Silky Terrier
Breed Rating
| Intelligence: | |
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| family friendly: | |
| Dog friendly: | |
| Watch/guard dog: |
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| Energy: | |
| Playfulness: | |
| Exercise needed: | |
| Space needed: |
| Aggressiveness: |
| Tendency to bark: |
| Grooming Requirements: |
| Aggressiveness: | |
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| Tendency to bark: | |
| Grooming Requirements: |
Breed Attributes
General
Breed group: Toy Type: Pure Breed Talent: Agility, Hunting, Tricks, Watchdog
Physical
Size: Small Weight: Males: 8-11 lbs Females: 8-11 lbs Fur length: Long Ears: Pointy Fur type: Straight Fur Color: 3 Colors, Black & Brown, Gray / Salt & Pepper
ATTRIBUTES
Life Expectancy: Moderately long lived (12 to 15 years) Rarity: Very Common Availability: Easily available Climate: Good for every climate.
Breed Details
General
The Silky Terrier originated in Australia and were bred to for human companionship. This breed is a mixture of the Cairn Terrier, Skye Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier and the Australian Terrier. These dogs are a very intelligent, charismatic and graceful breed.
The Silky Terrier is longer than they are tall. They resemble the Yorkshire Terrier and are often mistaken as one! Puppies of this breed are born black and will eventually 'grow into their colour' which will be either a blue and tan or a blue and red.
Fun loving and energetic, this dog will make a great pet that will entertain their families. They have been known to be protective of their owners and have even become jealous when they are not given attention! These dogs have an animated attitude making them very entertaining to live with.
Color
The Silky Terrier comes in 2 coat colour types, the blue and tan or the blue and red. In both types, the blue covers the majority of the dog with the tan and red being the markings.
Coat
This breed has a thin, silky coat that is around 6 inches in length. They only have an outer coat which is barely long enough to sweep the ground. This breed will need constant daily brushing because their coat is so fine that it mats very easily. They will not shed very much fur as there is very little to begin with.
Personality
This breed is a charming bundle of energy that loves to be around people. They are a social breed and thrive on attention from their family but will be reserved around people they haven't met. This dog will need to be socialized around cats, other dogs and other people as puppies because they can become aggressive or very timid as adults. The Silky Terrier will make perfect watchdogs because they can be protective of their territory and are known to enjoy barking. These dogs are bright, intelligent and animated making them fun pets to own. They can entertain their owners just being their silly selves!
Care
The Silky Terrier will need daily brushing because their coat will mat quickly if this is not done. Bathes should be given approximately once per month and monthly trims to the bottom of the coat will be needed to keep this dog looking great! This breed is prone to luxating patella's, diabetes, tracheal collapse, intervertebral disc disease, and epilepsy. Legg perthes is also a possible genetic disease the Silky Terrier may inherit.
Training
This breed will need a firm hand when training to be able to teach them basic obedience. They are sweet animals but can be energetic and have their minds elsewhere during training. A positive and consistent approach is the best route and will bring this dog to success because they already have the motivation to please their owners, they just need the repetition of information.
Activity
The Silky Terrier will need about half an hour of outdoor exercise per day. They burn up most of their energy during the day so will not need hours of exercise outside. This breed will do well in an apartment because of their size, as long as they get their regular walks. A backyard would be preferable so they can run around in an outdoor environment at home, but isn't a necessity.
