Silky Terrier vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison

Silky Terrier vs Australian Collie - Breed ComparisonBoth Silky Terrier and Australian Collie are originated from Australia. Silky Terrier may grow 14 cm / 5 inches shorter than Australian Collie. Silky Terrier may weigh 20 kg / 44 pounds lesser than Australian Collie. Silky Terrier may live 4 years less than Australian Collie. Both Silky Terrier and Australian Collie has almost same litter size. Both Silky Terrier and Australian Collie requires Moderate maintenance.

History

silky terrier - historyIt is the Yorkshire Terrier and the Australian Terrier which are the ancestors of the Australian Silky Terrier. This is by no means a new dog breed. It is believed that the breed came into existence at the end of the 19th century.

The dog’s purpose is to be a companion. This little canine wasn’t always known as the Silky Terrier, but in 1955 the name became officially Silky Terrier.

The breed is also recognized by the Australia National Kennel Council in the Toy Group. In fact the breed is recognised by a number of the major kennel clubs as well as the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.

australian collie - historyThe Koolie, as a breed we know today, originates from Australia. But, before they were breed and imported, they were the mix made of Britain smooth coated blue merle Collie and the Black and Tan Collie from the Highlands of Scotland. The Koolie came to Australia to work as a kennel dog since they are known as the working, farm dog that can adapt to any weather condition. They were bred to be agile and non-aggressive quiet herding dogs, and they have kept most of those good characteristics until today.

Basic Information

Group:
Toy dog
Herding dogs
Origin:
Australia
Australia
Height Male:
21 - 26 cm
8 - 11 inches
36 - 40 cm
14 - 16 inches
Height Female:
21 - 26 cm
8 - 11 inches
36 - 40 cm
14 - 16 inches
Weight Male:
4 - 5 kg
8 - 12 pounds
15 - 25 kg
33 - 56 pounds
Weight Female:
4 - 5 kg
8 - 12 pounds
15 - 25 kg
33 - 56 pounds
Life Span:
11 - 14 Years
12 - 18 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 5
4 - 6
Size:
Toy dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Silky Toy Terrier, Australian Silky Terrier
Australian Koolie, German Koolie, German Coolie
Colors Available:
Tan and silvery grey
red or blue patterned merle; some of them are born as one colored, usually red/chocolate or black. When they have two colors, they are red and white, black and white, black and tan, red and tan. Tricolor Collie is merle, with tan points and a white chest.
Coat:
Long, straight and silky
smooth and short or short and rough; double coated or single coated. Some of them have longer coat their legs or without.
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Social
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

silky terrier puppy - descriptionThis is a small dog breed, standing at just 21 to 26cm in height and weighing in the region of 4 to 5kg. He may be a toy dog, but he is robust and athletic.

The ears of the Silky are small and erect with a lot of silky hair that hangs down and the tail is preferably docked and held high.

His coat is eye-catching – straight, long, silky and shiny. If it is left unclipped, it will reach the floor. The colour of the coat is a tan and silvery grey.

Temperament:

The temperament of any dog is affected by things such as heredity, upbringing and the training and socialization he receives.

Small he may be, but the Silky Terrier can benefit from training as he is feisty and strong willed.

He is energetic and always ready for action. He is ready to come bounding after you and join his human family for any action they’re into. He is playful, bold, loyal, tenacious, independent, social and lively and he makes a good playmate for children.

He might tend to be a bit snappy and aggressive towards other dogs. He is also great as a watchdog, barking and alerting you to strangers.

australian collie puppy - descriptionKoolie is a medium bred. Their head is small, with a pointy jaw. Ears are pricked, semi-dropped or dropped. Their coat can be smooth or rough, short or medium length, always with the undercoat. The colours can be Red or Blue Merle, solid Red or Black, sometimes with minimal white or cream speckles. They are usually two-coloured or tricoloured, but some of them are actually one-coloured.

Some Koolie have one or two blue, green or yellow eyes. Eye colour is, of course, affected by the gene that creates the coat pattern and eye colour as well.

They are athletic dogs, with fine bone structure but great stamina. Actually, they were breed to be like that – to work hard, be noticeable among the sheep, eat little and be loyal to one person.

Characteristics

silky terrier dog - characteristicsThe silky terrier is a good choice for those who want a smallish dog but one which is robust and adventurous.

Your Silky is a loyal dog who loves spending time with his human family, wanting their companionship.

He will need to be physically and mentally stimulated as he is bright and intelligent. He can adapt to life in the city or the countryside but will need to be well exercised wherever he is.

Around children

australian collie dog - characteristicsKoolie is naturally energetic, playful and affectionate so they are naturally very good to raise with children.

Special talents

They are known as great obedience dog. They are very famous as the tracking dogs.

Some of them are successful as the rescue dogs, therapy dogs or educators for school children.

Adaptability

This is not a type of dog that will be alone in the house, wait for you and then be quiet while you rest. They need a great deal of activity and they are not such great choice for indoor life anyways. The best thing for them would be the large yard, with somebody home most of the time. They are great if raised in a family, with children and active owners. They will be great for a loner at the farm as well since that is in their blood. They need enough place to run, chase, play, rest on the sun and be active as they please. They get affectionate towards their families, but they will be accepting their new home when they are older just fine.

Learning ability

They are very good at learning. Intelligent, yes, but yet very silly and playful to do what is told all the time. They will surprise you with how quickly they will pick up the new trick but not feeling like doing it every time you would like them to. Everything is a play for them, so it would be best if you know how to play, be affectionate and friendly to become a good owner of this breed.

Health Problems

silky terrier puppies - health problemsJust like most other dogs, the Silky Terrier isn’t likely to get sick easily, but he can still succumb to any one of the dog illnesses there are.

