Silky Terrier: temperament, size, care and health

About the Silky Terrier

The Silky Terrier is a finely built, moderately low-set dog with a wedge-shaped head, small erect V-shaped ears, a black nose and dark almond eyes. The body is slightly longer than tall. The silky blue and tan coat falls straight and flat on each side of the body, with a parting from the neck to the tail and a silky topknot on the head. The tail is carried high and is usually docked in places where docking is allowed.

The breed looks like a toy dog, yet it has the soul of a working terrier. People keep it for its elegance, small size and spirited character.

Temperament and family life

A Silky is keen, quick and friendly with its household, with more daring than most toy dogs. It enjoys company, bustles around the house and reacts to every sound. It tends to be reserved with strangers and may bark persistently at visitors, passers-by and things moving outside.

With respectful older children it is a lively playmate, but small children can hurt it. The dog may nip when pushed. It often chases small animals like squirrels, rodents or lizards, a legacy of its terrier ancestry, and may be assertive toward other dogs, particularly of the same sex. Cats are generally accepted when introduced young.

Exercise and training

The Silky has more stamina than it looks and needs daily walks and play. It enjoys ball games, digging, exploring and chasing, and a secure yard with tall fencing is helpful, since it will dig or slip under barriers. It can take part in agility and obedience classes, where its speed and enthusiasm show.

Training works best with variety and rewards. The breed is clever and learns quickly but is independent and may become bored by repetition. Consistency matters because a Silky can become willful and noisy if allowed to rule the house. Early socialization reduces yapping at new sights. House training can be slow.

Grooming and shedding

The single coat sheds very little, and the loose hair tends to be caught in the coat rather than land on furniture. Brushing and combing every second day is needed to prevent tangles, though the coat is less prone to matting than a woolly one. The coat should be trimmed on the feet and around the eyes, and a bath every two to three weeks keeps it glossy.

Many owners cut the coat shorter for convenience, though the show look is long. Clean the ears, trim nails and brush teeth regularly, as dental disease is common in small breeds.

Health

The Silky is generally robust and long-lived. Patellar luxation and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease are the most common orthopedic issues. Tracheal collapse, which causes coughing, diabetes, epilepsy, thyroid disease and allergies have been reported, along with dental crowding. Some dogs have eye problems, such as cataracts.

Responsible breeders examine knees and hips and check eyes, and they are open about health in their lines. This is general information about the Silky Terrier, and a veterinarian is the person to ask about a particular dog.

History

The Silky Terrier was developed in Australia at the end of the nineteenth century, principally around Sydney, which explains older names such as the Sydney Silky. It is generally traced to crosses between the Australian Terrier, a rough-coated working dog, and the Yorkshire Terrier, which had been imported from Britain. Breeders selected for a blue and tan coat of medium length and a small body. The breed was officially named the Australian Silky Terrier in 1955, and it became a popular companion in the United States in the 1950s, after servicemen stationed in Australia brought dogs home. The American Kennel Club recognized it in 1959.

Is the Silky Terrier right for you?

A Silky suits an active adult or family with older children, living in a small home or a house with a secure yard, who want an alert, entertaining and low-shedding small dog and who enjoy regular walks and some brushing.

It is a poor match for people who want a quiet or placid lap dog, for those with small pets or for households where the dog will be left alone for most of the day. The Yorkshire Terrier is a smaller cousin with a similar coat, the Australian Terrier is its sturdier working relative, and the Norfolk Terrier is a rougher-coated alternative.