Skye Terrier Breed information & Pictures

Skye Terrier Breed Description

Life Expectancy
10-14 years

Learning Rate
High

Litter Size
3 to 6

Size
Small

Weight
Dogs: 20-30 pounds
Bitches: 18-27 pounds

Height
Dogs: 9-10 inches
Bitches: 7-9 inches

Country of Origin
Scotland

Groups
AKC Terriers
FCI Group III.: Terriers
TKC Terrier

Other Names
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The Skye Terrier has style, elegance and dignity. They are graceful, long and low terriers. They are agile and strong with sturdy bones and hard muscle.

This breed is twice as long as they are high, covered in a profuse coat that falls straight down either side of the body.

Temperament

This breed is very good-natured, polite and affectionate. They are courageous, spunky and bold. Skye terriers are loving and playful. They need a lot of attention to be happy. Loyal, protective, and a bit willful. These dogs are loving to their family and selected friends. They remember the friends and never forget the enemies.

This dog requires extensive early socialization with people or may grow up to be overly suspicious of strangers. They often dislike to be touched by strangers and may bite. Be careful around other small animals, as the Skye likes to chase, and they can be a bit dog-aggressive. These little dogs like to bark.

Colors

Black, dark or light gray, fawn or cream, all with black points.

Coat

The Skye is double coated, with a short, soft undercoat and a hard, straight topcoat. The shorter hair of the head veils the forehead and eyes, forming a moderate beard. The ears are generally well feathered and, in prick-eared examples, the hair normally falls like a fringe, accenting the form, and blending with the side locks.

Health Issues

If a Skye is exercised too often, too young, especially before 8 months, they can damage their bone growth, leading to a painful limp and possibly badly bowed legs. Jumping up and down from objects, climbing over objects, running, even long walks, are all things to be avoided for the first 8 to 10 months to prevent later problems and allow for correct closure of the growth plate. To minimize the risk of your dog developing any hereditary health issues, you should buy a Skye Terrier puppy from a reputable breeder.