Australian Silky Terrier

The Australian Silky Terrier, one of the smallest working terriers, is a toy breed that is most likely a combination of terrier breeds such as the Skye, Cairn, Australian Terrier and Yorkshire Terrier; with the latter being the most prominent. Most experts believe the Silky Terrier arrived in the United States with servicemen after their stint in Australia during WWII.

This curious, loving dog adores children, and is a particularly adept companion for the elderly and handicapped. It is important to remind children that they do not like being teased, and may become snappish if irritated. Most are somewhat wary of strangers and are not particularly fond of other animals, but some tolerate other dogs. They generally can not be trusted with smaller, household pets.

Having excellent hearing and eyesight, they make excellent watchdogs. They do like to bark and dig, and must be trained not to do both excessively. As with most terriers, the Australian Silky is a willful dog; but is eager to learn and generally not hard to train.

The Australian Silky Terrier makes an excellent apartment dog, as they are active indoors. They do love to run and play outdoors, but are also quite content to relax inside. Most make excellent travel companions, and are adaptable to most any climate.

This small, fine-boned dog stands between 9 and 10 and weighs between 8 and 11 pounds. Their long, silky coat can be seen in blue and red, or blue with tan markings. Although consider a very light shedder, the Australian Silky Terrier has extensive grooming requirements. As they are prone to tangles and matting, they need brushing daily. They also require regular bathing and coat trimming. Most owners choose to put the hair on their head up into a topknot to ensure good vision.

This breed is prone to kneecap problems and elbow dysplasia, but generally lives between 12 and 15 years. Litters have between 3 and 5 pups.