It is our aim at the Tsuki kennel to breed Skyes that are fit, healthy and can perform the job they were bred to do. We pride ourselves on the physical condition of our dogs and, when the dogs are old enough, we do not excessively limit their access to free running exercise. This helps to build the sound musculature that supports the Skye’s skeleton and promotes a healthy dog. We also take our commitment to the Skye breed as a whole very seriously: we will not breed with unsound or unhealthy dogs and we aim to increase the gene pool of the UK stock for the benefit of the breed. All puppies bred by us will leave with as much information about the health of parents and grandparents as we have to hand and all puppy owners are encouraged to contact us should their pup experience any ill health so we can offer advice and guidance and report back to the Skye Terrier Health Committee if necessary.
The breeding of pedigree dogs has been the subject of much debate recently. Whilst it is accepted that many breeds have worrying health concerns it is not felt that you can apply the same label to all pure bred dogs. Skye Terriers are generally healthy and robust; they are extremely similar to their working ancestors and physically can still perform the job they were bred to do. Many people believe that breed showing is a beauty contest but this assumption is wrong. Breed showing is based upon the musculoskeletal composition of the dog – the bone structure and supporting muscle – which allows the dog to be fit for purpose. Two aspects of the Skye Terrier often criticised as being ‘for show’ or ‘unnecessary’ for purpose are their relative length and their coat. In answer to these criticisms:
- Relative length of body – a common misconception about Skyes is that they were bred for long backs. This is not correct: they were bred for short legs. Skyes are achondroplasic dogs which mean they have short limbs. You can see from the Skye skeleton below that the head, spine, rib cage, loin, shoulder, hip and tail are all in proportion but that the legs are shorter than they should be. This differs from some other short-legged breeds, such as the Daschund, which may present with chondrodysplasia, a form of dwarfism throughout the body (Coile, D. C., 2004).
- The coat – Skyes have a double coat which is purely functional. The thick, woolly, undercoat offers insulation against the Scottish winters which often average freezing and below. The overcoat is longer, harder and waterproof to guard against the wet weather which is common in their historical habitat. The fringing on the ears and face and mane over the shoulders and chest help to protect the Skye from attacks by prey: they were originally bred for badgering and badgers can deliver a horrific attack when provoked and the Skye’s fringes and thick coat protect its eyes, ears and chest cavity from damage.
Coile, D. C., 2004. The Daschund Handbook. New York: Barrons.
