Silky Terrier

Description:
The Silky terrier is an authentic terrier that has a silky, straight, fine and shiny coat; it should not be so long so that it drags on the ground nor should it hide its exterior line, it should be well taken care of and not give the dog a shabby look. The abundant amount of hair it has on its head forms into a bun, and can be tawny or silver. The Silky terrier's height is around twenty-three to twenty five centimeters from the wichers. The head has a wedge shape, is strong and has a moderate length. The ears should be small and have a V shape, should be erect, and highly inserted. The skull of this dog is flat, and it has a moderate stop. The neck has a medium length and is fine; the top line of the body should be straight and should not sink inwards; the chest should be somewhat wide and long down to the elbows; the body should be short and the tail is usually docked; make sure though to find out about the laws in the country you live in concerning this procedure as it is not allowed in some places. The shoulders should be well inclined back; the front legs should be straight and the bone structure should have good and fine bone structure. The legs should be strong but not heavy, well angled, and the hocks should be low. Its feet should be small, with good pads that have the shape of a cat's. The nails must be black or dark. The color of this dog is blue and red, or bluish grey and reddish. The fire color should be rich and intense.

Ideal owner:
The Silky terrier is a vivacious and ideal miniature terrier that is easy to take care of. The hair on its coat that is almost like that of a human's, does not shed and it loves being inside the house with its family. Despite this, it is not a lap dog. It is sufficiently rustic to be able to be outside and in Australia this dog was used to hunt. It tolerates children but does not like to be grabbed by smaller kids. It is easy to train and despite its silky hair, it is still a dog and is very instinctive. It is not a nervous dog so treat it like a terrier, not a toy.

Growth:
At around eight weeks of age a Silky terrier should weigh around one and two kilograms. The dewclaws need to be cut and the tail is usually docked during the first week. The color of the coat changes from silver blue to smoky blue on the face and paws, and on the top of its head. Physical maturity is reached at eighteen months when it has developed its full height and adult coat. The ears will stick up when it is four months old. A Silky terrier should be extroverted and affectionate. A shy puppy can turn into a bitter because of fear so watch out for this. This dog needs to be socialized and it needs a lot of dedication on part of its human family. It needs discipline and consistency. A well-bred Silky terrier will become protective of its family and territorial of its house, and is a good guard dog. 

General health:
The average life span of a Silky terrier is around twelve to thirteen years, however there are some that have lived up to twenty years. This breed is very resistant, rustic, and has a beautiful lustrous coat. The care of its coat requires is not excessive; normally it is recommended to spend around fifteen minutes a day on brushing its coat. It needs very little trimming. Exercise and training is absolutely vital for this dog. As a breed, the Silky terrier is relatively free of health problems but it has had some common abnormalities the toy breeds have such as hypoglycemia, Cryptorchidism, joint dislocation, kidney stones, and diabetes mellitus. Legg Perthes has also been documented.