Vivacious, intelligent and somewhat mischievous, the Australian Silky Terrier dates back to the 19th century when they were known simply as rough or broken-coated terriers.
This was the result of crosses of various larger British terriers of Paisley/Clydesdale (now extinct), Dandie Dinmont and Skye Terriers, and later with the Yorkshire Terrier, which contributed to the silky coat and small size of the Australian Silky Terrier that we see today.
Due to the prominence of the breed in Sydney, they were also known as the ‘Sydney Silky’. However, Victorian and Tasmanian breeders also laid claim to the origins of the breed, so in 1956 the official name, Australian Silky Terrier, was adopted.
Originally bred to kill rodents, this breed’s ratter characteristics ensure they are always on the lookout for scurrying prey and, although bred as a house dog, they are just as much at home in the country, protecting the homestead from rats and snakes.
Extremely brave and assertive
Full of energy, the Australian Silky Terrier isn’t your typical lap dog and doesn’t like to be fussed over. Rather, they prefer to be treated as an equal. If exercised daily, this breed is suitable for unit living but is also ideally suited to suburban family life, usually devoting itself to one particular family member (usually the person who feeds it). Their small size makes them great companions for children, they are the perfect size for any backyard and are just right for those family outings in the car.
Assertive, game and extremely brave, the Australian Silky Terrier has strong guarding instincts and will often attempt to take on much larger dogs than itself. In the 1970s, the breed developed an erroneous reputation — through irresponsible breeding — for barking, but this characteristic has been eliminated.
Versatile and hardy, the Australian Silky Terrier has a single coat that is long and soft and, as the name implies, silky. The coat is the same texture as human hair so doesn’t need a lot of maintenance. They love a good brush and light grooming around the eyes, ears, muzzle and under the tail is all that’s needed. Due to their single coat they don’t have a strong doggy odour and they don’t shed much hair, making them ideal for people with allergies or asthma.
Full of energy
Helen Arkley is a member of the Australian Silky Terrier Club of NSW and has been a breeder since 1971. She started out with a little Silky cross and was drawn to the breed’s vitality, intelligence and easy maintenance.
Arkley recommends the Australian Silky Terrier to younger people because of the breed’s energy levels. “They can be a little too boisterous for older people because of their vitality. They’re inclined to want to jump and run, and older people don’t have that level of energy,” she said.
Arkley said the breed is also very good with children and recommends them for families. “They love to play ball and have heaps of energy so they’re good with children. They will play ball with the kids until the kids drop and they will still want to keep going,” she said.
Arkley told Dogs Life the Australian Silky Terrier is a very adaptable, all-round breed and will live indoors or outdoors anywhere, from a one-bedroom apartment to hundreds of acres. They are versatile, low-maintenance and good at killing rodents on the farm.
“We had one recently that would even kill the snakes! Unfortunately, that’s where she met her end,” she said.
Great for families
A breeder of Australian Silky Terriers in NSW for more than 30 years, Pat Scales was initially attracted to the breed’s vivacious nature. She recommends the Australian Silky Terrier to families because of their small size — “They’re small enough to put in the family car and take with you wherever you go!”
Scales said the breed needs minimal exercise and a reasonable backyard is enough for them. “Just like any other dog, they like to play ball or play with a Frisbee,” she said.
The Australian Silky Terrier is easy to groom and doesn’t shed hair all over your furniture. They also don’t have a ‘doggy odour’ because they have a fine single coat, making them very low-maintenance.
“They are very smart watchdogs. Some people say they’re yappy — they’re not yappy. Any dog can be yappy if you don’t train it properly. They’re good protectors in the home as well as being a very good companion dog,” Scales said.
The Australian Silky Terrier is a sturdy little dog with no inherent eye or heart problems, she added. “As they get older they wear the same as any other dog,” she said.
The breed will live to an average age of 14 years and can even live until they are 20 years old.
Scales advises anyone interested in the Australian Silky Terrier to go to a registered and qualified breeder. |
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