Silky Terrier vs Indian Bull Terrier - Breed Comparison

It is the Yorkshire Terrier and the Australian Terrier which are the ancestors of the Australian Silky Terrier. This is by no means a new dog breed. It is believed that the breed came into existence at the end of the 19th century.

The dog’s purpose is to be a companion. This little canine wasn’t always known as the Silky Terrier, but in 1955 the name became officially Silky Terrier.

The breed is also recognized by the Australia National Kennel Council in the Toy Group. In fact the breed is recognised by a number of the major kennel clubs as well as the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.

Not much is known of the dog breed crossings that James Hinks carried out to get the Indian Bull Terrier. It is believed that he used the old English Bulldog, the English White Terrier and even the Dalmatian and Greyhound.

The dog comes from the UK but was later introduced to India. The Indian Bull Terrier, known as the Indian gladiator was introduced to India by the British Colonial Forces. The dog was developed from British dogs, namely Irish and English strains of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the original English White Terrier and the Hinks Bullterrier breed. The legacy of Hinks is known worldwide – he is known as the one who mixed white terriers to bull dogs to make bull terriers. He made a breed that was the base breed of the egg shaped head bull terriers we see today.

The dog is similar in looks to the old type English Bullterrier. The dog has always been valued as a fighter and as a watchdog.

This is a small dog breed, standing at just 21 to 26cm in height and weighing in the region of 4 to 5kg. He may be a toy dog, but he is robust and athletic.

The ears of the Silky are small and erect with a lot of silky hair that hangs down and the tail is preferably docked and held high.

His coat is eye-catching – straight, long, silky and shiny. If it is left unclipped, it will reach the floor. The colour of the coat is a tan and silvery grey.

Temperament:

The temperament of any dog is affected by things such as heredity, upbringing and the training and socialization he receives.

Small he may be, but the Silky Terrier can benefit from training as he is feisty and strong willed.

He is energetic and always ready for action. He is ready to come bounding after you and join his human family for any action they’re into. He is playful, bold, loyal, tenacious, independent, social and lively and he makes a good playmate for children.

He might tend to be a bit snappy and aggressive towards other dogs. He is also great as a watchdog, barking and alerting you to strangers.

The Indian Bully is a powerful, muscular, athletic and aggressive breed. He is a medium sized dog standing at roughly 46 cm to 56cm and weighs in the region of 20 – 30kg, both male and female.

As a Molosser, he has a strong, lean body with fairly long legs. Because of the white coat, quite a lot of them are born deaf and they also have skin allergies. The coat of the Indian Bull Terrier is short and smooth and nearly always white although you may well find some small dark markings on the coat. While solid white is the more common color, tan, red-brown and brindle can also be seen. He has the traditional egg-shaped head, erect ears, slanted eyes and long tail.

Temperament:

Your robust Indian Bull Terrier is a fearless dog, and where he has always been used for fighting in India and Pakistan, they are seeing the value of owning him as a pet too.

He is a loving, devoted pet, regarded as a bit of a clown. He is active and intelligent and apart from him wanting a lot of exercise, he just loves being with his human family, being involved with their hike, walks, ball games and swimming.

Being such a robust, active breed, he isn't suited to life in the city where the home is tiny and with little space to run. He is also strong-willed and maybe this characteristic of his might prove to be a bit of a handful for the first time dog owner.

He will need to receive early training and socialization, more so when there are children in the home. He can be inclined towards aggressiveness. They are capable of bonding with kids in the home but they can lean towards aggressiveness with other children.

The silky terrier is a good choice for those who want a smallish dog but one which is robust and adventurous.

Your Silky is a loyal dog who loves spending time with his human family, wanting their companionship.

He will need to be physically and mentally stimulated as he is bright and intelligent. He can adapt to life in the city or the countryside but will need to be well exercised wherever he is.

Indian Bull Terriers are affectionate, playful 4-legged family members. They are loyal, protective and social and will get on well with their own human family members but not necessarily with strangers.

Precautions need to be taken around visitors who aren't familiar with the dog. He is powerful and energetic and must be trained and socialized to become the obedient, loving, loyal pet he is known to be.

Just like most other dogs, the Silky Terrier isn’t likely to get sick easily, but he can still succumb to any one of the dog illnesses there are.

Diabetes:

This is when your pet isn’t able to regulate blood sugar levels. Your dog will be drinking a lot more water than usual and also be urinating more often. The vet will explain to you a special diet for your pet and how the disease can be controlled with insulin.

Tracheal Collapse: 

This is a disease seen more often in smaller dogs like the Silky. It is caused by an obstruction in the airway and symptoms can include labored breathing and coughing. Your dog will need to be treated with anti-biotics and possibly surgery.

With love and good care, your Indian Bull Terrier can reach up to 14 years of age and even more.

If you own the white Indian Bull Terrier, you need to keep in mind that deafness is found in many white dogs. Another concern for your white dog is sun protection. Whether white or one of the other shades, your dog has short, sparse hair and spending hours in the sun can be hazardous to him and he can suffer with serious sunburn. Serious sunburn can lead to other complications such as cancer.

●Grooming:

You can imagine that with that silky hair, you’re going to have to be brushing your furry friend quite a bit. It’s such soft, silky hair that it easily picks up burrs and gets matted. You may want to get your pet to a professional groomer to have the hair cut. As you brush him, check for any unusual lumps and keep an eye on his skin.

Check your pet’s teeth. Bad teeth can cause bacteria that can affect every part of your dog’s body. Check inside his ears for redness and check his eyes that there is no discharge. Trim the nails. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to do all these things for him, make an appointment with the professional pet groomers who will do it for you.

● Diet:

The Silky Terrier will need quality food if you want him to enjoy a long, healthy life. Its always a good idea to have some of the top quality commercially manufactured dog foods with you for convenience. If you want to give him the best there is, some home-made food will be a good choice, if you keep it simple.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet – plain and simple without any exotic spices that could upset his stomach. Your dog will lap it up and you will see how he loves it. Chop the home-made food up and add some of it into his dry kibble as a treat twice a week.

Never leave him without a constant source of fresh, cool water.

General Care:

Your Indian Bull Terrier has a short coat and he doesn't thrive in cold, damp weather. When its really cold, keep him indoors or put a sweater on when he needs to go outdoors.

Give him a nice, warm, dry place to sleep and ensure that if he goes outside, there is both sun and shady spots for him to lie.

Grooming:

This is a low maintenance dog, so a twice-weekly brush will do him the world of good. It will get rid of loose hair, he will love the closeness the brushing provides and the brushing will keep his coat shiny and healthy.

If you have a white Indian Bull Terrier, if he has dirty marks on his coat, you can just wipe him down with a damp cloth.

Remember to do regular checks on his ears and teeth too. Tooth decay can bring on a host of illnesses for your pet.

Diet:

If you are going to be giving your pet commercially manufactured dog food, make sure its the best there is.

Your Indian Bull Terrier is an active dog and you want to make sure that he remains healthy and active for the 10 to 14 years that he is with you. If you're unsure as to how to feed your pet, speak to your vet.

It will always be to your pets benefit to feed him some homemade food too and cooked chicken, brown rice and pasta and vegetables will keep his eyes bright and alert. If you can, try to add in some raw meat into his kibble too as this helps to keep his skin healthy. Never ever leave him without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.