A Terrier in one word?

PERSONALITY!

They are feisty, tenacious and energetic.

Terriers project the attitude that they're always eager for a spirited argument.
They make wonderful pets but require an owner who has the determination and patience to match their dogs character.

Being a Terrier Owner is Not Easy!

It requires a sense of humor, but for the right person, you couldn't ask for a better companion.

The word "terrier' comes from the Latin word "terra", which means earth.
It was given to these tough little dogs because they were particularly skilled in tracking small game into the ground.
Because of their alert personality and small size, terriers are very popular.

The Australian Terrier was originally bred toward the end of the nineteenth century in Australia. Busy newcomers
needed a dog that could share their rugged lives, one who would help guard their homes and gold mines, who would
control varmints, and withstand both the hot summers and wet, windy winters. With these qualities, they also wanted
to add companionship, affection, and loyalty to their comparatively lonely lives.

The Australian Terrier is a tough, mischievous little dog with the courage of a much larger dog. It has boundless
energy and is very loyal, showing great affection for its immediate family and its extraordinary intelligence
makes it a responsive and very protective companion.
It is an alert, amusing and loveable little dog. Spirited, curious, and self-assured, it has very keen hearing
and eyesight, so it makes an excellent watchdog.
The training of the Australian Terrier needs to be strict because this self-confident dog prefers to
follow its own ideas, although they learn very quickly.

Own an Australian Terrier and you will never be bored!

Judge Sandra Goose Allen judged our National Specialty Show in Hampton VA in May 2009, she
gave some important information to Breeders, and I wanted to share this with you.
All that she says, I have been striving to do since I started in the breed many many years ago. It is a
nice thing to see when judges have the same view as Breeders.

From Judge Sandra Goose Allen:

*A Breeders job is to preserve the breed type. Breed type is defined by the standard. A Breeder does
not improve upon the standard. You can improve your individual dog and line, but the standard sets the type.

* There is only one correct type of Australian Terrier. It is defined by the standard. Dogs may diverge
to a lesser or greater degree from the standard and still be recognized as an Australian Terrier.

* To really comprehend the standard, you must study, study, study, study it. Watch your competition
and read everything that has been written on the subject. Seek out those who have been in the breed
many years -the lessons they can teach you are invaluable.

* Being objective is difficult - especially when you love your own dogs; however, you will never breed better
dogs until you can evaluate them objectively, despite your affection for them. Never inflate the dogs's
quality in your mind just because it's all you have. Show it, finish it, but don't breed it.

* I urge all Breeders to hold the best interest of the Australian Terrier paramount in your minds while
striving for breed type. The standard is your bible. It is not the win today, but what comes out of the
whelping box tomorrow that counts.

When picking out a puppy, make sure you Research not only the Breed, but the Breeder!

Avoid Puppy Mills, Backyard Breeders & Pet Stores
most puppies in Pet Stores come from Puppy Mills

Check out the Australian Terrier Club of America (ATCA) website Breeders Directory.
ATCA Breeders have a Code of Ethics agreement they MUST sign.
Buying a dog from an ATCA member guarantees you, the Puppy Buyer, that the Dog or Puppy you are buying is
abiding by that Code of Ethics!

On the page of each dog, you will find information on the health checks each has had to ensure that you,
the buyer, is getting a puppy that comes from healthy parents

Below is a description of what each health check means

Patella's
Patellar luxation is a common problem in dogs. The patella (kneecap) is a small bone within the patellar tendon that glides in a groove located in the femur on the front of the stifle (knee) joint . With patellar luxation, the patella moves outside of this groove. Typically, the patella in small breed dogs moves medially, or to the inside surface of the knee, while the patellas of large breed dogs tend to move laterally or to the outside surface of the knee. In small or toy breed dogs with medial patella luxation, the condition is most often seen in both knees and produces a bowlegged deformity.
The failure of the patella to tract normally in the femoral groove as the pet walks results in mechanical alterations of the muscles and bones of the hind limb, progressive deterioration of the cartilage lining of the knee joint and arthritis. Patellar luxation is graded on a
scale from 0 (normal) to IV, IV being the most severe and is scaled on whether the patella is intermittently or permanently displaced.
The disease can progress from the less severe to more severe grades over time. The more severe forms are often accompanied by malformation of the femur and tibia, as well as varying amounts of arthritis.

Thyroid
Hypothyroidism is a common problem in dogs. The thyroid gland has a number of different functions, but it is most well known for its
role in regulating metabolism. Hypothyroidism is the condition that occurs when not enough thyroid hormone is produced.
Hypothyroidism causes a wide variety of symptoms, but is often suspected in dogs that have trouble with weight gain or obesity and
suffer from hair loss and skin problems. Hypothyroidism is easy to diagnose with a blood test that checks the level of various thyroid hormones including T3 and T4. Most hypothyroid dogs respond readily to treatment with synthetic thyroid medication.

CERF
An eye certification examination is done by a veterinarian specialized in ophthalmology. The pupils of the dog are dilated, and once the pupil is well dilated the examiner will look for major abnormalities. Then the eye is examined in detail. Any abnormalites located in the cornea, anterior chamber, lens and front most portion of the vitreous are noted. The types of abnormalities that may be noticed during
this part of the exam also include distichia (extra eyelashes), imperforate puncta (not opened tear ducts), corneal dystrophy
(cholesterol development in the cornea), persistent pupillary membranes (embryological remnants), cataract (opacity of the lens), persistent hyaloid remnants (another embryological remnant) and vitreal degeneration. Finally the retina or fundus is examined.
This part of the examination may reveal such problems as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Retinal Dyplasia, colobomas, choroidal hypoplasia, optic nerve hypoplasia, retinal detachment, and certain vascular abnormalities. A CERF examination is a typical eye
screening examination as described above but is only done by veterinary ophthalmologists who are board certified by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists who then records his his or her observations on a CERF (Canine Eye Registry Foundation) form.