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Australian Silky Terrier

Other names: The Silky Terrier

Australian Silky Terrier
Australian Silky Terrier adult

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

Life expectancy :

7

19

12

14

Temperament :

Affectionate Playful Intelligent

Size :

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

    Blue

    Type of coat

    Long

    Eye colour

    Brown

    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

    • 100%

      Affectionate

      Looking for a cuddly little lapdog? The Silky Terrier is a great choice. This breed is sweet, loyal and devoted to its owner, though it may not be super affectionate to those outside of its immediate circle.

    • 100%

      Playful

      For such a small dog, the Australian Silky sure has a lot of energy to burn and loves to expend it with daily playtime.

    • 66%

      Calm

      If you’re after a super chilled-out and docile breed, the Silky probably isn’t the right choice. This bold dog is lively and energetic day-in-day-out, but will settle down eventually if well-exercised and content.

    • 100%

      Intelligent

      The Silky Terrier is well-known for its impressive intelligence and ability to learn quickly. This can mean that she knows your weaknesses, too.

    • 66%

      Hunter

      The Silky is a hunter at heart and will chase cats, rabbits, squirrels, rodents and wildlife without fear. It’s best to keep it on a strong lead in public areas unless you’re absolutely certain that your pooch won’t be tempted if a small animal appears.

    • 66%

      Fearful / wary of strangers

      This breed isn’t necessarily fearful of strangers, but is definitely suspicious of them. Expect it to be aloof and reserved around new faces.

    • 33%

      Independent

      The Australian Terrier is very attached to and dependent on its master.

      Behaviour of the Australian Silky Terrier

      • 33%

        Tolerates solitude

        If well-adjusted, this breed may be able to be left alone for a few hours - but no more. This dog likes to be with its family and is likely to turn into a troublemaker if left alone for too long. 

      • 100%

        Easy to train / obedience

        One of the best things about the Silky Terrier is how easy it is to train. Smart, intelligent and alert, this breed learns quickly with short, interesting training sessions filled with positive reinforcement and rewards.

      • 100%

        Barking

        Beware of the bark! This pup oftens loves the sound of its own voice and will bark whenever it deems it necessary (which, much of the time, it probably isn’t).

      • 33%