Skye Terrier: temperament, price, health, and breeders

A very old Scottish breed from the Isle of Skye, the Skye Terrier was once called the Terrier of the Western Isles. Selected to accompany man and hunt pests, it distinguished itself by its legendary loyalty, illustrated by Greyfriars Bobby, who remained famous in Edinburgh for having watched for years over his master's grave.

The Skye Terrier is a medium-sized dog, clearly longer than tall, with a straight back, a well let-down chest and a low, elegant silhouette. Its topcoat is long, flat, straight and of hard texture, doubled with a dense, softer undercoat; the coat can be black, grey, fawn or cream with black tips.

Very attached to its family, the Skye Terrier is faithful, loyal and dignified. It often remains reserved, even wary, towards strangers without being aggressive, and its balanced temperament makes it a pleasant companion when it is well socialized.

This terrier enjoys a calm life close to its humans, while keeping a strong personality. It can live in an apartment if its daily needs are met and willingly enjoys one to two outings per day to walk, explore and play.

Training the Skye Terrier requires consistency, firmness and a lot of gentleness. Harsh methods should be avoided; it responds better to a clear framework, early socialization and positive reinforcement that builds on its intelligence and its attachment to its owner.

The Skye Terrier is a fairly rare breed whose purchase price mainly reflects the quality of the breeding, the selection of breeding dogs, and the care given to early socialization.

The Skye Terrier is generally a robust and resilient dog. Its double coat protects it well from cold and bad weather, but the breed has a few predispositions that justify careful veterinary monitoring.

The Skye Terrier needs a quality diet, adapted to its age, size and activity level. A well-balanced ration helps support its skin, coat and body condition.

The most famous representative of the breed is Greyfriars Bobby, who became a symbol of loyalty in Scotland after watching over his master's grave. The Skye Terrier is also known under the names Skye Terrier and Isle of Skye Terrier.