JUDGING THE SKYE TERRIER BY KAREN L. SANDERS
Photo courtesy of the American Kennel Club
O ver the past several years, the Skye Terrier Club of America (STCA) Board of Directors has been work- ing toward the final development of an Illustrated Breed Standard. A new, breed amplification has already been developed and approved and the nec- essary drawings are well underway. It is our strong desire to finally complete this project in time to introduce it at a Special Judges Education Seminar we plan to host in conjunction with our Diamond Jubilee Show (100th National Specialty and 75th year as an AKC Mem- ber Club) over the Montgomery County Kennel Club weekend in October 2013. Given the wonderful opportunity provided us by ShowSight Magazine to highlight our breed in this issue, I
have developed this article on judging the Skye Terrier, with the input of the STCA Board, to include some of the key elements of our new, Board approved Breed Standard Amplification. Addition- ally, I have included comments taken from an article prepared by the pre-emi- nent Skye Terrier Breeder Judge of more than 50 years experience, Mr. Walter F. Goodman. This article, which focuses primarily on breed proportion and balance, is one provided to attendees at Judges Education Seminars because these are key elements that speak to the essence of Skye judging. It is our sincere hope that those who read this article will find the material of use. The official breed standard for the Skye Terrier describes the general appearance of the breed as follows:
“The Skye Terrier is a dog of style, elegance and dignity, agile and strong with sturdy bone and hard muscle. Long, low and level—he is twice as long as he is high—he is covered with a profuse coat that falls straight down either side of the body over oval-shaped ribs. The hair well feathered on the head veils forehead and eyes to serve as protection from brush and briar as well as amid serious encounters with other animals. He stands with head high and long tail hanging and moves with a seemingly effortless gait. He is strong in body, quarter and jaw.” It is this critical paragraph that describes breed type. According to Mr. Goodman: “Type is breed character. It is the combination of distinguishing features, which add up and make the
“TYPE IS BREED CHARACTER. IT IS THE COMBINATION OF DISTINGUISHING FEATURES, WHICH ADD UP AND MAKE THE INDIVIDUALITY OF A BREED.”
308 • S how S ight M agazine , F ebruary 2019
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