FAQ’s / Heroes
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Heroes*
Gizmo
Patty_Kake
Pauli
Shellye
Fizo
Smoky
Greyfriars_Bobby
Mickey
Reggie – The Lab
FAQ’s**
What is the difference between show quality and pet quality puppies/dogs?
Do Silkys Shed?
Are Silkys hard to house train?
How much grooming do they need?
Do I have to leave their hair long?
Do they get along with other pets?
Are Silkys yappy?
Do I really need a crate?
Why would I want to show my Silky Terrier?
Why do some breeders sell their puppies for so much less?
Why are Silky Terriers tails docked?
What color are Silkys?
Silky pups are always born black and tan/copper, as they mature they change color. We call this “breaking.” Normally if a puppy starts breaking at an early age it will be silver or a light blue. If they are older when they start to break they will be a dark blue.
Adult color should be silver, silver blue, pigeon blue, or slate blue and tan. The mature coat is long, straight, and silky. It requires weekly brushing.
What is the difference between show quality and pet quality puppies/dogs?
First let me say the pet quality puppy is just as beautiful as the show puppy. A pet quality puppy would be lower priced because they would lack certain qualities in their structure, therefore they wouldn?t be considered for showing or breeding. Usually these faults are only recognizable by an experienced person.
Do Silkys Shed?
Very little, they have no undercoat. Which also means that they cannot stand extremes of temperature without protection. They should never be left outside in the extreme heat of summer nor in the cold of winter.
Are Silkys hard to house train?
They can be, it depends on the consistancy you are able to give to their training. Using a crate will really help in the house training process.
How much grooming do they need?
Weekly brushing is usually required. Of course you can do it as often as you like. It is something of enjoyment for both dog and owner.
Do I have to leave their hair long?
No, many owners clip them short.
Do they get along with other pets?
Yes, if they are raised with them. Remember though, they were bred to kill rodents, so if you have pet hamsters, mice, or snakes it may take work – and I offer no guarantee that you will succeed.
Are Silkys yappy?
They can be if not trained properly. If they start barking unnecessarily, shake a can of pebbles or spray water in their face with a spray bottle, and say No Bark! or Leave It!
Do I really need a Crate?
While you may think that keeping a puppy in a crate is cruel, it is not. It serves many purposes. Wild dogs have their puppies in caves or shelters in the wild. The crate simulates that scenario. Puppies feel safe, and warm and secure in their crates.
It serves as a place to assist in house breaking your puppy. Puppys are less likely to soil thier living quarters.
Even though you love your dog there may be times when you do not want him to have free run of the house, especially if you are not home to watch him/her. When used properly the crate is helpful when it is not convenient to have him/her underfoot.
The crate, with bedding materials, can be used for a bed, as an indoor doghouse, or used when transporting your dog to the vet or just for a ride in the car when you travel. The crate is an essential with a new puppy. There are many types of them, be sure to look around and get acquainted with them.
We used a soft crate with Sammy as a puppy, now even at over two years old, when he thinks its bedtime, you can find him is his crate.
Why would I want to show my Silky Terrier?
Showing is a great way to meet other silky owners, and make new friends. It is something the entire family can do together. Children can become Jr. showmen. This is a great way for the kids to bond with their dogs as well as to learn leadership skills and gain self-confidence.
Why do some breeders sell their puppies for so much less?
Some are puppy mills.
A puppy mill is a mass dog breeding establishment producing puppies for profit by selling them wholesale to the pet industry. Many puppy mills are characterized by overcrowding, filth, inadequate shelter, and insufficient food, water, and veterinary care.
Because profit, not quality of dogs, is the ultimate goal of the puppy mill owner, breeding practices are often shoddy, and the breeding dogs are kept under the most inexpensive possible conditions that will keep them alive and producing. The dogs from puppy mills often have genetic and personality disorders.
