small Breed Dogs
Your Subtitle text
Silky Terrier Dogs
Toy Breed Dogs
Small Breed Dogs



Manufactured Dog Food VS Home Cooked Food
The food that you feed to your dog will have a direct impact on their health. Whether a young puppy who needs great nutrient to properly grow, an adult who needs to maintain weight and energy levels or a senior who can has a sensitive digestive system.

In addition, the choice you make can directly impact behavioral issues, such as eating grass or feces.
Read More


Average Weight: Approximately 10 pounds  (22.86 kg)
 Average Height: 9-10 inches  (22.86  to 25.4 cm)
Pronounced: Sill-KEY    TEH-ree-er
Group:  AKC Toy
Life Span: 16 Years
Average Litter:4
Origin: Australia
Appearance

This Silky Terrier, known in many countries as the Australian Silky Terrier, is low set, longer than he is tall and has very refined bone structure. First developed to hunt rodents, this small dog still has substance to the body.  With a wedge shaped head, small dark almond shaped eyes with dark rims and a piercing expression, this small dog is unique from other Terriers.

In countries in which it is legal, the tail is often docked.  The coat is indeed very silky to both the touch and visibly. When left to grow long, it is parted from the stop between the dog's eyes to the tail.  It should not touch floor length, as some breeds such as the Shih Tzu, however in maturity it does fall below the body and is about 5 to 6 inches (12.7 - 15.24 cm) long.

Colors

Puppies are born with a majority of black coat. The adult color of this small breed dog is blue and tan.  Blue is a faded, diluted black which has a bluish tint that can best be seen outside in the sunlight.  The tan is a rich color.  With a purebred, AKC show quality dog, the tips of the hairs are darker than the roots.

Personality

This is one keen, alert dog who is very responsive to human and its environment. He is not as active as some other Terriers, and yet is not a complete "lap dog".  He has a very curious nature and a true joy for life which makes this little dog a perfect companion.  Silky Terriers genuinely love children, therefore this he makes a perfect pet for families with children, young or old.

They will do well with cats, but only if raised along side them at a young age. If not, this dog is apt to "give chase" to felines.

Due to the high curiosity of this dog, digging is a difficult urge to deny.  In addition, he can be quite vocal at times.

Origin & History

Silky Terriers were developed in Australia at the beginning of 1900's.  This was a cross between Yorkshire Terriers and the native Australian Terriers. The original name was Sydney Silky Terrier and it was change to Australian Silky Terrier in 1955 ,and then finally changed to its current name only 3 months later.

Health
The same possible health issues that can affect all small breed dogs does so with this dog as well.  The most common are:
  • Patella luxation -(slipping of the kneecap)
  • Elbow dysplasia (slipping of the elbow joint)
  • Intervertebral disc disease (a wearing down of the spine's discs)
  • Legg-Calves Perthes Disease (a blood clotting issue)
  • Collapsed trachea (a collapsing or softening of the dogs trachea - using a harness as opposed to a collar can help prevent this)
Exercise

This dog loves to run around and is always willing to jump up to go outside with you for a game of fetch.  However, one of the nice qualities about this small dog is that he will adjust to just about any living conditions, therefore making him a perfect pet for those in high rise apartments or those without yards.

A 20-30 minute walk each day will help to keep this pup healthy and release energy. When given a large area to play, this small dog loves agility activities and is always up to a challenge.

Grooming

Because of the activity level being rather high, a brush and then a comb should be done at least every other day. If not,  small tangles will develop which can turn into larger ones if not taken out .

Brushing should be done first while misting sections of the coat with a 3:1 water to conditioner solution.  Once done, the coat should then be combed, which will find any matts that the brush did not.

If tangles in the coat are found, it is best to lather up your hands with dog conditioner and attempt to work out the knot.  If it simply cannot be done, it should be clipped before it grows larger.

Baths are given every 2-3 weeks and nails must be checked for needed trimming every few months.  Shedding is very light.  A female may  have a heavy shedding after having a litter.

Care & Training

Due to its urge to dig, training may be needed to control that issue.  An owner should be aware of all of the details of grooming. Lastly, understanding and knowing how to deal with behavioral issues will be of great help.   Owners of Silky Terriers - Click Here For More Detailed Information.


              
Content copyright 1997 -  . SmallBark. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Contact Us |
Web Hosting Companies