Silky Terrier puppies

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Silky Terrier puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. It can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so it needs frequent small meals rather than two big ones. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Patellar luxation, graded by a veterinary orthopaedic exam
• Legg Calve Perthes disease, a malformation of the hip joint in young dogs
• Cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Portosystemic liver shunt, diagnosed on blood tests and imaging
• Periodontal disease, kept down by regular tooth brushing

From Silky Terrier breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/silky-terrier/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Silky Terrier puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Silky Terrier.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 4.5 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other toy breeds

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