Private or Backyard Breeders:
Responsible, private owners are the so-called backyard breeders. These are people who own one or two purebred dogs and produce a litter of puppies once or twice a year. Love and promote the dog type they have chosen. Usually setting a reasonable price to help recover the expenses accrued by ensuring the high quility and care. Most of the private breeders we have found, care very much for the personality of the breed and the health. Attemting to keep contact with the new owners, as a follow through to complete staisfaction of the purchase. Also as an added benifit is the joy of seeing how these wounderful little angels change peoples lives.
Professional Breeders:
These are the breeders who follow the dog show circut, showing various breeds of dogs where the goal is to win championships, which in turn allows them to charge the highest possible price. You can be assured of getting the top quility dog, at least in appearance from these breeders. There is nothing to indicate personality is better in these dogs, in most cases they are not as well socialized as the dogs from private breeders who spend much more time with each puppy. Sorry to say, i couldn’t find out what they do with the dogs they concider pet quility dogs. This appears to be a professional breeders secret.
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Why are Silky Terriers tails docked?
The docking of dogs tails is a practice which has been carried out for centuries in order to avoid tail damage, for hygiene and other reasons. Today there are over fifty ( 50 + ) traditionally docked breeds which are recognised by various Kennel Clubs.
But docking has, in recent years, come under the scrutiny of the veterinary establishment, which has condemned the practice as an “unjustified mutilation”.
Breeders, dog owners and many veterinary surgeons disagree with this view. They believe that if docking ceased, dogs would suffer.
Docking, they say, is a perfectly humane procedure when properly carried out, and one, which prevents far more distress than it causes. It is, like neutering, simply a practical animal management technique which should remain available to dog breeders and owners.
Many breeds have docked tails, heres why.
1. To avoid tail damage
A number of working gundog breeds have to hunt game through heavy vegetation and thick brambles, where their fast tail action can easily lead to torn and bleeding tails which are painful and extremely difficult to treat. Docking the end of the tail eliminates the risk of injury.
Working terriers are docked for the same reason. In addition, terriers which are bred to hunt below ground for purposes such as fox or varmint control, have their tails docked to a length which is more practical when working in a confined space.
Other non-working breeds which have an enthusiastic tail action, are also liable to damage their tails, even in the home.
Since docking was banned in Sweden in 1989, there has been a massive increase in tail injuries amongst previously docked breeds. Within the 50 undocked Pointer litters registered in that year with the Swedish Kennel Club, 38% of dogs suffered tail injury before they were 18 months old and in 1991, the number of individuals with tail injures had increased to 51% of the group.
2. For reasons of hygiene
Long haired, thick coated breeds like the Silky Terrier and Old English Sheepdog are docked to avoid the hair around the base of the tail becoming fouled by faeces. Even with constant grooming and washing, such fouling is unpleasant. If allowed to get out of hand, it can lead to severe problems of hygiene, or even flystrike and subsequent infestation by maggots.
Hygiene problems can be greatly reduced or eliminated altogether by docking.
3. To maintain breed standards
Breeds which have been docked over many generations have been selected for specific qualities of build and conformation, but not for tail length, shape or carriage.
If left undocked, it is unlikely that the best dogs would carry good tails. In seeking to maintain the quality of the breeds, breeders would therefore be left with a diminished number of suitable sires and dams. The genetic pool would be reduced, greatly increasing the risk of hereditary diseases taking hold. Some breeds could even disappear for ever.
4. Is docking cruel?
Docking is carried out when puppies are tiny, within 3 days of birth. Their eyes are not yet open and long experience indicates that carried out correctly, the procedure causes no pain or discomfort. Indeed, some puppies which are docked whilst they are asleep, do not even wake up. After docking, puppies will immediately return to their dam to feed, and there is no evidence that development or weight gain is in any way arrested by the docking procedure.
Nor does a dog which has been docked as a puppy have any problems with balance or communication.
If, however, tail damage occurs during adulthood and docking has to be carried out for therapeutic reasons, normally under anaesthetic, a dog can be seriously distressed and the healing process can be painful and protracted.
