Australian Silky Terrier
Other names: The Silky Terrier

If you’re looking for a small dog with a lot of personality to offer, the Australian Silky Terrier might just be the breed you’ve been looking for! Originally bred as a ratter, the Silky Terrier boasts a lively, jolly and cheerful personality, making it a wonderful companion dog. This little dog doesn’t come without that classic Terrier attitude, though - barking, boldness and mischief are part of the package!
Key facts about the Australian Silky Terrier
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Origins and history
The Australian Silky Terrier originates from (you guessed it!) Australia, when breeders mixed the English Yorkshire Terrier with native Australian Terriers in order to produce a more vivid coat. Eventually the ‘Sydney Silky Terrier’ was created, though there were two different standards of the breed. In 1955, the breed was renamed as the Australian Silky Terrier and standardised to prevent further crossbreeding. In its native Australia, the breed remains a popular and well-loved lapdog.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 3 - Terriers
Section
Section 4 : Toy Terriers
Physical characteristics of the Australian Silky Terrier
Adult size
Female : Between 8 and 9 in
Male : Between 9 and 10 in
Weight
Female : Between 7 and 13 lb
Male : Between 7 and 13 lb
Coat colour
Silver and tan or black/blue and tan.
Type of coat
Long, sleek, straight and glossy.
Eye colour
Dark.
Description
The Australian Silky Terrier is a small Terrier (though technically categorised as a toy breed) with adorable short legs. Overall, this is a robust and athletic dog (especially considering its small size) and appears slightly longer than tall. The head is of medium-length and wedge-shaped, while the face boasts small, almond-shaped dark eyes, small, erect, triangular-shaped ears, and long hair falling elegantly down the sides. But the defining feature of the Australian Silky has to be the coat, which is most definitely ‘silky’, perfectly straight and almost human-like in texture.
Good to know
The Australian Silky Terrier is often confused with the ever-popular Yorkshire Terrier - in fact, the two breeds are closely related!
Temperament
Behaviour of the Australian Silky Terrier
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Compatibility
Price
This breed will cost between £300 and £450 for a well-bred puppy. Looking after a dog of this size typically costs between £60 to £90 a month, including food, medical/insurance, and incidental expenses.
Grooming
The Silky Terrier’s lovely, soft coat is, in all honesty, rather high maintenance. It will need thorough brushing every single day - otherwise, hard-to-shift knots and tangles will quickly form. Regular shampooing is required; ideally with a gentle, hypoallergenic dog shampoo to avoid drying out the Silky’s delicate skin.
Shedding
This breed is low-shedding.
Nutrition of the Australian Silky Terrier
Although the Silky isn’t picky, it prefers a high-quality, complete and balanced dog food which is formulated specifically for small or toy dog breeds. This should also be suited to the dog’s age.
Health of the Australian Silky Terrier
Life expectancy
This breed has a healthy life span but, like most pure breeds, is prone to certain health problems. The average life expectancy is 13 years.
Strong / robust
The Silky is fairly muscular and sturdy for its small size, but should still be kept as an indoor dog.
Withstand heat
The Silky can tolerate warm climates but may overheat in extreme heat - always provide cold water and shade.
Withstand cold
The Silky should be kept indoors and find alternative exercise solutions during storms or cold spells.
Tendency to put on weight
The Australian Silky Terrier doesn’t need all that much food, so it can be easy to overfeed this dog. Be strong willed when it comes to food and don’t give into any canine-style guilt-tripping.
Common illnesses
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Epilepsy
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Tracheal collapse