Petzlover
Australian Silky Terrier is originated from Australia but Ciobanesc de Bucovina is originated from Romania. Australian Silky Terrier may grow 52 cm / 20 inches shorter than Ciobanesc de Bucovina. Australian Silky Terrier may weigh 84 kg / 185 pounds lesser than Ciobanesc de Bucovina. Australian Silky Terrier may live 3 years more than Ciobanesc de Bucovina. Both Australian Silky Terrier and Ciobanesc de Bucovina has almost same litter size. Australian Silky Terrier requires Moderate Maintenance. But Ciobanesc de Bucovina requires High Maintenance
Many 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.
The Ciobanesc de Bucovina is a breed that developed naturally in the Carpathian Mountains (Romania and Serbia) and some regions of Bulgaria. The breed was especially useful in the Romanian northeast regions, the county Bucovina and in the northeastern region of Serbia. These dogs are bred for guarding and herding of flocks as well as guard dogs for the family home.
When the area was split between Russian and Romania, the dog continued to thrive in the mountains because of the need that the shepherds had for this type of dog with the build, working ability and temperament of the Bucovina.
Finally, in the 20th century, Romania began to urbanize and industrialize. People moved to the cities from the hills and many brought their dogs with them. This allowed many non-mountain Romanians to come into contact with the Bucovina Shepherd for the first time. He became a great family dog and offered guard dog protection as well.
The Romanian Kennel Club accepted the Ciobanesc du Bucovina in 1982 and wrote the first standard then. It has since been updated in 2001 and 2002 with today’s standard. They are not accepted by the international clubs nor the big clubs in the US and Europe. This is one factor in keeping the breed rare because it is little known outside of Romania.
This 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.
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.
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.
Most large mountain dogs resemble the Bucovina Shepherd, but this breed is more slightly built and has a lighter coat than most of the mountain dogs. They are still a very large dog weighing in between 70 and 120 pounds. They are powerfully built even if more slender than other mountain dogs. They have a long thick coat that makes it difficult to see how their bodies are formed, but they are a very muscular dog.
Their large head does indicate how powerful a dog he is, and he has a wide muzzle that tapers off at the end. The breed has small eyes that are either hazel or brown and his v-shaped ears hang downward on the side of his head. He has a wide, black nose and thick, dark lips. His tail is bushy and long.
Small 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.
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.
Bred to herd and guard cattle against the wolves and bears, it is a very dominant, self-assured, breed. They are intelligent yet laid back when no threat is suspected. They love children but can be hard to train. A dominant adult is needed to train and control the Ciobanesc de Bucovina. They are quite protective of their families and will patrol the property if left outside at night.
The breed has a strong mistrust of strangers but loves his adopted family. Unless threatened the Ciobanesc de Bucovina is calm and chilled. He is loyal, affectionate and dedicated. They attempt to frighten strangers with barks and growls but will attack if necessary. They are also very driven to chase prey so make sure they are in a locked fence. They can be difficult to train and seem to need a strong, alpha adult presence.
The 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.
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.
Not much has been done to study the health of this breed so not much is known for certain. It is known that they have good health as they have survived the harsh winters in the mountains while tending to the flocks.
Given their size and the history of mountain dogs, they could be susceptible to visual and skeletal amount of food and at the right times can prevent this. They could be susceptible to arthritis, knee and elbow dysplasia, and cataracts.
The 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.
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.
It is important not to over feed or to feed to much at one time. Even though they are large and powerful dogs, massive meals can cause bloat, so you are better off with 2-4 smaller meals per day. Also, don’t feed right before or right after strenuous exercise.
As previously mentioned this breed does not appear to have many health issues. As they developed naturally in the mountains they have not been exposed to many things there.
This was already mentioned but it is a very serious condition and requires veterinary assistance immediately under threat of death.
They can have either hip or elbow dysplasia. Can lead to arthritis of lameness.
This is a calm, even tempered dog not needing a lot of exercise. However, he is a big dog and can get obese without daily exercise. A large fenced in yard would be appreciated and a nice brisk walk every day. They would probably enjoy flyball and leurcatch. Any herding or hunting would be enjoyed.