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Silky Heroes
( If you have a story about a Silky or closely related breed, Please send it to us. We will add it to this list. )
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Gizmo Saves Family From Fire
Gizmo, a dog from Toronto, Canada became a great HERO to his family. At approximately 3 P. M. he started trying to awaken his mistress. (Dad was still at work). She was already overcome by the smoke a little put Gizmo was very persistent and would not stop barking until she got up and discovered the house was full of smoke.
She quickly got her daughter out but could not find her son of 1 1/2 yrs. Gizmo continued to bark and ran back into the house followed by the firemen.
He barked at a closet door and this is where the firemen found the little boy hiding. All are safe with no major injuries. Little Gizmo suffered smoke damage in that his hair had to be shaved he smelled so bad and his little paws are a little red but nothing serious. He certainly was the HERO of the night.
He is visited with Marjorie Robson of Canada for a few days (his first home in Canada) while his family is relocated. What a Hero this little guy was another Super Silky.
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Patty_Kake
Wilma Lee Andres from Eastern Tennessee sits with her dog, Patty Kake. Andres had her dog with her when she was a victim of a robbery attempt in her vehicle while visiting a friend in Chapel Hill, NC. When an unknown assailant hit Andres over the head, Patty Kake jumped up and bit the attacker on the hand, deterring the attack.
Patty Kake, a 9 year old, Australian Silky Terrier. Patty Kake may have saved Wilmas life when she bit the attacker.
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Pauli
Now sit right down and I will tell you a tale famous line from Gilligans Island. May not be that type of tale but it is quite an amazing story.
Our last litter of pups (born 19 November) were being weaned off Mom Pauli. Because of death of step dad I was a week late doing it. On Dec 31, New Years Eve morning around 9:30 a.m. I had a distress call from Michele; a breeder of Brussels Griffins who lives about 50 miles away.
Long story made short but after her Female (Frankie) had had a long and hard labour and 5 pups were born (2 natural, 3 C-section) she died through the night. Michele frantically was trying to feed the pups every 2 hours and called me to see if I could be of any help to her. (She said we were the only ones she could think of.)
Thankfully because I was late weaning Pauli she still had some milk so we bundled her up and drove to Micheles. After letting her roam for awhile , we put her in with the pups she was a little anxious to do this but did not fight us, she is used to sitting to feed her babes but we wanted her to lay to make sure all pups were feeding; so we had to hold her.
After all had been fed we left for an hour to give her time with the folks there and to let her know we could leave but would come back. We fed them all again ; but found that Pauli was unsure of the surroundings as she is use to a whelping box (they were using the bottom of a vari kennel) so with our suggestion Robert (husband) followed us home and took back with him Pauli?s whelping box, x-pen, water feeder and food dish and most importantly some paper that her babes had pee and poo on, so the new ones could be rubbed in it to make a familiar scent. Once everything was set up closer to what she was familiar with she took charge .
We are in touch twice a day; Pauli is happy and contented and very protective of her new charges and the best part is the puppies are gaining weight and getting stronger; Michele and her family call Pauli their silky miracle.
If there is a comical side to this story, it is this: Michele had bought a silky from us (Paulis sister) but had brought her back because they found Silkys were too active compared to the Griffs and found they could not adjust to the extra activity. But a Silky has come to the rescue of their Griffs and they are falling in love with her and have changed their thinking 100% Eric told Michele that we would have to have lots of pictures because a year from now Pauli will never believe she helped raise those flat nosed little puppies; this brought a laugh from Michele, the first we had seen through the tears all day.. Pauli is owned by Eric & Betty Keirstead.
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ShellyeAbout a year ago, Jim (hubby), Shellye and I were visiting friends. As we were leaving our friends house, I reached to pick Shellye up and she would not let me, which was very unusual. We started down the front porch steps and Shellye went running down the steps ahead of us, I called her to come back and started after her, she reached the bottom step just ahead of me and as I reached to get her, she jumped next to my leg, just as a rattlesnake struck. The snake hit Shellye not me. I screamed, Shellye cried out, our friends had a gun just inside the front door, got the gun and killed the snake. Early in the day, our friends had seen the snake and had gotten the gun, but then could not find the snake.
