Silky Terrier vs Yorkie Terrier: what’s the difference?

Ever wondered why Silkies and Yorkies are so similar? Well you’d be forgiven for confusing the two. With their shared history and almost identical appearance, it’s no wonder the Silky Terriers of the world are getting increasingly riled-up over being mistaken for their better-known, English doppelganger, the Yorkshire Terrier. To help you pet parents and sitters never misname either breed again, we’re here to settle the Silky Terrier vs Yorkie confusion once and for all, as we explore the differences and crossovers between their history, appearance, personality traits and more.

What’s the difference between a Silky Terrier vs Yorkshire Terrier? 

The difference between Yorkie and Silky Terriers comes from their history, and can be seen mainly in their head shape and size. Yorkies are smaller in size than Silky dogs, and Silkies have narrower heads and longer muzzles.

Yorkshire Terriers were brought down to England by Scottish weavers, and once recognized by the English Kennel Club, they soon became popular lap dogs with the upper classes. English settlers of Australia brought their Yorkie pups with them who were bred with local Australian Terriers (among other breeds), which produced the Silky.

Silky Terrier vs Yorkshire Terrier history

Yorkshire Terrier

According to the American Kennel Club, Yorkshire Terriers graced the world with their chirpy presence in the mid-1800s in (unsurprisingly) Yorkshire and Lancashire, which are counties in the north of England. It’s thought that the pups arrived in England alongside their weaver pet parents, who brought their Terriers along with them. These pups were a mix of now extinct breeds, including Skyes and the Dandie Dinmonts, as well as Maltese dogs. 

So, why were these energetic fluffballs popular with weavers in the first place? Well filled with zest for life and confidence, their tiny bodies were perfect for squeezing into the tight spaces of textile mills, keeping rodent infestations at bay. Alongside their popularity with weavers in textile mills, their rodent-catching skills were cottoned onto by local miners, so the breed was soon employed down the coal mines as exterminators.

After a few years as working dogs in the north of England, the English Kennel Club recognized the pups as a distinct breed. This moment in the spotlight meant that by the time of the Victorian era, Yorkies were a popular lap dog for upper class English pet lovers, making many well-to-do households around England home. 

And during their transition from working dogs to lap dogs, breeders favored smaller pups for their new roles within the household (i.e. cuddles and company!). This rise in public affection for the dog breed meant they were fit for the ‘stage’ as show dogs, the first being a pup named Huddersfield Ben in 1865, who’s considered to be the great ancestor of all the Yorkies to come. Then by the 1870s, Yorkies were seen across America with the first recorded by the American Kennel Club in 1885 - a female pup named Belle.

Silky Terrier

So, what’s the deal with the Silky vs. Yorkie history? Well during the early 1900s, English settlers brought across their Yorkshire Terriers to Australia. It was there that the dogs were bred with local Australian Terriers, forming the (creatively named)Australian Yorkshire Terrier, who are now known as Silky Terriers. It’s also thought that Cairn, Dandie Dinmont and Skye Terriers were brought into this breed mix, as they also accompanied English settlers during this time period. After their casual name of the Sydney Silky Terrier, the Australian Kennel Club named them Australian Silky Terriers in 1955, but they’re officially called Silky Terriers in the US.

Silky Terrier vs Yorkie Terrier appearance

Silky Terrier

One of the easiest ways to differentiate between the two breeds is to look at the Yorkie vs Silky appearance. While at a glance they can seem almost identical, there are a few differences in Yorkie vs. Silky Terriers on the looks front. Let’s start with size - Silky Terriers are a little like a slightly bigger Yorkshire Terrier, growing up to 9-10 inches tall and weighing in at 10 pounds in adulthood, although they’re still classified as toy dogs by the American Kennel Club. 

Now let’s talk Silky faces - one of the biggest differences between Silky and Yorkie dogs is their face shape (or head shape). Silky Terriers are known for their wedge-shaped heads, narrower face shapes (than that of a Yorkie’s) and their broader, longer muzzles. Their eyes are small and almond shaped with dark rims. Silky ears are sometimes slightly bigger than their Yorkie cousins, set high, carried erect and just as v-shaped as their English ancestors’.

