If you are looking for a small, quick and sturdy dog that is active and has long hair that doesn’t shed much, the Australian Silky Terrier might be just the dog for you. This dog is about nine to ten inches tall and weights between eight and eleven pounds. Although it is classified as a terrier, it is usually shown with the toy dogs due to its small size.

The Australian silky terrier is extremely active, though it can do well in apartments if given enough exercise and stimulation to keep it from getting bored. It is best to give this dog plenty of walks on a leash, since it is likely to run off if let off the leash. If the dog is put out into the yard it must be very well fenced since these dogs are very good at getting out of fenced yards. They dig under the fences or climb up the metal fences, so wooden fences might be the best option.

Although they are not big shedders, these dogs must be brushed and combed daily, and have frequent baths. The Australian silky terrier is prone to matting and tangling of their coat if this is not done. If the dog is not going to be shown it might be best to clip the hair shorter in order to make this job easier. It can take around 15 minutes a day to care for the coat of these dogs.

If you have other small pets, these terriers are probably not a good choice. They do not get along well with other types of pets, although if properly socialized when young it might be possible to get them to peacefully coexist with them. Children are another concern because these dogs might nip at them if they act as many small children do and pull at them or pick up their belongings.

The Australian silky terrier also needs to be trained not to bark all the time, since they tend to bark a lot. They are usually only barking in response to some noise, so they can make good watchdogs. However, if you live in an apartment you want to train them not to bark so as not to annoy the neighbors.
It is also important to be very vigilant in housebreaking these dogs. They should be carefully trained otherwise they might get into bad habits. Especially when these dogs are young they will not have a lot of control, so it is useful to crate train them.