Luckily our vet lived close to our friends. We rushed Shellye to his house and he immediately starting medication. Shellye survived, but it was a very touch and go time for several days. We have no idea why the snake struck, but if Shellye had not jumped next to my leg, the snake most definitely would have struck me. During that time when we did not know if Shellye would live or not I wished more than once it had been me instead of her. Of course there is no way to know if Shellye sensed the snake, we were all talking so if the snake was rattling, we did not hear it, she may have heard it, but I don’t know how she would have know what it was. Anyway that’s Shellye’s story. Like I said, she is a hero to me.
Shellye is owned by Jim and Celeste Penny
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Fizo
Fizo leaped off a balconey in Sydney, Australia to save three children from a poisonous snake and became Australia’s first dog to receive a medal for valor.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals awared a Purple Cross Bravery medal to Fizo, a fearless 8 year-old Australian Silky Terrier, at a ceremony.
Hugh Wirth, the societys president, said Fizo plunged off a balcony onto a poisonous, 5 foot-long brown snake as it recoiled, ready to attack Fizo’s 9 year-old owner and two playmates.
Although he was bitten several times, Fizo held the snake in his mouth until it died. He collapsed and was taken to a neary animal clinic to receive a venom antidote.
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Smokey: Yorkie related to silkys
There are a great number of dogs that have become decorated war heroes due to their outstanding service, behavior above and beyond the call of duty and their uncanny ability to save lives while under fire and seize. War hero dogs come in many different sizes from a tiny Yorkshire Terrier named Smokey that became one of the first heroic military dogs.
I had read about Smoky on another website, the facts were a little off. Bill Wynne, Smokys owner and trainer read the account on our site and emailed us the true story. This is what really happened. In my view, Smoky was not the only hero here, Bill was also a hero.
Smoky was in the Invasion of Luzon, landing at Lingayen Gulf in mid Jan 1945. That is where Smoky pulled the vital communication lines through the 8″ culvert 70 feet long under the only taxi way leading to the only safe area for about 40 U.S. war planes saving the planes and 250 or so men from three Squadrons from aerial bombings .The war ended Aug. 15 ,1945. Smoky then went to Korea with her 26th Photo Recon Sq and was never stationed in Japan. She sailed home from Inchon Harbor, Korea on Nov.1 1945
Smokys owner and trainer Bill Wynne’s book about smoky.
Visit the Yorkie Doodle Dandy website.
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Greyfriars_Bobby Skye Terrier related to Silkys
Some of the best loved stories of famous dogs have to do with outstanding acts of loyalty by a dog towards the owner or family. Perhaps one the most famous is a small Skye Terrier known as Greyfriars Bobby that actually spend almost 14 years after his masters death sleeping on his grave. Greyfriars Bobby was honored with a small statue outside of the cemetery and has also become the subject of both a movie and several books of the same name.
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Mickey
An heroic terrier, Mickey saved his 13-year-old owner from a pitbull attack. He been given a posthumous bravery award by the SPCA. Chief executive Bob Kerridge presented the award to Laura Russell, whose beloved silky terrier Mickey died during the incident.
Mr Kerridge told the family awards for courage are only handed out in exceptional circumstances by the organisation.
We look after all sorts of animals and we like to just occasionally recognise animals we consider to have performed an act of bravery.
Laura, from Half Moon Bay, and her friends, had been out walking thier silky terrier when they came across the pitbull-type dog. The animal broke free and went for Laura, a pupil at Farm Cove Intermediate, her dog leapt to her defence. ?When Mickey was brutally murdered I did say his death would not be in vain and we have accomplished that.? Mickey?s death attracted national publicity and offers of a replacement pet. But the family say it?s too early for them to get another dog.
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regy_Reggie
Reggie – The Labreg
Get some tissues before reading this moving story.
This is a fabulous story of love
Great Dog Story and well worth the reading!!!!!
They told me the big black Lab’s name was Reggie
as I looked at him lying in his pen. The shelter was
clean, no-kill, and the people really friendly.
