Silky Terrier
An Australian breed built from the Australian Terrier and the Yorkshire Terrier. It looks like a lapdog and behaves like a terrier: busy, vocal, and in need of real daily work.
- Weight
- 3.6–4.5 kg
- Lifespan
- 13–15 years
Weight and lifespan are reference ranges from the breed guide. They vary by sex, lineage and individual dog and do not predict your dog’s ideal weight or lifespan. Read the care descriptions alongside the individual dog’s history.
Background and characteristics
The Silky Terrier was developed around Sydney by crossing Australian Terriers with Yorkshire Terriers. The name and the coat cause a common misunderstanding: people expect a decorative lapdog and get a working terrier. Silkies were kept to deal with rodents around the house and yard, and at eight to ten pounds they are slightly larger and noticeably longer in body than a Yorkshire Terrier, with a firmer, busier temperament to match.
Exercise and play
Exercise needs land around forty minutes a day, and walking alone often does not settle the dog. Add ten to fifteen minutes of scent games, food puzzles or short training sessions, which changes indoor behaviour more than extra distance does. The terrier instincts are intact — digging in flowerpots, fixating on squirrels and birds, and reacting to anything that moves fast.
Barking is part of the package too: Silkies are alert and carry a surprisingly big voice for their size, so early sound socialisation is worth the effort if you have close neighbours.
Coat and everyday care
The coat is single, with almost no undercoat, and grows long, straight and glossy like human hair. It sheds very little, which suits allergy-conscious households to a degree, but it mats where it grows. Comb to the skin every other day and expect a groomer every four to six weeks; keeping the coat short is a perfectly reasonable choice, but the ears, armpits and belly still need regular checking.
Dry the coat fully after baths.
Exercise and play (2)
On health, luxating patellas and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease are the joint problems most often seen, and tracheal collapse occurs as in other toy breeds, so walk the dog on a harness rather than a neck collar. Diabetes mellitus and portosystemic shunts have both been reported in the breed, so excessive drinking or a puppy that fails to thrive deserves bloodwork rather than patience. Dental disease progresses quickly; daily brushing is the cheapest preventive care you will ever do.
Home environment and care planning
In a flat, the size works and the shedding is negligible. Plan for the noise and the grooming budget rather than the square footage, put rugs down on slick floors, and dry the coat thoroughly in humid weather to avoid recurring skin and ear problems.