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Lately, however, there has evidently been an effort made to improve the drop-eared type, with the result that some very excellent dogs have recently appeared at the important shows. Probably Mr. James Pratt has devoted more time and attention to the Skye Terrier than any other now living fancier, though the names of Mr. Kidd and Mr. Todd are usually well known. Mr.
Pratt's Gillie and Dunvegan, Mr. D. W. Fyfe's Novelty, Mr. John Bowman's Dandie, and Mr. Macdona's Rook. These were mostly of the drop-eared variety, and were bred small. About the year 1874, fierce and stormy disputes arose concerning the distinctions of the Scottish breeds of terriers.
This is an important point, a houndy carriage of ear being a decided defect. The drop-eared variety is usually the heavier and larger dog of the two; and for some reason does not show the quality and breeding of its neighbour.
The writer is strongly of opinion that there still exist in Scotland at the present time specimens of the breed which propagated the lot, which was what is called even now the Highland Terrier, a little long-backed, short-legged, snipy-faced, prick or drop-eared, mostly sandy and black-coloured terrier, game as a pebble, lively as a cricket, and all in all a most charming little companion; and further, that to produce our present-day Scottish Terrier or shall we say, to improve the points of his progenitor? the assistance of our old friend the Black and Tan wire-haired terrier of England was sought by a few astute people living probably not very far from Aberdeen.
But the superlative Skye of the period, and probably the best ever bred, is Wolverley Chummie, the winner of thirty championships which are but the public acknowledgment of his perfections. He is the property of Miss McCheane, who is also the owner of an almost equally good specimen of the other sex in Fairfield Diamond. Among the drop-eared Skyes of present celebrity may be mentioned Mrs.
It is the case that drop-eared puppies often occur in the litters of prick-eared parents, and vice versa. As its name implies, this terrier had its early home in the misty island of Skye; which is not to say that it was not also to be found in Lewis, Oronsay, Colonsay and others of the Hebrides, as well as on the mainland of Scotland. Dr.
The differences between the prick-eared Skye and the drop-eared are so slight, and the characteristics which they have in common are so many, that a dual classification was hardly necessary.
The tail is not very long, and should be nicely feathered, and in repose never raised above the level of the back. The same description applies to the drop-eared type, except that the ears in repose, instead of being carried erect, fall evenly on each side of the head. When, however, the dog is excited, the ears are pricked forward, in exactly the same fashion as those of the Airedale Terrier.
Now, with the dog's instinct for the dog-lover, Bobby made his way about the room unnoticed, and set his short, shagged paws up on this man's knee. "Bless my soul, gentlemen, here's the little dog now, and a beautiful specimen of the drop-eared Skye he is. Why didn't you say that the 'bittie' dog was of the Highland breed, Sergeant?
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