ORIGIN: Great Britain.
FCI-Standard N° 75 / 20. 01. 1998 / GB
SKYE TERRIER
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD: 24.06.1987.
UTILIZATION: Terrier.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I.: Group 3 Terriers.
Section 2 Small sized terriers.
Without working trial.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Long, low and profusely coated, twice as long as high.
Moves with seemingly effortless gait.
Strong in quarters, body and jaw.
BEHAVIOUR AND TEMPERAMENT:
Elegant and dignified. A " one-man " dog,
distrustful of strangers, never vicious.
HEAD:
Long and powerful, strengh not sacrified for extreme length.
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Of moderate width at the back of skull, tapering gradually to strong
muzzle.
Stop:
Slight.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Black.
Muzzle: Strong.
Jaws/Teeth:
Jaws strong and level with perfect, regular scissor bite, i. e.
upper teeth closely
overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Eyes: Brown, preferably dark brown, medium in size, close-set and full of
expression.
Ears:
Prick or drop. When prick, gracefully feathered, not large, erect at
outer
edges and slanting towards each other at inner edge, from peak to skull. When drop,
larger, hanging straight, lying flat and close at front.
NECK: Long and slightly crested.
BODY: Long and low. Sides appear flattish due to straight falling coat.
Back: Level.
Loin: Short.
Chest: Deep; ribcage oval, deep and long.
TAIL:
When hanging, upper part pendulous and lower half thrown back in a curve.
When raised, a prolongation of incline of back, not rising higher nor curling
up. Gracefully feathered.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS:
Legs short and muscular.
Shoulders : Broad, close to body.
HINDQUARTERS:
Strong, full, well developed and well angulated.
Legs short, muscular and straight when viewed from behind. No dewclaws.
FEET:
Forefeet larger than hind, pointing truly forward. Pads thick, nails
strong.
GAIT / MOVEMENT:
Legs proceed straight forward when travelling. When
approaching,
forelegs form a continuation of straight line of front, feet being same distance apart as elbows.
Principal propelling power is furnished by hind legs which travel straight forward.
Forelegs moving well forward, without too much lift. Whole movement termed free,
active and effortless and gives a more or
less fluid picture.
COAT
HAIR:
Double. Undercoat short, close, soft and woolly. Outer coat long, hard,
straight,
flat and free from curl. Hair on head shorter, softer, veiling forehead and eyes.
Mingling with side locks, surrounding ears like a fringe and
allowing their shape to appear.
COLOUR:
Black, dark or light grey, fawn, cream, all with black points.
Any self colour allowing shading of same colour and lighter undercoat,
so long as nose
and ears are black. A small white spot on chest permissible.
SIZE:
Ideal height 25-26 cm (10 ins), length from tip of nose to tip of tail 103 cm
(41 1 ins).
Bitches slightly smaller in same proportions.
FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault
and the seriousness
with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact
proportion to its degree.
N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended
into the scrotum.