I’d only been in the area for six months, but everywhere
I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street.
But something was still missing as I attempted to
settle in to my new life here, and I thought a dog
couldn’t hurt. Give me someone to talk to.
And I had just seen Reggie’s advertisement on the local
news. The shelter said they had received numerous
calls right after, but they said the people who had come
down to see him just didn’t look like “Lab
people,” whatever that meant. They must’ve
thought I did.
But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged in giving me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his dishes, and a sealed letter from his previous owner. See, Reggie and I didn’t really hit it off
when we got home. We struggled for two weeks (which is
how long the shelter told me to give him to adjust to his
new home). Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to
adjust, too. Maybe we were too much alike.
For some reason, his stuff (except for the tennis
balls – he wouldn’t go anywhere without two stuffed in
his mouth) got tossed in with all of my other unpacked
boxes. I guess I didn’t really think he’d need
all his old stuff, that I’d get him new things once he
settled in, but it became clear pretty soon
that he wasn’t going to.
I tried the normal commands the shelter told me he
knew, ones like “sit” and “stay” and
“come” and “heel,” and he’d follow
them – when he felt like it. He never really seemed to
listen when I called his name – sure, he’d look in my
direction after the fourth of fifth time I said it, but then
he’d just go back to doing whatever. When I’d
ask again, you could almost see him sigh and then grudgingly
obey.
This just wasn’t going to work. He chewed a
couple shoes and some unpacked boxes. I was a little
too stern with him and he resented it, I could tell.
The friction got so bad that I couldn’t wait for the two
weeks to be up, and when it was, I was in full-on search
mode for my cellphone amid all of my unpacked stuff. I
remembered leaving it on the stack of boxes for the guest
room, but I also mumbled, rather cynically, that the
“damn dog probably hid it on me.”
Finally I found it, but before I could punch up the
shelter’s number, I also found his pad and other toys
from the shelter.. I tossed the pad in Reggie’s
direction and he snuffed it and wagged, some of the most
enthusiasm I’d seen since bringing him home. But
then I called, “Hey, Reggie, you like that? Come
here and I’ll give you a treat.” Instead, he
sort of glanced in my direction – maybe “glared”
is more accurate – and then gave a discontented sigh and
flopped down with his back to me.
Well, that’s not going to do it either, I
thought. And I punched the shelter phone number.
But I hung up when I saw the sealed envelope. I
had completely forgotten about that, too. “Okay,
Reggie,” I said out loud, “let’s see if
your previous owner has any advice.”…. ……
___________ _________ _________ _________
To
Whoever Gets My Dog:
Well, I can’t say that I’m happy you’re reading this, a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by Reggie’s new owner.
I’m not even happy writing it. If you’re
reading this, it means I just got back from my last car ride
with my Lab after dropping him off at the shelter. He
knew something was different. I have packed up his pad
and toys before and set them by the back door before a trip,
but this time… it’s like he knew something was
wrong. And something is wrong… which is why I have
to go to try to make it right.
So let me tell you about my Lab in
the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you.
First, he loves tennis balls.
the more the merrier. Sometimes I think he’s part
squirrel, the way he hordes them. He usually always
has two in his mouth and he tries to get a third in
there. Hasn’t done it yet. Doesn’t
matter where you throw them, he’ll bound after it, so be
careful – really don’t do it by any roads. I made
that mistake once, and it almost cost him dearly.
Next, commands. Maybe the
shelter staff already told you, but I’ll go over them
again: Reggie knows the obvious ones -
“sit,” “stay,” “come,” “heel.” He knows hand signals:
“back” to turn around and go back when you put
your hand straight up; and “over” if you put your
hand out right or left. “Shake” for shaking
water off, and “paw” for a high-five. He
does “down” when he feels like lying down – I bet
you could work on that with him some more. He knows
“ball” and “food” and “bone” and “treat” like nobody’s
business.
I trained Reggie with small food treats. Nothing opens his ears like little pieces of hot dog.
