Australian Silky Terrier vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison

Australian Silky Terrier vs Abruzzenhund - Breed ComparisonAustralian Silky Terrier is originated from Australia but Abruzzenhund is originated from Italy. Australian Silky Terrier may grow 47 cm / 18 inches shorter than Abruzzenhund. Australian Silky Terrier may weigh 39 kg / 85 pounds lesser than Abruzzenhund. Both Australian Silky Terrier and Abruzzenhund has almost same life span. Australian Silky Terrier may have less litter size than Abruzzenhund. Both Australian Silky Terrier and Abruzzenhund requires Moderate maintenance.

History

australian silky terrier - historyMany toy breeds have been bred for centuries and were kept as lap dogs and companion dogs. Known at first as ‘The Sydney Silk’ the Australian Silky Terrier originated in Australia, but before the 2nd World War, the Australian SilkyTerrier was all but unknown outside Australia.

The toy breed came about by crossing the Yorkshire Terrier and the Australian Terrier, but further crossings contributed to the silky coat and the small size we are familiar with today. Despite this little dog being classified in the Toy Group, this spunky dog has the ability to hunt and kill rodents.

Victorian and Tasmanian breeders claimed to be originators of the breed, so the official name, Australian Silky Terrier, was adopted in 1956. Since recognition by the American Kennel Club in 1955, the breed has enjoyed a solid build up of fans.

abruzzenhund - historyAbruzzenhund was established as an individual breed in the middle of the 20th century. They are descendant of the big, white Eastern sheepdogs which came to Europe 2000 years ago. Abruzzenhund is a mix of Turkish sheepdogs Akbash and Karabash, the Kuvac, Slovakian breed Hungarian breed, Komondor, and a French sheepdog Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Those dogs were much bigger than today’s breed. Abruzzenhund is still not very popular breed, but it is very common in Great Britain and Italy. They have been used as guard dogs, hunting dogs, and working dogs because they are very brave and strong.

Basic Information

Group:
Toy dog
Herding dogs
Origin:
Australia
Italy
Height Male:
23 - 26 cm
9 - 11 inches
60 - 73 cm
23 - 29 inches
Height Female:
20 - 25 cm
7 - 10 inches
60 - 68 cm
23 - 27 inches
Weight Male:
4 - 6 kg
8 - 14 pounds
30 - 45 kg
66 - 100 pounds
Weight Female:
4 - 6 kg
8 - 14 pounds
30 - 40 kg
66 - 89 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
11 - 13 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 5
6 - 9
Size:
Small dog
Large dog
Other Names:
Silky Terrier, Sydney Silky
Maremma, Pastore, Abruzzese, Cane da Pastore, Maremmano- Abruzzese, Italian Sheepdog
Colors Available:
blue/tan, grey/blue and cream.
Black, Cream, White, Grey and Brown
Coat:
long, straight and silky
Profuse and Long
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Sweet
Courageous, Independent
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
Yes
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

Description

Small but Spunky

australian silky terrier puppy - descriptionThis is a small breed with Loads of Spunk. The Silky terrier is somewhat longer than tall and height is around 23cm, with weight being about 4kg. He has an athletic build and although the bone structure is refined, the small dog has amazing strength and durability with a keen, alert face. Small but sturdily built, the dark, almond-shaped eyes don’t miss a thing as do the small, erect v-shaped ears.

Full of fun and packed with character, the Silky Terrier isn’t your regular lap dog as he is bold, active, feisty and playful- always ready for action. He can be aggressive toward strange pets but becomes amicable with other pets in the home. He is sharp and clever, and can be trained to be an absolute pleasure in the home and a playmate for children trained to be kind to animals.

They are loving and devoted to their human family and can be excellent watchdogs even though they can’t offer much protection.

The Coat – the most Distinctive Feature

Of course, the Silky Terrier gets his name from the sleek, silky coat that if allowed to grow, flows down from their backs to the floor. It is the dogs most distinctive feature. They come in several solid colors and mixes of colors too such as blue/tan, grey/blue and cream.

He’s Adaptable

The Silky is an adaptable dog and even though he is energetic and will needs daily physical and mental exercise, he can be a country or an apartment dog, but will require plenty of exercise and getting out and about.

abruzzenhund puppy - descriptionA height of Abruzzenhund variates between 60-73 cm, males are slightly bigger than females. While the weight is 30-45kg, again, males are heavier than females.

Lifespan of Abruzzenhund

Abruzzenhund lifespan is between 11-13 years, but since these dogs don’t have any weaknesses and don’t tend to get sick, they can live longer with a proper care and adequate food and training.

Litter size of Abruzzenhund

Litter size of Abruzzenhund depends, but as any large breed, they usually have 6-9 puppies. And that is a very good considering size of the breed.

Abruzzenhund is not the only name of this breed. There are more names that you might hear. You can hear names like Maremma, Pastore, Abruzzese, Cane da Pastore, Maremmano- Abruzzese, Italian Sheepdog, and many similar names. Basically, they sound similar but there are differences.

Abruzzenhund is a friendly dog, but it is very powerful. Very strong jaw with a scissors bite makes them very strong. They have small but intelligent eyes, usually dark colored. The undercoat is dense, while the coat is white with segments of ivory to white yellow. Their long undercoat and coat make them winter resistant.

