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
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!