The Australian Silky Terrier: A Snake Killer?

It is believed that the Australian Silky Terrier was bred from the cross between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Australian Terrier. This mix of the two breeds was intended to produce a toy dog ​​with the gentle qualities of a small house pet and the inquisitive nature and hunting prowess of a terrier. Families that have Silkies will attest to the effectiveness of the cross.

It is obvious from the Australian Silky’s coloring that a Yorkshire Terrier played a role in its development, as it sports the metallic blue coloring with rich tan points and a silvery blue bow quite similar to the Yorky. When the dog is born it is much darker and as it grows the tan markings fade to a lighter tawny shade and the metallic blue becomes quite silvery. The “Silky Terrier” is called the Australian Silky Terrier in Great Britain and Australia, but is called the “Silky Terrier” elsewhere. In any case, the dog is definitely a terrier and is meant to have the attributes of a terrier in terms of its rat and rodent killing abilities and in the case of the country of Australia, the little terrier is adept at killing snakes. The Silky is smaller than an Australian Terrier but larger than a Yorkie and the skull and muzzle are not as broad and heavy as those of Australian Terriers, nor as long as those of the Yorky. In short, this little dog has an almost equal mix of the qualities of the two breeds.

Coat care is fairly simple, requiring daily brushing and the occasional bath. Of course, as always, the nails must be trimmed regularly. The ears are erect and only need occasional cleaning as they are not prone to ear infections. The hair on the face has a bearded appearance and there is always more care in this type of muzzle in terms of keeping the whiskers free of food debris. It can be trimmed if necessary, but its coat is easy to comb as it is exactly what is called: “silky” and does not have an undercoat. It lies flat to the body and does not tangle like a double coat.

The little dog is very intelligent and is definitely a one family dog. He is wary of strangers and makes a good watchdog. When he introduces himself correctly, he will accept strangers into the home, but he still won’t be overly friendly. He is a very clean house pet and will get along with other animals in the house if raised with them. Of course, the terrier’s temperament will come out if confronted and he can certainly do a good job of holding his own when necessary. Obedience competitors have found Silky to be competitive in the Obedience ring and a favorite in the Conformation ring in most European countries, more so than in the United States.