Plate 189 · Oceania
Silky Terrier
丝毛㹴
“Sydney's silky terrier.”
- Origin
- Australia
- Sydney
- Town or city of origin
- First known as the Sydney Silky, as it was found mainly in Sydney; the marker is the city's point.
- The point marks the town the breed is linked to.
- Era
- Late 19th or early 20th century (sources differ); named 1955
- Today
- Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Sydney
A small Australian terrier with a long, silky blue-and-tan coat, bred from Yorkshire and Australian Terriers.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
An urban companion, also known in Australia for killing snakes.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Yorkshire Terriers were crossed with Australian Terriers in the late 19th or early 20th century (accounts differ); reportedly, until 1929 the three types could still appear in one litter. Competing standards from Sydney and Victoria were merged in 1926; the name became Australian Silky Terrier in 1955. American servicemen brought some home after the Second World War.
04 · Today
Companion
A lively companion.
Personality
- Friendly
- Quick
- Keenly alert
- Bold
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- More exercise than most toys: daily walks and play.
- Grooming
- Brush at least twice a week.
- Training
- Smart and bold; set rules and stick to them.
Living with one
- Size
- Toy
- Lifespan
- 13–15 years
- Coat
- Long, fine, silky blue-and-tan coat
Field note
Australian Terriers, Silkies and Yorkshire Terriers could reportedly once be born in the same litter.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Toy Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (as Australian Silky Terrier, Group 3, standard 236), Australian National Kennel Council
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Toy Group, recognized 1959.
Kept as a companion in Australia and North America. AKC registrations: ranked 116 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Silky Terrier — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/silky-terrier/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Australian Silky Terrier — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Silky_Terrier
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Yorkshire and Australian Terrier crosses, the Sydney Silky name, mixed litters until 1929, the 1955 name, ANKC 1958, US servicemen and AKC 1959.
- Australian Silky Terrier — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/AUSTRALIAN-SILKY-TERRIER-236.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Australia; Group 3, section "Toy Terriers"; accepted 1962.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: First known as the Sydney Silky, as it was found mainly in Sydney; the marker is the city's point.
