The Yorkshire terrier played a significant role in developing another English breed, the Silky terrier. No, wonder both the dogs replicate one another in appearance, confusing people to distinguish the two. In fact, as per Silky owners, their dogs have often been passed on as big-sized Yorkie. There are still a few visible differences that could help one identify the two from close quarters.
| Points of Differences | Yorkshire Terrier | Silky Terrier |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Weight: 7 pounds Height: 9-10 inches | Weight: 10 pounds Height: 7-8 inches A little taller and heavier than the Yorkie |
| Color | Black and tan; black and gold; blue and tan; blue and gold | Black and tan; blue and tan; blue silver and tan; gray and tan; silver and tan; silver black and tan Closely similar in color to the Yorkie, and hard to distinguish in this regard |
| Head shape | Rounded and flat on the top | Wedge-shaped, moderately long |
| Ear shape | Small, v-shaped erect | Small v-shaped , erect, and high set ; their ears are not that large near the base like that of the Yokie’s |
| Activity levels | Energetic, and active Rating: 4.8/5 | Same as the Yorkie, but a little higher on the energy meter though Rating: 5/5 |
| Intelligence level | Above average in intelligence, ranking 28th as per Stanley Coren’s Intelligence of Dogs Rating: 5/5 | Ditto as the Yorkie, but a degree lesser perhaps, ranking 37th in Stanley Coren’s Intelligence of Dogs list Rating: 4.8/5 |
| Kid-friendliness | Good with older kids, that gets better with socialization Rating: 4.2/5 | Similar to the Yorkie they too get along with children above 10 years of age , that improves with socialization Rating: 4.1/5 |
| Protectiveness towards owners | Some Yorkies often act increasingly jealous, showing a highly protective attitude towards their masters | The Silky terriers bond well with their masters but do not display a high degree of protectiveness |
| Trainability | Moderately difficult; since they often act stubborn, and display a higher degree of confidence Rating: 3.5/5 | Easier to train than the Yorkie Rating: 4.2/5 |
Be it the Yorkie, an epitome of a true terrier because of its feisty, bold, and brave demeanor, or the Silky terrier, which has its touch of sweetness besides the terrier-like temperament, both make for great family pets.
