The rough-haired terriers kept by free settlers around Campbelltown and Ross in Tasmania in the early 19th century weighed around ten pounds. Blue with tan markings, they were known for their courage as watchdogs. According to the FCI standard, this type became the Australian Terrier, the first breed developed in Australia.
| FCI | Group 3 (Terriers), Section 2 Small-sized Terriers, Standard No. 8, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Size (height at the withers) | desired: approximately 25 cm, females slightly less |
| Weight | desired for males: approximately 6,5 kg, females slightly less |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | harsh, straight, dense outer coat around 6 cm long, with a short, soft undercoat; distinct neck ruff; untrimmed |
| Colours in the standard | blue, steel blue or dark grey-blue with rich tan; or clear sandy or red; a lighter topknot is permitted; white chest and foot markings are faults |
A settler’s dog from Tasmania
The standard calls it one of the smallest working terriers, bred as a helper in difficult times and rough terrain. It and the Australian Silky Terrier descend from the same rough-haired terrier from Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria. Skye Terrier, Scottish Terrier and Dandie Dinmont ancestry is suspected in this type, with the Yorkshire Terrier added at times. Related breeds also include the Skye Terrier and the Dandie Dinmont Terrier.
A worker with a calm centre
Originally a working terrier, the standard says its loyalty and even temperament make it equally suited to companionship. It should be alert and active, with pronounced terrier character. Day to day, this is a confident small dog that investigates mouse holes and announces strangers without constantly creating unrest.
A ruff rather than clippers
The standard calls for an untrimmed coat: harsh outer hair around 6 cm long with a soft undercoat and a ruff reaching from the neck to the breastbone. The muzzle, lower legs and feet should be free of long hair. Weekly brushing and occasional plucking of loose hair are usually enough; clipping would destroy the harsh texture. The standard describes a traditionally docked tail but also permits a long one. In Germany, docking is generally prohibited under Section 6 of the German Animal Welfare Act.
Keep diabetes in mind
The large British study by McMillan and colleagues provides no lifespan figure because the breed was too sparsely represented. Diabetes, however, is well studied. According to Mui and colleagues, Australian Terriers in the USA develop diabetes 32 times more often than crossbreeds; 86 of 469 dogs with a known diagnosis in their cohort were affected. Norwegian laboratory data also placed the breed among those at highest risk (Ringstad et al. 2022). Intense thirst, frequent urination and weight loss therefore need early veterinary attention. In the Swiss cancer registry, benign melanocytomas stood out: 367 cases per 100.000 dog-years compared with an average of 15 across all breeds (Dhein et al. 2024).
Who will be happy with this dog
People seeking a small, sturdy companion with a mind of its own, who enjoy walks and want fairly little grooming. With children who treat it respectfully, it is a lively family dog.
When another breed is wiser
If rabbits, guinea pigs or hamsters roam freely in the house, if you expect reliable off-lead recall at all times or if nobody can arrange prompt blood and urine testing when drinking habits change.
Our breed quiz checks whether a small working terrier really suits you; our book explores it in more detail: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German) . For the first weeks with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. Capture that neck ruff on a poster in a wooden frame , with more styles in our dog portraits.
Further reading
- Yorkshire Terrier: three kilos of terrier, no accessory
- Is my dog overweight? How to check body shape and ideal weight
- House-training your puppy: the plan for the first 4 weeks
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 8 Australian Terrier (fci.be, German version dated 05.09.2013; English original dated 05.12.2012, published 08.10.2012); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Mui ML et al., Heritability and complex segregation analysis of naturally-occurring diabetes in Australian Terrier Dogs, PLoS One 2020; Ringstad NK et al., Breed distributions for diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism in Norwegian dogs, Canine Medicine and Genetics 2022; Dhein ES et al., Incidence rates of the most common canine tumors based on data from the Swiss Canine Cancer Registry (2008 to 2020), PLoS One 2024.
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