Characteristics

Caution with Small Children

australian silky terrier dog - characteristicsSmall in stature but with a strong personality, the Australian Silky Terrier is a keen, intelligent, active, energetic and spunky breed. He is affectionate and loyal towards his human family, and although good with older children and other pets, he may not get on too well with small children and their erratic movements.

Training Required for his Wilful Nature

Don’t leave him alone for too long as he becomes anxious and destructive. He is an active dog too and while he will adapt to apartment living, he will need exercise and games to keep him active, fit, stimulated and healthy. Your Silky is an intelligent dog but he is stubborn too and proper socialization and training will be important for Silky Terriers, as then he becomes quite sociable.

A firm but gentle hand will be needed to train this wilful little dog, but when you show him who’s boss, he becomes your devoted and loyal friend.

abruzzenhund dog - characteristicsAbruzzenhund is a very well-balanced breed who loves spending time with other animals and people. They have a very good temper. They love being around families, and they are very gentle with children. It is important to train Abruzzenhund properly because the dog of that size should be a leader. A human with a strong character should train this breed. Training is important because they tend to make their own decisions which can be bad sometimes.

Health Problems

Some Ailments to Look out For

australian silky terrier puppies - health problemsThe Australian Silky Terrier is generally healthy and he has a lifespan of 11 – 14 years. However he may suffer from some problems such as Legg-Perthes disease. This means degeneration of the head on the femur bone of the dog's hind leg, resulting is osteoarthritis. This ailment is commonly seen in miniature-, small and toy breeds and can result in lameness and pain.

Silky Terriers are also prone to certain eye disorders, including PRA or Progressive Retinal Atrophy as well as cataracts. PRA can lead to total blindness.

Vaccinating your Pet – what’s required?

Getting the right puppy shots and vaccinations is also part of good health care for your Silky and you can speak to your vet about what injections are due at 6 – 8 weeks of age and what booster vaccinations may be necessary.

abruzzenhund puppies - health problemsA great thing about Abruzzenhund is that they are very healthy dogs. They don’t have any chronical health problems, so if you are feeding your dog properly, with a lot of exercises they will not have any health problems. It is also important to check genetics of the dog.

Caring The Pet

Regular Brushing of the Silky Hair

australian silky terrier dogs - caringThe long, straight coat of the Silky will need a fair amount of brushing each day. This dog is considered a hypoallergenic breed, and although he doesn’t shed a lot, the length of the hair will require regular brushing to get rid of loose hairs but also ensure there is no tangling of the hair. If the hair of the dog is kept long, he may require a bath every now and then to keep his hair silky and clean and to get rid of dirt build-up.

Nutrition and Diet

A healthy, nutritional diet is important for keeping your canine friend healthy and free from disease and unhealthy skin. To stay health your pet will require correct amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Dog food companies make different types of dog food such as dry, semi-moist, and moist and these are available for dogs of different ages, activity levels and stage of life. Speak to your vet about selecting a dog food that is right for your Australian Silky Terrier and always ensure a bowl of fresh water is available to him.

abruzzenhund dogs - caringThey learn very quickly, but it requires strong will and constant training to keep them happy. They are great working dogs, and with the positive training, they are amazing. It is very important that they follow rules and to keep them in balance with training.

Feeding Abruzzenhund

They can eat a lot of food, depend on their activity. High-Quality dog food twice a day for a grown dog is a must. While puppies should eat 3-5 times, smaller portions of food. The food is important especially for working dogs, they need up to 2000-3000Kcal per day. Abruzzenhund will enjoy eating meat with a lot of vegetables and oil.

They are not recommended for small house or apartment. They need big yard because they require a lot of space. During the winter they can be outside because of their coat, but during the summer they need to be in the shade with a lot of fresh water available anytime.

Grooming the Abruzzenhund

The coat should be brushed and groomed very often because they have a thick coat. There is a lot of dead and loose hair in it. During shedding, period takes even more time to groom your dog properly. They love and they need exercise. Mental exercise is important as physical. Every day walking, running, playing with other animals is an important part of dog's activity. When they get enough quality exercise, they will sleep in the house.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Old English Sheepdog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  2. Akbash Dog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  3. Abruzzenhund vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  4. Briard vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  5. Rough Collie vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  6. Bouvier des Flandres vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  7. East German Shepherd vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  8. Saarlooswolfhond vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  9. Estrela Mountain Dog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  10. Huntaway vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  11. Czechoslovakian Wolfdog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  12. Perro de Pastor Mallorquin vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  13. South Russian Ovcharka vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  14. Mioritic Sheepdog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  15. Akita vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  16. Samoyed vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Labradoodle vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  18. Cane Corso vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  19. Alaskan Malamute vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  20. Mixed vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  21. Bullmastiff vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  22. Dogue De Bordeaux vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  23. German Shorthaired Pointer vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  24. Bloodhound vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  25. Great Pyrenees vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  26. Pomeranian vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  27. Maltese vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  28. Pug vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  29. Maltipoo vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  30. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Cockapoo vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  32. Cavapoo vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  33. Cavachon vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Papillon vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  35. Japanese Chin vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  36. Miniature English Bulldog vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  37. Bolognese vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  38. Italian Greyhound vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  39. Jug vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  40. Miniature Pinscher vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  41. Dorgi vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  42. Belgian Griffon vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  43. Carlin Pinscher vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  44. Dorkie vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  45. German Spitz (Klein) vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Doxiepoo vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  47. Bospin vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  48. Bantam Bulldog vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  49. Damchi vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  50. Lowchen vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds