AUSSIE…AUSSIE…AUSSIE…

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316 – August, 2021

By Lee Connor

Anyone who has spent any time around Australians (especially slightly inebriated citizens from the Land Down Under) will undoubtedly have been subjected to their much loved and rather clamorous chant, “Aussie, Aussie Aussie…Oi, Oi, Oi!”

It is a catchy, bonding cry, as Australian as Billy Tea, koalas and Waltzing Matilda.

And, just as thoroughly Australian as everything in the above list is the subject of this month’s profile, the irrepressible little larrikin, the Australian Terrier – affectionately nicknamed by many of its fanciers, “The Aussie”.

The Australian Terrier is one of a very select group of terriers that actually developed outside of Britain – although it did spring from British stock.

The ships that transported the first settlers to Australia not only carried livestock and essentials, they also carried the scourge of any emerging colony – the rat and the mouse. Vermin adapted well to life “down under” quickly multiplying in the newly founded towns, farms and on the vast goldfields–often reaching plague proportions.

Tough dogs were urgently needed to keep the numbers of these troublesome pests to a reasonable level and so, ‘terrier-type’ dogs were, from the earliest time, also drafted in to help.

What breeds were used to create this spirited little dog is a matter of conjecture; the Cairn, Norwich, Yorkshire and the Dandie Dinmont have all been placed in the frame.

When looking at early examples of the breed, one can definitely see influences of Cairn and Norwich.

Mr. Roy Burnell–breeder, writer and judge (who came from an Australian family long-associated with dogs)–described the Aussie as the “breeding together of the best of the British breeds”.

The Australian Terrier was initially bred in a rather haphazard way for some years.

Mr. Burnell recalled that, “In South Australia dogs from one litter were being registered as Australian Terriers, Sydney Silky Terriers or even Yorkshire Terriers according to their size, coat texture and general characteristics…“

He goes on to give a further important clue of what went into founding this breed. Writing in 1971 he says:

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316 – August, 2021

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