Silkie

Meet Silkie, the Silky terrier!
Sometimes a lovely family and a lovely dog come together and unfortunately, it just isn’t right for anyone. That is what has happened with Silkie.

Silkie was several months old when she was purchased from a breeder. Her family saw her photos, fell in love and drove a very long way to get her. Looking back, there were some red flags, but they really wanted Silkie to join their family.

As an older pup, with a slightly shady story, the challenges ahead were always going to exist but unfortunately for everyone, this was never going to end well.

Silkie was severely lacking in socialisation and training. Her new mum worked all week, and her human sister is deep in senior studies, so Silkie spent a lot of time alone.

Without any coping mechanisms, due to her start in life, Silkie became anxious and destructive. Left alone for long periods, she barked, she toileted in inappropriate places and she chewed her way through many of her owners’ possessions. The only time she behaved was on the weekends when they were home.

Silkie’s family loved her. They really did. They spoke to a trainer who basically told them that Silkie needed people who were at home more. At their wits end, Silkie’s mum reached out to us, distraught, even mentioning euthanasia as a possible option. Silkie is only 11 months old!

After speaking with her, it was evident that Silkie was in the wrong home. It was nobody’s fault, just one of those situations where love was never going to be enough.

I agreed to take Silkie on. When she arrived, she was understandably anxious. What I quickly discovered was that Silkie is a super smart little pup with boundless energy and although she was initially scared of the other dogs, within 24 hours, she became part of the pack and was putting all her anxious energy into playing with her friends.

For a little dog, Silkie is full on. Her bestie is a bulldog, and they play hard. In the week since she arrived, we have had no barking, no destruction and she has been going outside to the loo!

Silkie is good with the cats and although we were told that she doesn’t like men, she is quickly learning that they are ok (she still prefers women though). She is even doing superb with crate training!

Silkie is going to be an absolute superstar in the right home. Silkie is a TERRIER in every sense of the word. She isn’t a lap dog. Sure, she will come for a cuddle when she has exhausted all of her physical and mental energy, but she is not the sort of dog who just wants to snooze the day away. Her new humans will need to be able to meet her needs. She needs people home more often than not, a doggie friend with as much energy as her and lots of adventures, enrichment and fun.

Silkie is not the dog for elderly people or those with busy lives and young kids. She would excel at dog sports, agility or anything else where her brain and body could be stimulated. She weighs approximately 6kg so she is not a teeny tiny girl.

If Silkie sounds like your pawfect match and you can provide an enriching life for her, please apply by filling in the adoption inquiry form on our website www.karmasplacerescue.org.au