HEART-HEALTHY

In this modern age of ever-improving cardio-care, no doctor or scientist can dispute the advantages of owning a dog to lower a person’s risk of heart disease. Studies have proven that petting a dog, walking a dog and grooming a dog all show positive results toward lowering your blood pressure. The simple routine of exercising your dog—going outside with the dog and walking, jogging or playing catch—is heart-healthy in and of itself. If you are normally less active than your physician thinks you should be, adopting a dog may be a smart option to improve your own quality of life as well as that of another creature.

The Australian Terrier is a versatile dog, and a great house dog and companion. If you like to work with your dog, you will find the Aussie to be a happy and willing participant in whatever area you choose, be it obedience work, agility, therapy, flyball and, of course, best of all, going-to-ground activities. This is a smart little dog that likes to please, to keep busy and to be challenged. Give him any job that requires a bit of brain activity on his part and he will be as pleased as punch. Of course, because of his intelligence, it is best to establish very early on who is the head of the household and, thus, basic obedience lessons are essential.

The Aussie has an air of self-assurance and he is inquisitive about everything that happens in his vicinity. He has keen hearing and excellent eyesight, and he makes an outstanding watchdog. He can adapt to any climate with his double waterproof coat that sheds very little. He will accept full responsibility for the household. He will like the entire family, but he is likely to attach himself to one particular family member. He is an active dog and needs his regular daily romps. It is said that he is “long enough on leg not to collect much mud and small enough to fit into any home.” All in all, this is a delightful little dog to become part of your household.

HAVE SOME FUN!

Australian Terrier owners should have fun with their dogs! Not only will Aussies thrive on organized activities, they also love to be a part of the family, going for rides in the car, fetching balls (sometimes for hours on end, to their owners’ dismay) and helping in the kitchen by keeping the floor clean… and then cuddling up for a snooze on the bed when day is done.

Australian Terriers are curious and alert little explorers, thoroughly enjoying time outdoors.

If you are a first-time dog owner, you must be aware of your responsibility toward your new friend. You must keep your dog either on a leash or in your fenced yard. Your Aussie, if loose and trotting along at your side, will spot a squirrel and, instinctively, he will dart across the street, oblivious of the traffic. This is why some rudimentary obedience training is necessary so that your pal will sit when asked to, come when called and, in general, act like a little gentleman. Training is necessary for a dog’s safety, but it is never advisable to let a dog loose in an unfenced area.

Aussies, as with other terriers, can be challenging in the obedience ring. Terriers are not easy breeds to work with in obedience, as with their intelligence and independent spirits they can sometimes be more trying to train than had been anticipated. You will see Golden Retrievers, Poodles and Miniature Schnauzers in abundance in obedience classes, as these are breeds with which it is easy to work. Not only are they intelligent but, more importantly, they have a willingness to please their masters.

Although curious and active, the Australian Terrier enjoys downtime, too, especially when sharing a cuddle with his favorite person.

Terriers are easily distracted and busy, but the Aussie is an intelligent dog and he does respond to training. Of course, when training a smart and independent dog, the handler will often learn humility while the dog is learning his sits and stays. The Aussie is a quick, alert and intelligent dog, and he likes his owner to be his equal.

All in all, the Australian Terrier is amiable and affectionate, making an enjoyable companion and loyal friend for almost everyone. He has a particular fondness for children and senior citizens, and he is especially good with the handicapped, making him a great pet for those with special needs or a well-qualified candidate for therapy work. Add to this his adaptability to climate and living environment, and you have a good-tempered, well-rounded, conveniently sized dog, packed with personality and love to give to the owner who has the time to devote to his dog’s training and care.

Australian Terriers are very healthy dogs, as are most terriers, and there are few health problems in the breed. Do remember to buy your puppy from a reputable breeder and ask the breeder if he has any health problems in his line. Following are some problems that can affect Australian Terriers.

Legge-Calve-Perthes disease (Perthes): This is a bone-related disease that can affect short-legged terriers (primarily those from Scotland) as well as humans. This is not a hereditary disease; it is thought to be caused by an injury or possibly a nutritional problem. The disease appears between four and ten months of age and is very painful. The dog will limp on one or both rear legs, and eventually the leg muscles become wasted. There are some treatments for Perthes, and these should be discussed with your veterinarian.

LIFE WITH A TERRIER

Brian Commons wrote, “Terriers, created to hunt down and kill vermin, should all be sold with their own leather jackets. They are often feisty, lively, self-assured. You live with terriers, you do not own them.”

Luxated kneecaps (or patellar luxation): In this condition the patella, or kneecap, deviates to the inside of the leg so that the muscles of the leg responsible for straightening the knee are no longer in alignment. This might result in some lameness or complete non-use of the leg. Conditions that cause this problem are a shallow groove, weak ligaments and/or misalignment of the tendons and muscles that straighten the knee joint. The patella can then slip either inward or outward. Your veterinarian should be contacted if you suspect that your dog has this problem, and the vet will manipulate the stifle joint to see if he can push the kneecap in or out of position. Your vet should determine if your dog is a candidate for surgery and if this will be an option for him.

A well-bred, well-cared-for Australian Terrier will be a healthy, hardy dog and a part of the family for well over a decade.

DELTA SOCIETY

The human-animal bond propels the work of the Delta Society, striving to improve the lives of people and animals. The Pet Partners Program proves that the lives of people and dogs are inextricably linked. The Pet Partners Program, a national registry, trains and screens volunteers for pet therapy in hospices, nursing homes, schools and rehabilitation centers. Dog-and-handler teams of Pet Partners volunteer in all 50 states, with nearly 7,000 teams making visits annually. About 900,000 patients, residents and students receive assistance each year. If you and your dog are interested in becoming Pet Partners, contact the Delta Society online at www.deltasociety.org.

THE AGE OF ROBO-DOG

Studies at the Center for the Human-Animal Bond show that children who interact with pets benefit physiologically, socially and educationally. Dogs, in particular, increase children’s learning capacities and expand their abilities to function in social situations. Families with young children commonly add canines to their homes.

Enter Robo-dog. Efforts to create a robotic canine companion are fast underway, and there have been some interesting results. It is the hope of scientists that the interaction between robotic dogs and children will shed light on the physical, mental, moral and social concepts of such relationships. Robotic dogs offer many advantages over real dogs—they don’t require food or water and never have accidents indoors. Even so, Robo-dogs will never take the place of real dogs—even George Jetson’s futuristic family included Astro, a real-live dog! It is curious that 21st-century humans would invest so much money and energy into inventing robots to do for us what dogs have been doing for centuries for nothing more than a pat on the head and a bowl of food.

Although these health problems may seem daunting, the Aussie is considered to be a very healthy breed. The problems mentioned exist in the breed and a buyer should be aware of them. However, these diseases are rare, so do not let them discourage you from adding an Aussie to your family. Also, do realize that if the breeder of your puppy is reputable and aware of these problems, he will be doing his utmost to keep them out of his line.

Healthwise, Australian Terriers are naturally robust and generally free of diseases and infirmities, a characteristic they share with most other terriers.

Williams Haynes wrote in 1925, “The terrier is a ‘lucky devil’ for his dogs do not, as a rule, spend a great deal of time in hospital. All members of the terrier family, from the giant of the race, the Airedale, way down to little Scottie, owe a big debt to Nature for having blessed them with remarkably robust constitutions. Even when really sick, they make wonderfully rapid recoveries.”