The Skye Terrier Community

The Skye Terrier is one of Britain's oldest and most distinctive terrier breeds, a low-slung, long-coated and elegantly proportioned earth dog developed on the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands to hunt otter, fox and other quarry in the rocky, broken terrain of the island, where its low build and determination allowed it to follow quarry into tight rock crevices and burrows that would defeat a taller dog. The breed was well established by the sixteenth century and attracted the patronage of Queen Victoria, who kept Skye Terriers and contributed significantly to the breed's popularity in the Victorian era. The Skye Terrier is now one of Britain's most endangered native dog breeds, appearing on the Kennel Club's Vulnerable Native Breeds list with annual registrations consistently very low, and preservation of the breed depends on a small community of dedicated enthusiasts. It is registered by the Kennel Club in the Terrier Group. The Skye Terrier is a striking and immediately recognisable dog - low to the ground, twice as long as it is tall, with a profuse, long, flat outer coat that falls either side of the body from a straight parting running from nose to tail, and large, feathered ears that may be either prick or drop. The head is long and the expression alert and intelligent. The coat is hard on the outside with a soft, woolly undercoat. Adults typically stand 23 to 25 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh 8 to 10 kilograms. The character is one of the most distinctive in the dog world - fiercely devoted to its own person or family to a degree that has become legendary. The story of Greyfriars Bobby, the Skye Terrier who reportedly guarded his owner's grave in Edinburgh for fourteen years after the owner's death in 1858, reflects a trait that is genuinely characteristic of the breed: an intensity of loyalty that borders on obsession. This devotion makes the breed an extraordinarily bonded companion for the right owner while also meaning it is poorly suited to frequent rehoming or handling by many different people. Training is effective when conducted by the person to whom the dog is bonded, using positive, patient methods. The independent terrier character means the breed will not submit readily to handling by strangers. Health considerations include Premature Closure of the Distal Radius in puppies and the importance of not over-exercising young dogs before twelve months of age. Purchase prices from KC-registered, health-tested breeders range from £700 to £1,500. Monthly running costs average £65 to £110. The Skye Terrier Club is the primary resource for breed information, responsible breeders and rescue contact.