Australian Silky Terrier

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Before the Second World War, the Australian Silky Terrier was virtually unknown outside Australia. The "Aussie," as it is affectionately known, is one of the smallest in the Terrier Group.

The Australian Terrier is a sturdy, short legged, little dog. It has a long head, with erect, v-shaped ears and sparkling dark eyes. The black nose has a v-shaped space above it. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite.

The body is slightly longer than tall, with a level topline. The chest is strong, moderately wide and deep. It has small cat-like feet and the docked tail stands up.

The rough-textured, weatherproof coat is about 2-3 inches (5-6.5 cm.) long and comes in solid red, sandy, or dark or silvery blue with tan markings on the head and legs.

The breed sports a topknot between the ears, and an apron and ruff that are lighter colored and finer-textured than the rest of the coat. When an Aussie puppy is a few days old the dewclaws are usually removed.

Temperament: Inquisitive, Alert, Quick, Friendly, Responsive, Joyful

Health Problems: Generally healthy. Minor concerns are intervertebral disc disease, elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation and Legg-Perthes. This breed sometimes is afflicted with diabetes, epilepsy and tracheal collapse.