Australian terrier

breed of dog
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
Related Topics:
terrier

Australian terrier, breed of dog that originated as an Australian farm dog. First exhibited in 1885 as the Australian rough terrier, the perky breed can be traced back to an extinct British breed, the broken-haired, black-and-tan Old English terrier, but it includes in its heritage a number of other terriers, among them possibly the Dandie Dinmont, Skye, Scottish, cairn, and Yorkshire terriers. The Australian terrier stands about 10 inches (25 cm) tall and weighs about 11 to 15 pounds (5 to 7 kg). It is a rather long-bodied dog, with a harsh coat and a softer topknot. The coat may be blue-black or silver-black, with tan on the head and legs, or sandy or reddish brown.