Diabetes:

This is when your pet isn’t able to regulate blood sugar levels. Your dog will be drinking a lot more water than usual and also be urinating more often. The vet will explain to you a special diet for your pet and how the disease can be controlled with insulin.

Tracheal Collapse: 

This is a disease seen more often in smaller dogs like the Silky. It is caused by an obstruction in the airway and symptoms can include labored breathing and coughing. Your dog will need to be treated with anti-biotics and possibly surgery.

australian collie puppies - health problemsIf you are careful enough, you will choose your Koolie form patiently chosen breeders, after checking the health history of the pup and the pup’s family. Advisable is to do these things in person and never to buy a Koolie from a pet shop.

Sometimes, pups can be born blind or deaf pups. They have the great chance of joint problems because of their extreme activity. Their need to run, jump and play all the time may result in damage to cartilage and ligaments, especially since they are not aware of their age most of the time.

There is a chance that pup has skin allergies or immune system issues if they are growing on a farm near the chemicals used for plants, so be careful what kind of herbicide you use if you have a Collie.

In some rare cases, they suffer from seizers. If untreated, they can cause death. If you decide to take him to a regular vet check, you will have a happy and playful life together.

Caring The Pet

●Grooming:

silky terrier dogs - caringYou can imagine that with that silky hair, you’re going to have to be brushing your furry friend quite a bit. It’s such soft, silky hair that it easily picks up burrs and gets matted. You may want to get your pet to a professional groomer to have the hair cut. As you brush him, check for any unusual lumps and keep an eye on his skin.

Check your pet’s teeth. Bad teeth can cause bacteria that can affect every part of your dog’s body. Check inside his ears for redness and check his eyes that there is no discharge. Trim the nails. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to do all these things for him, make an appointment with the professional pet groomers who will do it for you.

● Diet:

The Silky Terrier will need quality food if you want him to enjoy a long, healthy life. Its always a good idea to have some of the top quality commercially manufactured dog foods with you for convenience. If you want to give him the best there is, some home-made food will be a good choice, if you keep it simple.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet – plain and simple without any exotic spices that could upset his stomach. Your dog will lap it up and you will see how he loves it. Chop the home-made food up and add some of it into his dry kibble as a treat twice a week.

Never leave him without a constant source of fresh, cool water.

Feeding the puppy and adult

australian collie dogs - caringWhether you choose canned food or dry food, treats as biscuits or left-overs, the quantity is the safest way of keeping the balanced diet for your Collie. They like raw meat and raw bones. Make sure not to feed them with cooked bones because they can do more harm than good.

Grooming

Since Koolie coat can be very short with the undercoat or a bit longer with undercoat, bristle brushing every 3 or 4 days will be enough for them. Some of them like the water and some of them don’t and that is perfectly fine since there is no need for a regular bath.

Points for Good Health

Lots of activities and lots of love. They express their love all the time and you can learn a lot from them actually. They like raw bones and from-the-table delicious treats but make sure not to overfeed them.

The best type of activity

Games that need them to be fast and think quickly. Running with them, driving a bike with them (but not on the leash!) would be a great fun for them. Why not leash? They are so playful and happy and they tend to jump and run to the side to chase a butterfly or catch the falling leaf.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Silky Terrier vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  2. Silky Terrier vs Chihuahua - Breed Comparison
  3. Silky Terrier vs Morkie - Breed Comparison
  4. Silky Terrier vs Havanese - Breed Comparison
  5. Silky Terrier vs Chorkie - Breed Comparison
  6. Silky Terrier vs Pekingese - Breed Comparison
  7. Silky Terrier vs Chinese Crested Dog - Breed Comparison
  8. Silky Terrier vs Chiweenie - Breed Comparison
  9. Silky Terrier vs Chug - Breed Comparison
  10. Silky Terrier vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  11. Silky Terrier vs Brussels Griffon - Breed Comparison
  12. Silky Terrier vs Chipoo - Breed Comparison
  13. Silky Terrier vs Chiapom - Breed Comparison
  14. Silky Terrier vs English Toy Terrier (Black & Tan) - Breed Comparison
  15. Silky Terrier vs Long Haired Chihuahua - Breed Comparison
  16. Silky Terrier vs Bichon Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  17. Silky Terrier vs Russian Toy Terrier - Breed Comparison
  18. Silky Terrier vs Franzuskaya Bolonka - Breed Comparison
  19. Silky Terrier vs Phalene - Breed Comparison
  20. Silky Terrier vs Bugg - Breed Comparison
  21. Silky Terrier vs Cockachon - Breed Comparison
  22. Silky Terrier vs Shih Tzu - Breed Comparison
  23. Snorkie vs Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  24. Toy Bulldog vs Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  25. Toy Mi-Ki vs Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Pembroke Welsh Corgi vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  27. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  28. Bearded Collie vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  29. Collie vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  30. Dutch Shepherd vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  31. Blue Healer vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  32. English Shepherd vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  33. Australian Collie vs Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  34. Australian Collie vs Australian Cattle Dog - Breed Comparison
  35. Australian Collie vs Austrailian Blue Heeler - Breed Comparison
  36. Australian Collie vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed Comparison
  37. Catahoula Cur vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  38. Catalan Sheepdog vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  39. Pyrenean Shepherd vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  40. Bergamasco vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  41. Berger Picard vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  42. Appenzell Mountain Dog vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  43. Queensland Heeler vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  44. German Coolie vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  45. Bohemian Shepherd vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  46. Croatian Sheepdog vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  47. Red Heeler vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  48. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren) vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  49. Blue Lacy vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison
  50. New Zealand Huntaway vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds