Silky Terriers and Yorshire Terriers.. a little explanation by Carmen in nj

[MollysMum54]

I rescued Molly when she was 2 years old. She weighs 15lbs, so could be either a big yorkie, or maybe even a silky. Under your rules, i will therefore own up to being a dimwit for not knowing!
However, i consider myself a loving, caring, compassionate dimwit.
I really don't care what breed or mix of breed Molly is, and i love her whatever...just as she appears to love me, however much of a dimwit i am!
Also, unlike you, I would never knowingly go out of my way to be rude and offensive to people I hardly know.

[Woodallc]

All are a mix in the end. Reading the AKC History of Yorkies it says back in Yorkshire England 1800s they originally weighed 15 lbs but were slowly bred over the years to be smaller toys averaging 7 lbs today. My Yorkie is AKC and weighs 12 lbs (not fat). The Silky came after the Yorkie. According to the AKC, the Silky breed began at the end of the 1800s when Yorkshire Terriers were crossed with the Australian Terriers (and Silky used to kill snakes in Australia).

As for mixing it up (Wikipedia): Up until 1929 the Australian Terrier, the Australian Silky Terrier, and the Yorkshire Terrier were not clearly defined. Dogs of three different breeds might be born in the same litter, to be separated by appearance into the different types once they were grown.

So that tells me w/o a DNA test and some historical DNA to boot, we may never know. Today's toy Yorkies are frail & small, and the Silky larger & more stout. Well my Yorkie is stout and can hike miles, but looks like a mix to me. The two breds are too similar and past bred in questionable ways.

[llcornell]

My female Daisy is a 12 lb silky and was bred with very small yorkie males and sold as "yorkies". The "breeder" surenderer her to YTNR along with a male that were no longer breeding for her, I picked them up myself from her house, It was my first time I had seen in person for myself the horrible conditions of a mill situation but she had almost all silky females and small yorkie males, she told me she sells her puppies online and to local pet stores.

[bjh]

Originally Posted by llcornell

My female Daisy is a 12 lb silky and was bred with very small yorkie males and sold as "yorkies". The "breeder" surenderer her to YTNR along with a male that were no longer breeding for her, I picked them up myself from her house, It was my first time I had seen in person for myself the horrible conditions of a mill situation but she had almost all silky females and small yorkie males, she told me she sells her puppies online and to local pet stores.

How did she register them as yorkie? Did she use APR or CKC. You could not register them with AKC unless they lied and used a AKC number from a yorkie male. It makes me sick all the deceptive things some breeders do.

[llcornell]

Originally Posted by bjh

How did she register them as yorkie? Did she use APR or CKC. You could not register them with AKC unless they lied and used a AKC number from a yorkie male. It makes me sick all the deceptive things some breeders do.

I didnt ask but Im sure she would have no problem lying. She was a sleezy, greedy disgusting human being

[Elle]

Originally Posted by msp96302

Thank you Carmen for that essential info on Yorkie v Silky. A must read for everyone on this site, in my opinion.

OK...so I have not posted on this site a ton but have been very intently watching the posts here for a long time. I find it astounding how so many of you do not know if you have a Yorkie or Silky.

In fact, I would even say that a huge percentage of the photos that I see as avatars on this site are of mostly SILKIES. What I cannot understand is that some of you have thousands (upon thousands) of posts on this site, so you are obviously heavily invested in the “yorkie experience” or you would not be spending so much time on an internet site called YorkieTalk. If you are so into this then why are you asking strangers online what kind of breed of dog you have?? Even some senior members of this site are posting like they are the experts on yorkies, their traits/colors etc etc and completely seem oblivious to the fact that they have a Silky.

Here is a clue: if you spent under $600 from a backyard breeder (words quoted from this site, not my words), you most likely got a Silky or one with a lot of Silky qualities. Same goes if you got your dog from a ‘friend of a friend’. I am also astonished at how many people assume that if the papers from the breeder say so…it *must* be a Yorkie! Ah, no. Wake up.

My favorite line from this site is that your dog seems “all yorkie” to you. What does that mean, exactly? Are you so in denial that you cannot look plainly at your pup and see that it’s a SILKY? There is nothing wrong with that but you all seem so psychologically invested in the whole concept of having a YORKIE for whatever reason.

Sorry if this post doesn’t earn me a lot of popularity here, but I get the impression that some of you saw whatever celebutard in the media (Britney, Paris, take your pick) dress up their cute dog and you wanted a knockoff version, all while doing NO research into the breed AND closely associated breeds. I have seen past posts where members are being informed for the first time ever that a Silky even exists. WHAT???!!?

I am glad that you love your pups (whatever breed they are) and that is the most important thing. I just find it downright comical how many dimwits don’t even know what breed of dog they own or are completely blind to their pup’s obvious physical traits.

Why would you assume that just because someone gets a dog from a backyard breeder and/or spends less than 600 they are getting a silky?


You are doing the same thing that you are accusing "less intelligent" people of doing. It's about being bred well, REAL pedigree. It's not only about being akc or a yorkie can look like a silky. It's important to go to a great breeder that knows the lines not just one generation.


You cannot judge a persons breed knowledge on the avatar that is posted on here. I'm probably not the only person with an avatar issue. I don't know how to make most photos small enough for an avatar.

[Cha Cha]

I have been reading throught this thread (I apologize, I have skipped a little) and I am totally confused. I tend to prefer the Silky Terrier myself, and am considering learning to show now that my kids are grown and gone. The breed standard is 8 -10 lbs. That's it! The Silky Terrier is considered a true "toy" breed. Folks, a dog weighing 8 - 10 lbs. (I guess some books say 9 - 11 lbs.) is not very big! As with any breed there can be some bigger, some smaller, but it confuses me why people think that just becuase they have a Yorkie that is "bigger" it must be a Silky. In some countries, it was (don't know if it still is) acceptable to mate a Silky Terrier back with the Australian Terrier or the Yorkshire Terrier for an "acceptable" offspring of the Silky. So it is possible that some Silkies today resemble more the Yorkie or the Australian Terrier. I do agree however, that the Silky Terrier does have a distinguished look for the most part all their own.

[carmen in nj]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

I have been reading throught this thread (I apologize, I have skipped a little) and I am totally confused. I tend to prefer the Silky Terrier myself, and am considering learning to show now that my kids are grown and gone. The breed standard is 8 -10 lbs. That's it! The Silky Terrier is considered a true "toy" breed. Folks, a dog weighing 8 - 10 lbs. (I guess some books say 9 - 11 lbs.) is not very big! As with any breed there can be some bigger, some smaller, but it confuses me why people think that just becuase they have a Yorkie that is "bigger" it must be a Silky. In some countries, it was (don't know if it still is) acceptable to mate a Silky Terrier back with the Australian Terrier or the Yorkshire Terrier for an "acceptable" offspring of the Silky. So it is possible that some Silkies today resemble more the Yorkie or the Australian Terrier. I do agree however, that the Silky Terrier does have a distinguished look for the most part all their own.

My daughter is a jr. handler and is showing my silkies, I LOVE,LOVE the breed, and I can at this point tell a silky from a yorkie by just looking at them, but some people can't because the similarities in coat, they don't pay attention to the details that make each breed unique.. I just had a litter this past 22nd of november and I am in LOVE all over again..
my girl is such a perfect reflection of the breed that I justify every penny I spent getting her.. my boy is true to that also.
welcome to the silky breed and please if you have babies share some pictures with us.. my girl is 10.5 pounds and a gorgeous coat.. I felt so terrible when I had to shave her belly for the babies..LOL she is also a Fabulous mommy..
hugs,
Carmen in nj

[Cha Cha]

Thak you Carmen. I am going to come out of the closet here and admit that my dogs are Silkies. I came here for information since Yorkies are their descendents. And thanks to everyone here, I have learned a lot.

I have Moka a 2 1/2 year old 8 lb. Silky Terrier, and just got Mylee, my baby. I have high hopes for my little Mylee. Right now she is 9 weeks old and weighs about 2.5 lbs.

I am an avid amature photographer and I can show lots of pictures of the same dog (Moka). At times in her development you would think she was a Yorkie, and at times you can tell she is a Silky. I personally think she resembles a Yorkie in her face/eyes, but she definitely has a Silky nose and body.

[carmen in nj]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

Thak you Carmen. I am going to come out of the closet here and admit that my dogs are Silkies. I came here for information since Yorkies are their descendents. And thanks to everyone here, I have learned a lot.

I have Moka a 2 1/2 year old 8 lb. Silky Terrier, and just got Mylee, my baby. I have high hopes for my little Mylee. Right now she is 9 weeks old and weighs about 2.5 lbs.

I am an avid amature photographer and I can show lots of pictures of the same dog (Moka). At times in her development you would think she was a Yorkie, and at times you can tell she is a Silky. I personally think she resembles a Yorkie in her face/eyes, but she definitely has a Silky nose and body.

OH Cha Cha, a girl to my heart, LOVE LOVE Moka, is exquisite..
9 weeks and 2.9 right on schedule, I like my girls right on the line, if you want to see my pile of silkies go to the YT nursery and see under Chanel's babies..
hugs,
Carmen in nj

[MyPann]

Originally Posted by SophieKatesMom

Heck I posted something about my cat once, he is nether a Yorkie nor a Silky (however he is very soft).

That is why I like this site, the people I have posted with on this site usually have a variety of animals and are animal lovers regardless of the breed or pedigree.

Britster makes a very valid point, we have all followed the stories of Ella and Truman the rescues, prayed for little Yorkies who were either having surgery or a health crisis. I know along with offering my prayers I have learned a great deal about the breed which in turn makes me a better dog owner.

Bottom line, I may be a "dimwit" who at times has carried my Yorkie in a bag. My philosophy is she is my dog, my responsibility and I will do any and everything I can to make sure she is happy and healthy and THAT is where I lean to Yorkie Talk, the knowledge in this forum cannot be duplicate anywhere else.