And for their most famous characteristic - those silky coats. At a glance, it might seem as though Yorkies and Silkies are the same color, but Silkies in fact have a lot more variety when it comes to their coat shades. The 13 accepted color combinations are black, black and tan, blue, blue and tan, cream, fawn, gray, gray and tan, platinum, silver, silver and tan, and silver, black and tan. As the name suggests, their coats are as silky and glossy as can be, but like their English cousins, they need daily brushing to avoid tangles and matting.

Yorkshire Terrier

As we’ve mentioned, Yorkies are somewhat smaller than their Australian, silky-coated cousins, growing up to between 7 and 8 inches tall and weighing in at up to 7 pounds - truly the perfect lap dog! When it comes to those adorable faces, Yorkies have a much more rounded-shaped face than Silkies, with a shorter snout topped with an equally cute black button nose. Their eyes are equally dark and shiny, complete with intelligent, thoughtful expressions. Yorkie ears are sometimes a little smaller than Silkies’, but are equally pointy of course, standing up and alert at all times.

When it comes to the Yorkie coat color, puppies tend to start out with a mainly black and tan coat that evolves into other recognised colors as they blossom. These include black and gold, black and tan (with a more even distribution than the mainly black puppy coat), blue and gold, and blue and tan. And like their Australian cousins, Yorkshire Terriers don’t shed much, so are great for people with allergies, although they do need daily brushing.

Silky Terrier vs Yorkie personality

Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkies are feisty, brave, spunky little pups, well known as great companion dogs. After years of being by the side of us humans, they know exactly how to woo us - they’re loving and of course, ideal lap dogs. Sometimes their love for their humans goes a little too far though, coming on a little too strong on the protective front - barking away at people (and pups) they don’t know, and anything else they believe to pose a threat. And due to their working background, Yorkies are super intelligent and certainly aren’t afraid of adventure. 

If you’re considering welcoming these spunky cuties into your home, consider training them from a young age to avoid the over-protective behaviors they’re partial to. It’s also worth treading with caution if you’ve got toddlers or babies at home - Yorkies have a strong prey drive due to their ratting background.

Silky Terrier

So what about the Yorkshire vs. Silky Terrier personality? Well Silky dogs are equally loving and affectionate towards their humans, and also bursting with energy as most terrier breeds tend to be. And like their English ancestors, Silkies can get pretty protective and territorial over their space, humans and of course, food. And if you’re thinking about welcoming a Silky into your home, tread with the same caution as you would a Yorkie - Silkies have equally excitable prey drives, so they’re suitable for homes with older children, or none at all. And if you’ve got other pets that won’t be growing bigger any time soon (like hamsters or guinea pigs), avoid welcoming a Silky altogether - they instinctively hunt rodents. And like Yorkies, Silky Terriers can get pretty vocal, so consistent training from a young age is always recommended.

Silky vs Yorkie energy levels

Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkies might be small in size, but their energy levels are mighty. If you welcome a Yorkie into your family, be prepared for brisk, twice-daily walks at around 20 minutes each. Then at least once a week, make sure they’re more rigorously exercised through a game of fetch or a much-needed run around in your local dog park. And remember, Yorkies are intelligent dogs, so if you need to tire your pup out, get stuck into training or agility work to test those little brains!

Silky Terrier

Like their English counterparts, Silky Terriers need daily exercise and mental stimulation to keep those little bodies happy and minds ticking. While they can do well with apartment living, they certainly won’t appreciate being left alone for long - these pups need their humans as much as we need them - so they’re the perfect companions if you work from home or not at all.

Want to learn more about Yorkshire Terriers?

Naturally! If all of this talk on Yorkshire Terriers and Silky Terriers has got you wanting to hear more, get yourself a cup of something warm and make yourself comfortable, as you explore this breed guide on the spunky balls of energy themselves - Yorkshire Terriers.