Australian Silky Terrier

FCI:

Australian Silky Terrier Group III. - Terriers.

General Appearance:

It is embodied the eagerness, energy, health and performance. It excels in intelligence, boundless energy, loyalty and friendliness to the owner and members of owner´s family, vigilance and courage. It Likes staying close to the owner, it does not like being alone, and if well-behaved, it can accompany virtually anywhere, it will not do it acts directly presentable.

Dog of these appearances and size urgently needs education, training, based on the kind strictness. Because of its cleverness it soon understands what it is and is not acceptable, it learns very quickly. With children it is always ready to play, it is the ideal companion for them, however they must remember it is not a toy. It is still vivacious, lively, cheerful, inquisitive and docile. It feels to be a full member of the "pack" at its inception and wants to be a participant of all the action. To the strangers it does have no attitude.

Temperament & Behaviour:

It tolerates dogs well, cats and other pets. It must be getting used to all pets from an early age if not it can chase them. It may live together with dwarf rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and rats. It is bursting with initiative and therefore needs ample opportunities for physical work, but also mental activities. During its docility and agility it is especially well suited for agility training - training with enthusiasm and remarkable effort to succeed. It is also a reliable guard, who all unknown persons and anything unusual in the vicinity notify owners of loud barking.

That is breed is a suitable for breeder beginners, just not spoil it. Although it does not tend to call- syndrome,, small dogs,, and not trying to take the lead, it still must have family- "pack" its defined place, and it must be respected by all (what one forbids  it cannot be different by second). It is good if it can be someone from the family is still paying. Coat requires regular maintenance (combing).

Body:

It's small, compact, short. leggy, Terrier reasonable body length (not overly long nor too short), a refined structure with sufficient substance (must never be weak), giving rise to a legitimate impression that today would be able to hunt in the house and surroundings difficult rodents. Parted in the middle dorsal side of the body is divided straight silky hair must act groomed appearance. Height at withers males 23-26 cm, female slightly less. Weight of body related to height at withers.
The head is moderately long, with the muzzle slightly shorter than the skull, so the distance from tip of nose to the junction of the inner corners of the eye is shorter than the distance of a line from the inner corners of the eye to the top of the occiput. The head must be strong, typically terrier’s between earlobes appropriately broad.

Skull above flat, covered with fine long silky hair that should not hide the eyes. The long fall of hair on muzzle and cheeks is not acceptable. Among the eyes of the skull should not be "too filled with" frontal slope (stop) should be well noticeable. The nose is black.

Lips are thin, smooth, close to the jaw and teeth. Jaws should be strong, regularly aligned teeth, never too crowded together. Upper teeth closely overlapping down teeth, but scissor bite is requested.

Eyes should be small, oval never be round or bulging. They must be as dark as possible, and their view is an intelligent and incisive.

Ears should be small, shaped like an inverted "V", thin, high, pricked and short hair. The neck is of medium length, elegant, slightly arched in the nape. It flows into the shoulders and hair on it should be long and silky.

Body should have a reasonable time to be in exact proportion in height at withers. Topline body must be in position and movement straight, if roach or dip, it is a serious fault.

Loins are strong. Preference is given to the docked tail (except in countries where there is a curtailment law for the protection of animals is prohibited), setting higher, awake but not overly cheerfully carried by the- touched the back. Hair on the tail must not form any "fringing". When undocked, must be the first three vertebrae carried upward or slightly tipped forward, but not dropping over the back. It is not requested the Ring Tail. The length of the tail must be balanced.

The chest is moderately deep and wide, the ribs are properly sprung recent extends far back to strong loins. The forelegs are elegant, on the imaginary cross-section rounded bone. These legs should be straight, vertical to ground, without a hint of weak wrists. Elbows must be neither too close nor out. The hindquarters should have strong legs, moderately angulated knees and hocks. That when viewed from behind low over the base not the convergent or divergent.

Feet should be small, thickly padded - called- cat - with tightly clenched fingers. Nails must be black or very dark. Movement should be free and straightforward, without any signs of weakness shoulder joints and elbows. The hindquarters are a source of hearty forward pulse (skip), while the knees and hocks must be very flexible. When viewed from the rear legs may not be as moving neither too close nor too far apart.

Coat smoothly fitting to the skin is soft, shiny and silky to the touch. It must not be so long as to restrict the movement of dogs, and it may not be touched the ground, you must always see under the dog or bitch.

Accepted colour, all shades of silver-blue and tan, the richer and brighter, the better. Silver and white colour is highly requested. The blue colour of the hair on the tail must be very dark. Requested is a silvery blue or fawn coat colour forming long scalp at the crown. Tan is around the base of the ears, muzzle and on the cheeks, around the anus and extends through the knee, ankle and instep to toes. Silvery extends from the occipital regions of the head to tip of tail, down the forelegs to near the wrists and down the thighs and lower legs to the hock. The body must have any tan or bronze tinge. The tan markings must be pure, they should not be mingled black hairs (blanked through). Black colouring is acceptable by puppies, but it must be under 18 months of age "recolour" on a silver-blue.