Scottish, West Highland and Skye Terriers

the Scottish terrier, or "Scottie," as he is familiarly called — a short- legged, stocky-bodied, wire-coated "tyke," who looks like nothing else in the world. Of course, he hails from the Highlands of Scotland, where he is used to unearth foxes and other "varmints." His pluck has earned for him the soubriquet "die-hard," and usually he "lives" right up to it.

The "Scotty" is a "one-man dog." There is probably no dog more indifferent to the advances of any one but his own master or mistress. Mrs. Baynes has a Scottish terrier named Heatherbloom. The little tyke cares nothing for the other side of the Baynes household, and only in the absence of her mistress will she condescend to follow him. For her, other people do not exist, except as things to bark at sometimes. But to the one and only mistress she is loyalty itself. bloom will lie on the bed hour after hour, her head between her paws, and her bright eyes, half screened by her long lashes, steadily shining on the face she loves.

His trustful eye. homely comeliness, and whimsical playfulness combine to endear the Scottish terrier strongly, and no dog is more companionable or unobtrusively affectionate. In these traits he is much like his rough little cousin, the West Highland white, from which, in fact, he differs in nothing so much as in the color of his coat.

The Scotty is usually black or very dark grizzled with yellowish tips, although steel or iron gray, brindle, sandy and wheaten specimens are occasionally seen. The dark dogs are much more popular here, however. A good dog should stand 10 to 12 inches and weigh 16 to 20 pounds. The long-whiskered face; low, strong body; short, heavy legs, and rather heavy though gaily carried tail are all "earmarks" of the well-bred Scotty. He is all terrier, and with all his busy, active ways he combines a dignity and solemnity of manner that is very amusing.

THE WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER The West Highland white is almost the counterpart of the Scottish terrier except in color, which must be pure white, with black- nose. The forehead is higher, and a distinct stop is evident in the profile. The coat is double, the long outer hair being very harsh and wiry, the under coat much shorter and softer. The Cairn and Sealyham terriers are rapidly coming into popularity, and belong in this group.

The Cairn terrier has less pronounced whiskers than the Scotty, and his coat is somewhat shorter and reveals his form rather more, while the Sealyham is quite different in that the ears, instead of being short and pointed, are quite long and lop forward like an Airedale's.

In color they are like the wire-haired fox terrier — white, with or without patches of black for sandy red) on the face. The Sealyham is supposed to have Dandie Dinmont in his make-up, which gives him substance and rather a more bandy-legged appearance than Scotty or his white cousin should have. The head, with its lopping ears and more pronounced stop, has a less piquant expression. The tail is docked and carried high.

THE SKYE TERRIER No doubt in his earlier days the Skye terrier was a good sport, but of late years he has given so much consideration to "dress" that he has degenerated into a lap-dog. His coat, which is his chief title to distinction, is so long that it is not easy to see whether he is going or coming. And he can't tell you; for there is so much hair over his eyes that he can't see for himself.

The long hair covers this dog so completely as totally to conceal the physical characteristics it is supposed to possess. There are two types : those with pendent ears and those with upright "pricked" ears. The dog himself is long and low, like the other Scotch terriers, and the hair, which parts from his nose to his tail, comes nearly or quite to the ground. This outer coat is quite hard and nearly straight, curls being a grave fault, though a moderate wave is generally present ; it should be at least 5 1/2 inches long on the body, thougli shorter on the head. It falls forward and nearly conceals the eyes.

The only visible feature of a good Skye is his black hutton of a nose. The undercoat is much softer and more sympathetic to the touch. In color the Skye may be dark or light " blue" or gray, or fawn with black points. The height is about 9 inches and the weight 16 to 20 pounds.

From The Book of Dogs: An Intimate Study of Mankind's Best Friend By National Geographic Society (U.S.), Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Ernest Harold Baynes Published 1919. 109 pages Original from Harvard University.

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