Plate 190 · British Isles
Skye Terrier
斯凯㹴
“The terrier of Greyfriars Bobby.”
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides
- Region of origin
- From the Isle of Skye; the marker is the reference point of the Highland council area, to which the island belongs.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Known from the 1600s
- Today
- Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides
A long, low Scottish terrier with a flowing coat, once a favourite of Queen Victoria.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Hunting fox and badger for island farmers.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Farmers on Skye kept these hard-coated terriers in the 1600s; they became fashionable with the nobility and, in the 19th century, with Queen Victoria. Greyfriars Bobby, the Edinburgh dog said to have guarded his master's grave for 14 years, is usually described as a Skye Terrier.
04 · Today
Companion
A rare companion; reported to be among the UK's most endangered native breeds.
Personality
- Courageous
- Good-tempered
- Canny
- Reserved
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Modest needs: a daily outing at its owner's pace.
- Grooming
- Weekly brushing and combing; never clipped or scissored.
- Training
- Intelligent, strong-willed, sensitive to correction.
Living with one
- Size
- Medium
- Lifespan
- 12–14 years
- Coat
- Long, hard, straight outer coat over a soft undercoat; black, grey, fawn or cream, with dark ears
Field note
In Queen Victoria's day, a duchess was said to be almost ashamed to walk in the park without her Skye.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Terrier Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 3, standard 75), The Kennel Club (UK)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Terrier Group, recognized 1887.
Among the least registered breeds in the United States. AKC registrations: ranked 181 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Skye Terrier — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/skye-terrier/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Skye Terrier — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skye_Terrier
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Scottish breed, endangered status in the UK.
- Skye Terrier — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/SKYE-TERRIER-75.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Great Britain; Group 3, section "Small sized Terriers"; accepted 1954.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: From the Isle of Skye; the marker is the reference point of the Highland council area, to which the island belongs.
