The Silky Terrier

Dog breed info
Silky Terrier
Weight: 8 — 11 lbs
Height: 9” — 10”
AKC Rank 2008 #75
Life Span: 11—14 yrs
Group Toy
Origin Australia

• Breeders And Rescue Groups
• Dog Health, Dog Illness, Medical Problems

Dog Breed Info – The Silky Terrier

Breed Overview

Origin: Late 1800’s. Original function: Companion, Vermin chasing. Today, companion.

The Yorkshire Terrier and Australian Terrier were rather recent developments of crosses with number of other terrier breeds. Some of the descendants from these crosses were shown as Yorkshire Terriers and Australian Terriers. A few, however, were exhibited under a new name, Silky Terrier, because it was felt they were the beginning of a separate breed, intermediate in size and coat length between it’s parental stock. Interbreeding these Silky’s did produce a true breed-strain within a short time. Around 1926 a standard encompassing all areas of the breed was accepted and was known as the Sydney Silky Terrier. In America, the name was changed to Silky Terrier in 1955. By 1959 the breed was registered by the AKC and has been mildly popular since.

Yes, but a slow learner. Stubborn. Pick up a CLICKER at your pet store. One of the best ways to work with s stubborn dog is with clicker training. Try it.

Crate Training

Want to crate train your Silky Terrier? It’s easy and if you’re interested, take a look and you’ll see what to do. Crate training your puppy will save many headaches and problems.

Potty Training

Silky Terrier ;puppies are not too difficult to house train, potty train, toilet train, housebreak or whatever you want to call it. If you have a puppy, decide if you want to crate or paper potty train it. For the best results, we have a page at Crate vs Paper Potty Training which will help you decide and from there you can get all the information you need to get the job done. Always praise the pup profusely when she goes potty in the RIGHT PLACE so she knows she has done a good thing. Either method will work for this breed.

If you have an older dog, take the dog outside every two hours until she gets the idea which door leads to her potty area. Older dogs catch on to the potty or housebreaking pretty fast once they are shown what to do.

The playful Silky Terrier

The Silky terrier is not your mellow lapdog. He is bold, feisty, inquisitive and playful, always looking for action. He’s a true terrier. He can be aggressive toward other dogs and pets. He can be quite stubborn and mischievous. This breed tends to bark a lot.

If you happen to get a Silky with separation anxiety problem, that can be dealt with by investing a few hours of work on your part and some “tough love.”

Friendly Toward Other Dogs

Friendly Toward Other Pets

Not really. If raised with them, the Silky may do all right.

Friendly Toward Strangers

Fair. The silky is a bit reserved and wary with strangers but will warm up to some people. Top

Playfulness

Playful little fellow with his own family.

Somewhat. Not a lapdog. Too energetic.

Older children okay. Has no patience for young kids and may nip or bite.

Good with Seniors over 65?

No. Not affectionate enough, not a lap dog.

Living environment

Does best in a house with a fenced yard he can explore and roam in. Not good for apartments, as tends to bark quite a lot. Top

Energy level

High energy. Rate 8 bars out of 10.

Moderate. Needs two walks a day or some play time to keep him out of trouble. Vigorous games in the yard or house will also do it instead of walks.

Good. Will bark at any unusual sounds.

Needs combing and brushing almost daily. Has a long silky coat that mats quickly and also tends to cover the eyes. Top

The book on the right is by the American National Red Cross and deals with dog emergencies, illnesses and injuries. It’s a valuable reference manual for all dog owners. Vol 2, 2008, includes a DVD. ________________________________________________ Top

In the event you decide to go looking for Silky Terrier puppies, be SURE to find reputable breeders that really know what they are doing. Be sure the puppy has been well socialized and started in obedience training.
Silky Terrier Breeders with puppies for sale.

Silky Terrier Rescue

In the event you are seriously considering the adoption of an older dog and are looking for a Silky Terrier Rescue group or groups in your state, here are several links that might help:
Petfinder – Silky Terrier Rescue – (Nationwide)At the time of this writing, Petfinder is listing only 105 Silky’s up for adoption in the USA. That number will fluctuate. If you do find one to adopt, try to locate any dog health records for possible future reference.
Adopt A Pet This is an interesting site but you may have to go online and search for Silky Terrier Rescue groups, kennels or adoptions.

This is basically a healthy breed. Don’t let the list below scare you! Your own dog will probably never have ANY of these problems. These are dog illness and medical problems this breed is prone to that have been listed by various veterinarians at different times over the past decade or so and some pertain to puppies and very young dogs that a breeder would deal with.

The information contained herein has been gathered from numerous books by veterinarians and is intended as general information only. Every dog and situation is different. You must see your vet. Our information is for general interest only and not intended to replace the advice provided by your own veterinarian.

Malassezia dermatitis—A highly itchy skin infection, usually around the ears, muzzle, inner thighs, eyes or feet. The dog may become frantic, chewing and scratching the ears and feet. If an ear infection, there might be a waxy discharge and smelly odor. The dog will be rubbing and pawing at the ear. Look for Malassezia in the summer, humidity and allergy seasons. Your vet will treat this with appropriate medications and bathing after a diagnosis.

Other health problems could occur with your Silky Terrier. If you notice any problems with your Silky Terrier, take it to the vet immediately. This website is for general information only and is not intended to, in any way, be a medical guide.

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