482 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



them walked on. The Skye's temper can always be relied 

 on, and he can be implicitly trusted with children. 



No other breed is better adapted to going to earth; their 

 long and low conformation, resembling that of weasels 

 and other earth-frequenting vermin, giving the greatest 

 amount of size and strength possible for the small "caliber" 

 required. Their disposition resembles very much that of the 

 Highlanders themselves in their love of home, and in 

 war by their dash, pluck, and dogged courage and endur- 

 ance, and by a loyalty and devotion to their master, through 

 fair and foul weather, only equaled by that of the old 

 Scotch Jacobites for the head of the House of Stuart. 



The Skye is an exceptionally good house-dog, and his 

 coat, though so long, is entirely free from any unpleasant 

 odor. In spite of its length, too, it requires very little care 

 to keep it in order. After a run in the country, on a 

 muddy road, or over plowed land, he requires to be quar- 

 antined in the lower regions for awhile before being allowed 

 in the house; and in the autumn, whenever he gets his coat 

 full of burs, it requires a free use of the scissors and the 

 sacrifice of considerable hair to remove them. Under ordi- 

 nary conditions, however, in town or country r his coat 

 requires no more attention than that of other breeds. 



All this applies to dogs with outer coats of the proper 

 texture; straight and comparatively hard, parting down 

 the center of the back naturally, without any tendency to 

 kink or curl. Skyes, especially drop-eared ones, whose 

 coats are too soft, approaching more nearly that of the 

 Yorkshire, of course give much more trouble in this respect, 

 requiring frequent thorough soakings in tepid water, and 

 considerable brushing and combing, to keep their jackets 

 straight. 



The Skye is a good water-dog, taking to it without the 

 least hesitation, be it ever so cold; and he is the best of 

 watch- dogs a vigilant little Skye being the surest burglar- 

 alarm one can have. Of course I am speaking now of the 

 Skye as he naturally is, and as he should be. His natural 

 disposition, his intelligence, and his love of sport, are, in 



