Breed: Silky Terrier

The Silky Terrier, also called the Sidney Terrier, is a small, fine-boned, moderately low-set dog. The body is slightly longer than tall with a level topline. The wedge-shaped head is flat between the ears, moderately long, with the skull being slightly longer than the muzzle. The stop is shallow and the nose is black. Teeth meet in a scissors bite. The small, almond-shaped eyes are dark in color with dark eye rims. The erect, V-shaped ears are small, and set high on the head. The front legs are straight with small catlike feet. The high-set tail is customarily docked. Note: docking tails is illegal in most parts of Europe. Dewclaws are sometimes removed. The long, silky, single coat is 5-6 inches (12-15 cm) in length and comes in shades of blue with tan or red markings. The hair is parted down the center of the back. They have a topknot that should be lighter in color than the tan or red points. Silky Terriers are born black. The coat is very prone to tangles and mats unless frequently groomed.

Temperament

This loving, little terrier is very intelligent, courageous and alert. Affectionate, spunky, cheerful and sociable, they like to be close to their master. They are full of energy and need a good amount of exercise in order to be calm. Curious and keen they are an enthusiastic digger. Active, smart and quick. Despite their size, this docile dog makes a good watchdog. This is a sturdy breed that adjusts well to traveling. They are not generally trustworthy with other non-canine pets such as rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs. Socialize them well including with cats so they do not chase them. Good with children so long as the dog does not have a meek owner who fails to give him the discipline and structure all dogs instinctually need. Training these dogs is very straight- forward because it is very eager to learn. Do not allow this little dog to developed Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviors where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. When a Silky believes they are the boss, their temperament changes, as they try to control everyone and every thing around them. They may become demanding, willful, protective and may begin to bark a lot. They may begin to be untrustworthy with children and sometimes adults, becoming snappish if peeved and may pick fights with other dogs.


History

The Silky Terrier was created in the late 1800s by crossing the Yorkshire Terrier with the Australian Terrier. The goal was to improve the coat color of the blue and tan colored Australian Terriers. The Australian Terrier and the Silky Terrier were the same breed for many years until they were eventually recognized as two different types and separated into two different breeds. During World War II American servicemen brought some of these Silky Terriers home with them. The breed was recognized by the AKC in 1959 and its standard was established in 1962 and later updated in 1967. The Silky Terrier has always been primarily a companion dog, but this swift little dog is very good at catching rodents.

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