Skye Terrier
The Skye Terrier was originally bred to hunt badgers, otters and foxes in Scotland. They can have either prick or drop ears and will differ across the litter.
They are confident, friendly and devoted dogs. If you are looking for a companion for your family or household, this could be the perfect breed for you.
They require less exercise than other breeds and would make a great flat/apartment dog. They will still enjoy a good daily walk, especially if they have no garden to run around. They are very playful dogs, so they should adapt well as long as they get plenty of playtime. Remember, a bored dog will usually become mischievous, whether it be nuisance barking, chewing or digging. Try to ensure they are occupied with jobs, playtime or plenty of exercise to keep them out of trouble.
They love to be with you and the family but tend to bond more with one special person. They are good with older children they have their limits on being messed around with, so probably best avoided if you have youngsters.
They make great watchdogs; you will always know who is at the door and anything suspicious or exciting outside. As with most terriers, they can be a little barky, so you may want to train them to be quiet on command. They are un-trusting of strangers and, as with most dogs, will need good socialisation to combat this.
They should be OK with other dogs, but they may be better as the only dog in the household. You might want to avoid two males together. Cats may be OK. They were bred to hunt small animals, so they will normally chase neighbourhood cats with delight, and they are quick, make sure they can’t escape from your garden.
They are intelligent and a little difficult to train. They know their own minds, so it’s important to discover their motivation early on to get the best results. They are sensitive dogs so do not train harshly or forcefully. They will not stand for it. Keep training playful and fun.
They have long double coats; although it looks like high maintenance, no trimming is needed, and it can be easily cared for with a weekly brush. They are fairly light shedders.
Unfortunately, even the story of Greyfriars Bobby, who faithfully watched over his owner’s grave, John Grey, for 14 years after the man’s death. (which sadly was a hoax), doesn’t appear to of helped this breed, and they are becoming rarer by the day.
Skye Terrier Stats
The Skye is an ancient breed, originally developed to hunt otters, foxes and badgers on the Islands of Skye and Colonsay. They were reportedly the ‘aristocrats’, belonging to the laird (lord of the manor) and not kept with the other hunting dogs. The breed peaked in popularity after Queen Victoria acquired her first Skye in 1842. There are two varieties of Skye – the prick ear and drop ear, the prick ear being the most popular at the present time.
- Weight -4kg –10kg
- Size – 25cm – 26cm
- They live for 12-15 years
