Skye Terrier
Breed Profile
Scotland has long been home to small plucky terriers, and the Skye Terrier is among the oldest of them. They developed along the west coastal area, where they hunted fox and otter. The Skye Terrier is a native of the island of Skye in Scotland. It is a combination of Maltese dogs and local terriers. They were employed as vermin exterminators, and locators of fox and badgers.
Temperament
This is an elegant, very faithful, caring, robust, determined, happy, protective, dog, brimming with energy. The Skye terrier exhibit a strong penchant for hunting and working. It likes to chase small animals, especially those who are scurrying. When on a hunt this dog is tenacious, fast, and attuned. It has a good sense of smell which enables it to smell passersby and potential intruders from a distance.
Color & Coat
Coat: The breed dons a double coat with a short, soft undercoat and a hard, straight topcoat.
Color: Fawn, blue, dark or light grey, blonde, and black with black points (ears and muzzle) all occur. They may have any self colour, allowing for some shading of same colour on the body and a lighter undercoat, so long as the nose and ears are black.
Health
Owners should be warned that if the Skye is exercised too often, at a young age, especially before 8 months, they can damage their bone growth, resulting in a painful limp and possibly badly bowed legs. Degenerative disc disease is also prevalent short-legged dogs. Mammary cancer is the first cause of death of this breed. Other concerns are hemangiosarcomas (a malignant tumour of the blood vessels), autoimmune disease, and hyperthyroidism.