Dog breed guide
Silky Terrier
A small Australian terrier with a flat, fine, glossy coat that needs regular bathing, brushing and combing. It is described as curious, high spirited and intelligent, and is not a typical lap dog. Dogs Victoria says it is quite trainable and equally suited to suburban life or a farmyard.
Also searched as Silky Terrier, Sydney Silky.
Silky Terrier at a glance
- Adult weight, male
- 4 to 5 kg
- Adult weight, female
- 4 to 5 kg
- Size
- Small, under 10 kg
- Height
- 23 to 26 cm
- Lifespan
- 10 to 15 years
- Coat
- flat, fine and glossy, of a silky texture
Ratings
Petboost editorial ratings from 1 to 5, drawn from the breed standard text under Sources. A breed with no basis in the sources for a rating shows none.
- Grooming effort
- Energy
- Trainability
5 means it needs the most grooming
5 means it needs a lot of exercise
5 means it learns quickly and eagerly
Next steps
- Find a local groomer or daycarePet businesses near you that take bookings online.
- Check a Silky Terrier puppy's weightWhere a puppy sits against the breed's adult range.
- Dog age in human yearsFrom a formula, not the seven-to-one rule.
Sources
- Petboost breed reference data, adult weight ranges (breed list snapshot).
- Dogs Australia, Australian Silky Terrier breed standard, https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/breeds/breed-standards/Australian-Silky-Terrier, read 5 Oct 2026 (the height given is for dogs, bitches slightly less)
- Dogs Victoria, Australian Silky Terrier breed page, https://dogsvictoria.org.au/choosing-a-breed/browse-all-breeds/43/Australian-Silky-Terrier/, read 5 Oct 2026
General information about the breed, not veterinary advice. Speak with your vet about your own pet.