Australian Silky Terrier - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
The Silky Terrier was developed in the late 1800s in Australia by crossing Yorkshire Terriers with Australian Terriers. Both ancestors are tough and versatile hunters, and even though the Australian Silky Terrier was sometimes used for hunt vermin and to kill snakes, they were most often used as urban pets. At first, they were known as Sydney Silky Terriers, but in the 1955 their name was officialy changed to todays Australian Silky Terrier.

2) Devoted companions
This is not a lapdog, the Silky Terrier will be always ready for any kind of an adventure. They are very playful and loving and they make good play companions for older kids. Silky Terriers are also very loyal and devoted to its family and he want to spend as much time with them as possible.

3) Big dog personality
Silky Terriers have big and bold spirit and they actually make good watchdogs. It is not uncommon to see them trying scare away strangers or play with much bigger animals. They truly act like much larger dogs. They have the typical terrier personality traits, they like digging, chasing and barking and they are pretty fearless and tenacious.

4) Prey drive
I just said that they have the typical terrier personality and one of the important terrier temperamental trait is high prey drive. Australian Silky Terrier will most likely try to chase squirrels, rodents, cats, hamsters and other small animals. That is why you should never leave them alone with other small household pets and when you are outside in unknown area, it is better to keep your Silky on leash.

5) Coat
The coat is one of the most distinctive feature of this breed. It is straight, shiny and, well, silky as you can probably guess from their name. Unlike the Yorkshire Terriers coat, who is flowing to the floor, the Silky terrier coat conforms to the body shape. They can be find in one color combination, which is blue and tan. If you would like to learn more about Yorkshire and Silky Terrier differences, i am giving you link to Rocadog comparsion video in description.

6) Size
This is slightly longer than tall dog breed with athletic build and average height between 23-26 cm which is 9-10 inches and weight between 3-5 kg which is 7-11 pounds. There are no big size differences between males and females.

7) Dog sports
Silky Terriers are athletic and lively. They have a lot of energy and you should help them to burn it off. Daily walks acompanied with some vigorous playtime are great way how to achieve that. Or you can try some dog sport with them, Australian Silky Terriers are very good at agility, fly ball, rally or even tracking trials.

8) Hero
8 year old Australian Silky Terrier named Fizo was awarded an Australian Purple Cross of Bravery in 1996. It was because he protected his 9 year old owner from a five foot long venomous snake.

9) Maintenance

The Australian Silky Terrier fur is similar to human like hair. which means that the Silky Terrier often requires more bathing than other breeds, at least once a month. A thorough brushing and combing two to three times a week is essential to keep your Silky Terrier clean and tangle free. Just like with all dogs you should regularly check their eyes ears and nails and clip them or clean them if needed.

10) Health

Silky Terriers are generally health dogs with average lifespan between 12-15 years. Just like all dog breeds they do suffer from some health issues, commonly from Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, patellar luxation, Urolithiasis and diabetes.