The Silky Terrier is a lightly built, moderately low set toy dog of pronounced
terrier character and spirited action.
The keen, alert air of the terrier is characteristic, with shyness or excessive
nervousness to be faulted. The manner is quick, friendly, responsive.
Weight ranges from 8-10 pounds (4-5 kilograms), Shoulder height from 9-10
inches (23-25 centimeters). Pronounced diminutiveness (such as a height of less than 8
inches (20 centimeters) is not desired; it accentuates the quality of toyishness as opposed
to the breed's definite terrier character.
Coat flat, in texture fine, glossy, silky; on matured specimens the desired length
of coat from behind the ears to the set on the tail is from 5-6 inches (13-15 centimeters).
On the top of the head the hair is so profuse as to form a topknot, but long hair on face
and ears is objectionable. Legs from knee and hock joints to feet should be free from
long hair. The hair is parted on the head and down over the back to the root of the tail.
Colour blue and tan. The blue may be silver blue, pigeon blue or slate blue, the tan deep
and rich. The blue extends from the base of the skull to the tip of the tail, down the
forelegs to the pasterns, and down the thighs to the hocks. On the tail the blue should be
very dark. Tan appears on the muzzle and cheeks, around the base of the ears, below the
pasterns and hocks, and around the vent. There is a tan spot over each eye. The topknot
should be silver or fawn.
The head is strong, wedge-shaped and moderately long. The skull is a trifle
longer than the muzzle, in proportion about three-fifths for the skull, two fifths for the
muzzle. Skull flat, and not so wide between the ears. Stop shallow. The nose is black.
Teeth strong and well aligned. Scissors bite. Eyes dark in colour and piercingly keen in
expression. Ears small, v-shaped and pricked. They are set high and carried erect
without any tendency to flare obliquely off the skull.
The neck fits gracefully into sloping shoulders. It is medium long, fine and to
some degree crested along the topline.
Well laid back shoulders, together with good angulation at the upper arm, set the
forelegs nicely under the body. Forelegs are strong, straight and rather fine boned.
Low-set, about one fifth longer than the dog's height at the withers. The backline
is straight, with a just perceptible rounding over the loins. Brisket medium wide, and
deep enough to extend down to the elbows.
Thighs well muscled and strong, but not so developed as to appear heavy. Legs
moderately angulated at the stifles and hocks, with the hocks low and equidistant from
the hock joints to the ground. Feet small, cat-line, round, compact. Pads are thick and
springy while the nails are strong and dark coloured. The feet point straight ahead, with
no turning in or out. Dewclaws, if any are removed.
The tail is set high and carried erect or semi-erect but not over gay. It is docked and well coated but devoid of plume.
Shyness or excessive nervousness. A bite markedly undershot or overshot is a serious fault. Light eyes are a fault. A too-short body is a fault. White or flesh-coloured nails are a fault. Toeing in or out on the move is to be faulted.
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