Of the thirty-three terrier breeds, the Australian Silky Terrier is one of the more possessive and protective ones. It may be this way because of its cross breeding origin, its history, or its ancestors» training.
In Sydney, Australia , near the turn of the century, the first Australian Silky Terrier was borne. (Though others dispute this, claiming the first was born in Victoria, Australia.) Its ancestors, the softer coated of the Australian terrier litters, had been separated from the more typical wire-coated newborn pups, and life went on with the new Aussie pups. Then, in the small outback and countryside houses and cottages, rodents had begun to pester thinhabitants, enough that folks decided they needed a domesticated pet to carry out the task of pest control. So besides developing a breed that would be a suitable companion and loyal and obedient hunter and protector, they had to account for their smaller living quarters. So they crossed an Australian Terrier from the homeland with a Yorkshire Terrier from Great Britain.
In the process, the softer-haired Australian Terrier having gotten into the mix, the newer, smaller model was named the Sydney Silky, though it was nowhere near as fragile or shy as its delicate sheen and diminutive size might imply. With courage and tenacity, the Sydney Silky»renamed the Australian Silky Terrier--soon became the expert ratter, adept at sniffing out the vermin, tracking, and killing the vermin. And because of their small size, they fit into the confines of smaller domiciles, at the same time keeping the alertness and territorial attitude of a huger breed of watchdog.
Yes, it was so amenable to training and so good at its job that the Australian Silky Terrier came to earn the right to free rein roam the house, keeping all other animals out, and keeping comfortable and safe humans in. And yes, because of its toy size, it fit and fits well in the smallest of living quarters.
Today, the Australian Silky Terrier continues to perform well, not as a rat hunter but as a security alert device»with a surprisingly loud yapping that despite its size is resoundingly repellant. It is fairly active, even in a small apartment, so it doesn»t need as much additional exercise as other larger breeds do. And, low-maintenance and inexpensive to feed and care for, this 9-10», 8-11 pound long-haired breed does, however, need daily brushings as much as it needs to sniff about and investigate, as much as it needs to possess its humans (and not the other way around), and as much as it needs the affection it so generously gives.
