The Skye Terrier. 355 



and carried without any outward inclination. The hair on the ear 

 should hang gracefully down and mingle with that on the cheek, which 

 should also be plentiful. The long hair on the face and ears has been 

 called superfluous, but if those who think it so had ever seen one 

 protected in this way go to ground in a sandy bank, they would be 

 satisfied of its great advantage to the dog in keeping the sand out of his 

 eyes and ears. The neck is long, slightly crested, and very muscular. 

 The shoulders and forelegs feel as if they had been intended for a much 

 larger dog. The chest is deep and somewhat wide, but not too much so. 

 The back is very long, and nearly level. Breeders have a great abhor- 

 rence of a roach, or, as they call it, a " Dandie " back. The ribs are well 

 sprung, the barrel round and well-ribbed home. No Skye .terrier should 

 be flat-sided or tucked up in the flank. The loins are broad, and, like the 

 quarters, well clothed with muscle. The thighs are strong and well 

 developed, the second thighs prominent and reaching almost to the hock. 

 Allowance is sometimes made for the forelegs being a little bandy, but 

 they certainly ought to be straight. The elbows and stifles should not 

 incline either inwards or outwards, as the Skye should stand as fair and 

 square on his legs as a foxhound, and both the fore and hind feet should 

 always point straight in front. The tail should be carried low, with a 

 very slight curve. When the dog is not excited the proper position of 

 the tail is a little below the level of his back. The feather of it should be 

 long but thin. The coat, which has been already referred to, is com- 

 posed of two distinct qualities or kinds of hair an under coat of short 

 soft woolly hair, and an outer coat, which is long and hard in texture. It 

 should lie close to the dog, and be free from either wave or curl. A soft- 

 coated dog looks larger then he really is. One of the best ways of judg- 

 ing a Skye is to wet him, and if he is made as he ought to be, and has a 

 correct coat upon him, he will look nearly as large when wet as when 

 dry, whereas if he wants substance, or has a bunchy or soft coat, he will 

 not appear half the size. 



" The usual colours of Skyes are a slate blue, and all the intermediate 

 shades between light silver-grey and black. Fawns still crop up 

 occasionally, but as they are not general favourites, they are gradually 

 becoming scarcer. Whatever the colour of the dog, the muzzle, ears, and 

 tip of tail should be black, and the head and legs should always be as 

 dark as the body. A lightish grey, with black points, is, perhaps, the 



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