The Heavenly Breed – History of the Skye Terrier
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By Lee Connor
The Isle of Skye is a distillation of all that is wonderful about Scotland. It’s often mist-shrouded scenery is dramatic, some would even say moody; it possesses towering stony peaks and an emerald green landscape splashed with lakes and thundering icy waterfalls.
And, dotted throughout this evocative Isle are cairns–piles of huge stones–which were the perfect hiding place for the island’s mischievous vermin. Foxes, badgers, polecat and even the otter would squirm within the safety of these narrow, rocky crevices quite safe from the attention of man.
Safe, that was, until the creation of the small earth dogs that were soon commonly utilized throughout the Scottish Highlands and Islands. These energetic, hardy little terriers were, of course, not then differentiated into separate breeds. They all, however, bore a general similarity in size and shape, with long, flexible bodies, short legs and a generous protective covering of crisp, wiry hair.
And they also shared a characteristic pertinacity and highly acute senses of sight, hearing and scent.
Gradually, in those remote glens–clansmen and gamekeepers gave preference to certain different family strains and regional types, which were then cultivated for specific purposes.
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Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=195128
Posted by AnthonyA
on Jan 3 2021. Filed under Current Articles, Featured.
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