Skye Terrier

As his name suggests, the Skye Terrier gets it from the Isle of Skye, located in the Hebrides archipelago in Scotland. This small Scottish dog is the oldest Scottish terrier, along with his fellow dog, the Cairn Terrier.

Of unknown origin, he seems to have appeared on the Isle of Skye around 1570, when the presence of long-haired dogs like the Basset were reported.

He apparently came from a natural cross between an indigenous Terrier and a Basset dog belonging to Viking invaders, the Swedish Vallhund. He shares his ancestor Basset with the Welsh Corgi to whom he physically looks like a lot.

He is the ancestor of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, and that of the Yorkshire Terrier, through an ancient breed, the Clydesdale Terrier. He was, at one time, referred to, as a variety of name such as Fancy Skye, Paisley or Glasgow Terrier.

First used for his many qualities as a hunting dog until around the 16th century, he later became the favorite dog of upper-class ladies. His beautiful thick fur offered him great resistance to the cold, and granted him the favors of the Scottish aristocracy.

Among the first to adopt a specimen of the breed was Marie Stuart, who was won over by this pretty specimen, but it was Queen Victoria in 1840 who allowed the breed to expand. The queen having launched the fashion, the English subjects in turn hurried to adopt one.

In 19th century Britain, the Skye Terrier was the most fashionable dog around. In 1864, he was shown for the first time at the Manchester Exhibition.

In 1873, the breed's standard was published, and in 1887, he was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. Unfortunately with the death of Queen Victoria, and the coming of the twentieth century, the Skye Terrier gradually lost his popularity.

The breed gradually declined, to become very rare, and this even more on French territory. The breed's very narrow genetic base poses a serious threat to him, with the remaining kennels having very few quality breeders to ensure the health, beauty and balanced character of the dogs.

The Skye Terrier is now in great danger of extinction. Finland and the UK have established breed conservation programs.

Although very effective in getting rid of garden vermin, the Skye Terrier has become exclusively a companion and show dog.

STORY OF GREYFRIARS BOBBY, THE SKYE TERRIER THAT BECAME A TRUE SYMBOL OF LOYALTY.

In 1873, his popularity grew again, with the extraordinary story of Greyfriars Bobby. In Scotland, in 1856, unemployment forced a rural gardener named John Gray and his family, to leave his rural area for the city of Edinburgh.

Working in town as a policeman, he received a four-legged do as guard; a young Skye Terrier which he then named Bobby. Every day, when the Edinburgh Castle cannon sounded at 1:00 p.m., John Gray and his dog would go to a restaurant where Bobby always first got a brioche and then a bone to complete his meal.

Sadly, John Gray died of tuberculosis two years later. Bobby led the funeral procession on the day of the funeral, and once the ceremony was over, the dog vanished from the lives of the Gray family.

He never returned to his family. The day after John Gray's funeral, during his tour, the Greyfriars church graveyard keeper found Bobby duly lying on his master's grave.

As dogs were forbidden in cemetaries, Bobby was then chased away by the guard. As he returned the next day, two days later and all the days that followed, the keeper requested an exemption from the city to allow the little dog to sleep on his master's grave.

Allowed to stay, Bobby stayed three full days at his master's grave. Forced by hunger, he decided to leave the cemetery to go to the restaurant, at 1:00 p.m. sharp, to get his brioche and his bone.

The restaurant owner, at first surprised, gave him his ration with a good heart. When his meal was finished, Bobby returned to lie down on the grave of John Gray, his beloved master. From that day on, he only left the cemetery to go to the restaurant at 1:00 p.m. sharp every day.

A little later, he befriended a soldier from Edinburgh who sounded the cannon mark at 1:00 p.m. Bobby followed the soldier and once the cannon was fired, they went to the restaurant together.

After their meal, they separated, and Bobby went back to sleep on his master's grave. The dog did not want to accompany anyone else. Many families wanted to adopt him, falling for this adorable little dog, but he screamed incessantly and once the families let him go, he always returned to the graveyard of Greyfriars church.

During his sixteenth year of life, Bobby agreed to spend the night with the family who owned the restaurant where he had his daily meal, the Traills.

The rest of the time, he continued to watch over John Gray's grave. Aged and very tired, Bobby was found dead on a cold winter morning in 1872 in the Traill house.

Having watched over the tomb of his dear master for 14 years, Baroness Burdell-Coutts decided in 1872, to build a fountain surmounted by a life-size statue of Bobby in honor of this faithful little dog, very close to the cemetery where he so jealously guarded his master's grave for 14 years.

This statue is still visible today, representing for all Scots, a symbol of loyalty for over a century. The Huntly Museum in the City of Edinburgh also exhibits items, such as the necklace, and photos of Greyfriars Bobby. Since that time, Greyfriars Bobby has become the national dog of Scotland.

Becoming a big celebrity in Scotland, Walt Disney even picked up the story in 1961 and released a film named Bobby based on the story of this loyal little dog.