Feeding schedule: twice a day, once about seven in the morning, and again at six in the evening. Regular store-bought stuff; the shelter
has the brand.
He’s up on his shots.
Call the clinic on 9th Street and update his info with
yours’; they’ll make sure to send you reminders for when
he’s due. Be forewarned: Reggie hates the
vet. Good luck getting him in the car – I don’t
know how he knows when it’s time to go to the vet,
but
he knows.
Finally, give him some time.
I’ve never been married, so it’s only been Reggie
and me for his whole life. He’s gone everywhere
with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if
you can. He sits well in the backseat and he
doesn’t bark or complain. He just loves to be
around people and me most especially.
Which means that this transition is going to be hard,
with him going to live with someone new.
And that’s why I need to share one more bit of info with you…..
His name’s not Reggie.
I don’t know what made me do
it, but when I dropped him off at the shelter, I told them
his name was Reggie. He’s a smart dog, he’ll
get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no
doubt, but I just couldn’t bear to give them his
real name. For me to do that, it seemed so final, that
handing him over to the shelter was as good as me admitting
that I’d never see him again. And if I end up
coming back, getting him, and tearing up this letter, it
means everything’s fine. But if someone else is
reading it, well… well it means that his new owner should
know his real name. It’ll help you bond with
him. Who knows, maybe you’ll even notice a change
in his demeanor if he’s been giving you problems.
His real name is Tank.
Because that is what I drive.
Again, if you’re reading this
and you’re from the area, maybe my name has been on the
news. I told the shelter that they couldn’t make
“Reggie” available for adoption until they
received word from my company commander. See, my
parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could’ve
left Tank with… and it was my only real request of the
Army upon my deployment to Iraq, that they make one phone
call to the shelter… in the “event”… to tell
them that Tank could be put up for adoption. Luckily,
my colonel is a dog guy, too, and he knew where my platoon
was headed. He said he’d do it personally.
And if you’re reading this, then he made good on his word.
Well, this letter is getting to downright depressing,
even though, frankly, I’m just writing it for my dog.
I couldn’t imagine if I was writing it for a wife and kids
and family. But still, Tank has been my family
for the last six years, almost as long as
the Army has been my family.
And now I hope and pray that you will
make him part of your family and that he will adjust and
come to love you the same way he loved me.
That unconditional love from a dog
is what I took with me to Iraq as an inspiration to do
something selfless, to protect innocent people from those
who would do terrible things… and to keep those terrible
people from coming over here. If I had to give up Tank
in order to do it, I am glad to have done so. He was
my example of service and of love. I hope I honored
him by my service to my country and comrades.
All right, that’s enough. I deploy this evening
and have to drop this letter off at the shelter.
I don’t think I’ll say another good-bye to Tank, though.
I cried too much the first time.
Maybe I’ll peek in on him and see if he finally
got that third tennis ball in his mouth.
Good luck with Tank. Give him a good home
and give him an extra kiss goodnight – every night – from me.
Thank you, Paul Mallory
____________ _________ _________ _______
I folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope.
Sure I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town
knew him, even new people like me. Local kid, killed in Iraq
a few months ago and posthumously earning the Silver Star
when he gave his life to save three buddies.
Flags had been at half-mast all summer.
I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows on
my knees, staring at the dog.
“Hey, Tank,” I said quietly.
The dog’s head whipped up,
his ears cocked and his
eyes bright.
“C’mere boy..”
He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on
the hardwood floor. He sat in front of me, his head
tilted, searching for the name he hadn’t heard in months.
“Tank,” I whispered.
His tail swished.
I kept whispering his name, over and over, and each
time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened, and his posture
relaxed as a wave of contentment just seemed to flood
him. I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders, buried
my face into his scruff and hugged him.
“It’s me now, Tank, just you and me.
Your old pal gave you to me.” Tank reached up and
licked my cheek. “So whatdaya say we play some
ball? His ears perked again.
“Yeah? Ball? You like that? Ball?”
Tank tore from my hands and disappeared in the next room.
When he came back, he had three tennis balls in
his mouth..
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