The coat!
My last dog was a Skye Terrier. A dog full of character and charm. And my next dog will be a Skye again. My trusted breeder knows that I’ll be taking a puppy from her litter this year.
The Skye Terrier is one of the endangered dog breeds. And I keep asking myself why? It can’t be because of their temperament, nor because they’re big dogs on short legs.
But I have a hunch as to why this brilliant dog breed isn’t as popular anymore: it’s their coat standard. When I look at the breed standard, all I see is long fur, almost floor-length. And every time, I think of “Pig-Pen” from Peanuts. The breed was once bred as a hunting dog, but the coat no longer gives any indication of its original purpose. If you follow the breed standard, the Skye looks more like a mop to me than a hunting dog.
I believe that a corresponding change to the breed standard regarding the coat will help the Skye survive as a dog breed and find new friends.
Am I the only one who thinks this way?