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Australian Dog Names
Give Your Puppy a Unique Name

By Janice Jones   |Last Updated January 24, 2020

Australian Dog Names are perfect for you little Silky or Aussie Terrier, but even if you don’t have a dog native to Australia, there're many reasons why choosing an Aussie name might make sense.

Maybe the unusual animal life has you intrigued or perhaps you dream of a vacation complete with visiting the Great Barrier Reef o the vast outback. 

From the Australian Cattle dog to the Tenterfield Terrier, Australia has many different dog breeds to offer the world and also is the origin of many of our current favorite small dog breeds including the Silky Terrier and the Australian Terrier.

Australian Dog Names MapWorld Map Showing the Australian Terrier, Australian Silky Terrier, Tenterfield, and Australian Kelpie

Many of the dog breeds that originate in Australia are very protective, cautious, and loyal dogs, due to their natural ‘guard dog’ instinct.

As you can see from the list below, many Australian Dog breeds are larger than what you would typically see on Small Dog Place.  They were developed in the 1800's to help control cattle over long distances in rough terrain in hot climates. 

Many of the dogs in Europe used for the same purposes just didn’t work as well in Australia.  The Australian Cattle Dog, the Australian Kelpie, and the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, Koolie, and the Halls Heeler are examples of Australian made dogs that were created for the rugged farm and ranch life.

Other breeds such as the Tenterfield Terrier was made in Australia by employing other small European terriers that were known as good ratters.

But, contrary to what the name implies, the Australian Shepherd was actually created in the United States.

Many of the breeds listed below are not registered with the Australian National Kennel Council or other clubs but are widely known in Australia.

So, if you have a breed originating in Australia, why not pick a great Australian Dog Name

Australian Small Breed Dogs

Australian Silky Terrier

Australian Terrier

Australian Medium and Large Breed Dogs

Australian Bulldog or Australian Bosdog

Australian Cattle Dog

Australian Kelpie

Australian Staghound

Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

Beaglier (a Designer Dog that is made up of a Beagle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel)

Bull Arab Or Aussie Pig Dog

Halls Heeler

Kangaroo Dog

Koolie

Miniature Fox Terrier or Mini Foxie

Tenterfield Terrier

Australian Dog Names  Based on the Local Flora and Fauna

Boomer - male kangaroo

Croc – short for crocodile, a reptile found in abundance in Australia.

Dingo – a type of feral dog 

Emu - large land bird

Jill - female kangaroo

Joey - a young Kangaroo

Kangaroo or Roo – the symbol of the country. 

Koala – a small marsupial of about 35 pounds native to Australia

Kookaburra – a bird native to Australia and New Guinea.

Platypus or Platy for short, an egg laying mammal with a duck bill

Taz - short for Tasmanian Devil

Wallaby – a small marsupial in the same family as the kangaroo.

Wombat – a short-legged, muscular quadrupedal marsupial.

Place Names that Make Great Australian Dog Names

Bondi - one of Sydney's top beaches

Brisbane (or Brizzie) – the capital of Queensland 

Cairns - city in Queensland

Canberra - capital city of Australia

Fraser - Island in Queensland

Hobart – the capital city of Tasmania

Perth - capital of Western Australia

MacKay - city on the eastern coast of Queensland

Melbourne - capital of Victoria

Sydney - the capital of New South Wales

Australian Dog Names

Australian Girl Dog Names

Adelaide

Alice

Amber

Annabelle

Aria

Ava

Barbie

Barossa

Bindi

Bondi

Brizzie

Bundy

Charlotte

Chloe

Darling

Doodles

Dundee

Edna

Ellie

Evie

Harper

Imogen

Isabelle

Isla

Jillaroo

Katherine

Kimberley

Kiwi

Kanga

Koala

Kora

Kylie

Madeline

Mallee

Matilda

Mia

Miki

Milla

Millie

Mozzie

Nicole

Olivia 

Omaha 

Orana

Penelope

Pippa 

Sapphire

Sheila

Sienna 

Stormy

Summer

Sunraysia 

Sydney

Victoria

Youri

Ziva

Australian Boy Dog Names

Angus

Archie

Arnhem

Aussie

Ayer

Barkly

Baz

Bear

Billie

Blue

Boomer

Boomerang

Brisbane

Buckley

Burnett

Carson

Clayton

Clip

Combo

Dag

Darwin

Devil

Digger

Dingo

Dusty

Eli

Emu

Felix

Finn

Fletcher

Flyn

Foster

Gibson

Granite

Hamish

Harry

Heath

Heeler

Henry

Howe

Hudson

Hugh

Hunter

Isaac

Jack

Jaxon

Jude

Kai

Lachlan

Lager

Lenny

Leo

Levi

Lucas

Mate

Max

Mel

Melbourne

Midnight

Murray

Oliver

Patrick

Perkins

Perth

Phillip

Qantas

Reef

Roo

Russell

Ryder

Slim

Theo

Torres

Tucker

William

Xavier

Yorke

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About Janice (author and voice behind this site)

Having lived with dogs and cats most of her life, Janice served as a veterinary technician for ten years in Maryland and twelve years as a Shih Tzu dog breeder in Ohio.

Her education includes undergraduate degrees in Psychology with a minor in biology, Early Childhood Education, and Nursing, and a master's in Mental Health Counseling.

She is a lifelong learner, a dog lover, and passionate about the welfare of animals. Her favorite breed for over 50 years has been the Shih Tzu, but she has also lived with poodles, Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, beagles, English bulldogs, carin terriers, and a Cocker Spaniel.

When not writing, reading, and researching dog-related topics, she likes to spend time with her eight Shih Tzu dogs, husband, and family, as well as knitting and crocheting. She is also the voice behind Miracle Shih Tzu and Smart-Knit-Crocheting

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