dachshund. Terriers almost certainly evolved from the pets of the Celts or, perhaps, earlier inhabitants of the territory of Britain. It has been suggested that the "Canis Segusius", belonging to the Gauls before Roman France, may have been their progenitor.
When these dogs were first bred in the British Isles, they became valuable helpers to farmers throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. These dogs were tasked with killing the parasites in the first place, a task in which they excelled. At one point, terriers were used to hunt essentially every mammal smaller than a wolf, including rats, mice, otters, badgers, and foxes. They became known for their ferocity, great hunting talents and loyalty to their owners, and were covered in a wiry, mostly brown coat, although this began to change in the 17th and 18th centuries.
For a long time, terriers were bred almost exclusively for working ability, and little attention was paid to their appearance. Until the 1800s, there were only a few distinct types. Perhaps the oldest and most unique of these is the Skye Terrier, an ancestor of the Australian Terrier that has been bred in isolation on the islands off the coast of Scotland and has been around since at least the 1400s. It is widely believed that it is the result of crossing Indigenous Terriers with the Maltese, the Swedish Walhund, or one of the two types of Corgi. Other ancient terrier varieties include the scotch terrier (working type, not to be confused with the scottish terrier), black and tan terrier, and the Fell terrier.
Australian Terrier development
The first European settlements on the Australian mainland took place before the 1780s and 1790s. The continent was considered too harsh, distant and not economically valuable for a European settlement. This changed when several prominent British thinkers decided to use Australia and the nearby island of Tasmania as prison colonies. The convicts were sent there from the UK to "improve" the local landscape and make the land suitable for other settlers.
As in the rest of the world, British settlers brought their beloved pets with them to their new home. It is unclear when the first terrier arrived in Australian or Tasmanian soil, but most likely either in the late 1700s or early 1800s. It was not unusual for British ships to have a couple of terriers on board to destroy pests, and perhaps they got to Australia in this way. It may equally well be that they were deliberately brought there as companions or working animals of the new settlers.
The earliest Australian Terriers were probably of a specific type rather than a specific purebred breed. It was very expensive to import "anything" into Australia. In addition, the dogs did not tolerate long sea voyages and many died. Since these dogs were few in number, they all crossed over to maintain populations. Terriers were few and far between in the early years of Australian settlement.
None of the pest species common in Europe (rats, mice, rabbits, foxes, badgers, weasels, otters and hares) were native to Australia. These animals were brought in by Europeans, although some of them arrived as "stowaways". However, Australian lands were home to many other unwanted species, deadly snakes and predatory lizards. Terriers quickly gained a reputation as a snake killer. Their numbers changed dramatically as the 19th century approached.
By the mid-1800s, massive populations of several pest species such as rats and mice were found in Australia. In this regard, there was a great need for the services of typical canines, the ancestors of Australian terriers. A large number of free settlers moved to Australian lands to make a fortune, and they brought such dogs with them. Finally, the development of English Foxhounds and their registries in 1700 greatly influenced British breeding.
Beginning in the early decades of the 1800s, farmers in Britain pioneered the development of a number of distinct terrier species that were very different from each other. At some point, in the first half of the 19th century, these purebred dogs began to arrive in Australia. However, imports remained expensive and travel challenging for the animals to survive. This meant that only small populations of pure lineages reached the southern continent. Almost all terriers imported into Australia have been bred with each other and with local brethren. From an early date, Australian breeders have deliberately bred a type of dog that would be ideal for the climatic conditions of their homeland. This program began in Tasmania around 1820 and quickly spread to the Australian mainland, especially Victoria. The original individuals became known as woolly terriers. Much of this territory remained hostile throughout the 1800s.
Breeders focused mainly on the performance of the animal, and the harsh climate provided natural selection. In the 1860s, Australian specialists and "forces of nature" produced a terrier that was significantly different from any breed found in Great Britain. The resulting type was significantly smaller than most working British lines, with a distinctive tousled coat, a longer body, short legs, black and brown coloration.
There is controversial debate as to which typical breeds contributed to the development of the Australian Terrier. Most likely, a prominent place in the selection was occupied by the old-type Black and Tan Terrier and Manchester Terrier (before the introduction of the Whippet blood). Scotch Terriers and Fel Terriers were almost certainly used as well. The Dandy Daimont Terrier is widely regarded as one of the most important in breeding and has influenced the long body and short legs.
Experts say there is some overlap between Skye Terrier, Cairn Terrier and West Highland White Terrier. In addition, in fact, every typical species that definitely existed in the first half of the 1800s could be a possible ancestor of the Australian Terrier. It is very likely that a number of other canines were used to breed the breed representatives, especially the Irish Terrier, the Lakeland Terrier and the now extinct Paisley Terrier (a smaller version of the Skye Terrier, the primary progenitor of the Yorkshire Terrier).
Distribution of the Australian Terrier breed
Over the years, parts of Australia have become the most prosperous and more established. This was especially noticeable in the main city of Sydney. More and more local residents were able to afford to keep accompanying pets. Since companion canines were extremely rare in Australian territory until this time, they had to be imported from other places.
Perhaps the most common animal of this type at this time was the Yorkshire Terrier, which was bred by mill workers in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Many of the millers came from Scotland and brought with them several different types of such canines, especially the Skye Terrier and Paisley Terrier.
As a result, these dogs were small, with silky and light-colored hair. The Yorkshire Terrier quickly became one of the most popular companion dogs in England, especially among members of the working classes. Similar to the usual ten-year practice, when they were imported to Australia, they were baptized with the Australian Terrier. Many of the descendants of these crosses had the silky hair of the Yorkshire Terrier and became known as Sydney snares.
For a long period of time, there was no definite distinction between the Yorkshire Terrier, Australian Terrier, and Sydney Silky, and littermates were often recorded as different breeds. It is very likely that the temperament of the Australian Terrier has been significantly softened by years of crossbreeding with Yorkshire Terriers and Sydney Silk.
During the 1800s, dog shows and pedigree bookkeeping became hugely popular throughout England. This fashion quickly spread to the Australian colonies. In recent decades, there has been an increasing desire to standardize Australian breeds. The first known appearance of the Australian Terrier was in 1968, when the Coarse Coated Terrier was introduced at a competition in Melbourne.
Recognition of the Australian Terrier
In 1887, in Australia, the first Kennel Club of the variety was created, which became an organized parent club for any of the native dogs of this country. In the same year, Australian Terriers were exported to the United Kingdom. They were officially recognized by the Kennel Club in 1892. As a result, the breed became the first developed in Australia to receive public recognition from a major canine organization.
In 1903, in Melbourne, a registered exhibition of the variety under the breed name was held. Around the same time, members of the species also began appearing in canine contests in the UK. Beginning in 1930, amateurs had a desire to formally separate the australian terrier and sydney silky. Apparently the confusion between these breeds and the Yorkshire Terrier ended a few years ago. Crossbreeding between the two was officially banned in 1933. The formal separation was carried out by the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) in 1958.
The species existed almost exclusively in Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand before World War II. During this conflict and the years that followed, large numbers of American troops were stationed in Australia. While serving there, many of the soldiers appreciated the attractiveness of Australian Terriers, and some acquired them as pets. After their travels increased, these newfound fans of the breed wanted to take their new pets with them.
The first Australian Terriers began arriving in the United States in the mid to late 1940s. These dogs generated a lot of interest, and new lovers imported them more and more from Australia, starting breeding in their homeland. Among the most influential early breeders was Mrs Milton Fox of Pleasantpastures. Mrs Fox - a native of New Zealand, became a fan of this breed in America. By 1957, the species had acquired sufficient interest to form the Australian Terrier that the Australian Terrier Club of America (ATCA).
The following year, nine Australian Terriers appeared on the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. By 1960, fifty-eight breed individuals had already participated in such a show. The American Kennel Club (AKC) has ranked the variety at number 114 on their rosters and ranked it as a Terrier Group. The United Kennel Club (UKC) followed the AKC's lead in 1969, granting the species full recognition at the same time. In 1977, ATCA became an official member of the AKC club.
The current position of the Australian Terrier
The Australian terrier never became particularly popular in the United States of America. Although its numbers initially grew rather rapidly, they quickly stabilized. It is fair to say that the species is a rare breed in the United States. However, such dogs have a number of devoted followers in this country, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom. The number of livestock is probably at a relatively safe level. Most Australian lovers of the species are probably very happy that their dogs are not particularly popular, as they are spared most of the "trendy" breeding methods that are extremely harmful to dogs.
In 2010, the Australian Terrier was ranked 123rd out of 167 breeds in terms of AKC registration. The species were almost exclusively working terriers until the last decades of the 1800s. As a result, these dogs are likely to remain extremely capable of killing pests. Very few (if any) specimens serve the same purpose in the United States of America. As with many dogs, the vast majority of their herds in the United States are either companion animals or show pets.
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