Skye Terrier vs Irish Terrier - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Irish Terrier is a dog breed from Ireland and one of the many different terrier breeds there are.

Nobody is too sure of the Irish Terrier's history but it is one of the oldest terrier breeds. It appears as if the dog breed was developed from a wheat colored terrier and the extinct black and tan terrier.

It was always a common practice to crop the ears of terriers, but in 1889 the Irish Terrier Club required that the ears remain uncropped. The first Irish Terrier was shown in 1881, and the first Irish Terrier registered with the American Kennel Club was in 1885. The Irish Terrier Club of America was founded in 1896.

The Skye Terrier is a hardy dog breed and is actually considered to be an endangered native dog breed in the United Kingdom.

They were found on the Isle of Skye, although there is some confusion about its history. They were used long ago to hunt but these days they are essentially companion dogs.

They found their way to America and the Skye Terrier Club of America was founded in 1938. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1887.

The Irish Terrier is a medium sized dog who stands between 45cm and 50cm and weighs in the region of 11 to 12kg. He has a short, dense, wiry double coat which is a red, golden, sandy, wheaten color.

The ears of the dog are semi-erect/semi-floppy and the tail is held high and curved.The chest is deep and muscular and the front and back legs are strong, long and muscular.

Temperament:

The Irish Terrier is a companion dog today, even though he was once a guard- and hunting dog. He is an amicable dog while also being alert and active. He is also independent and strong-willed so he will require training and socialization as then he becomes obedient and relaxed and much easier to live with.

They're social dogs too, loving all the members of their human family, getting on well with children in the home.

The Skye Terrier is a medium-sized dog standing at between 23 and 26cm in height and weighing between 12 and 18kg. The legs are short and sturdy. He is double coated with the top coat being straight and hard and forming a beard around the face area. The coat can be fawn, and in various shades of grey which are sometimes even black. The ears of the dog are medium sized and erect.

Temperament:

The Skye Terrier has always been a hunting dog and he enjoys quite a bit of exercise – walks, ball games as well as indoor games. Small though he may be, he is strong willed with a mind of his own and will benefit from being trained and socialized.

This is also necessary as he has a fairly reserved nature. He gets on well with children and makes an excellent family pet but he is ready to take on smaller pets in the home. He will bark when confronting strangers and makes an excellent watchdog too.

He is able to adapt well into life in the city or the countryside. He isn’t a dog to be left outside day after day and will just die of boredom, frustration and loneliness.

Irish Terriers are good with people and want to be an active member of their human families.

They are active dogs and will require ongoing mental and physical stimulation. This is a lively dog, but he still loves to spend quiet time indoors with his family.

They’re intelligent dogs with a strong sense of loyalty towards their owner, making excellent family pets.

Give the Skye Terrier the attention he wants and he will reward you with his loving companionship.

He loves the entire family but is best suited to homes where children have been taught to be kind to animals and to treat them with respect.

He has moderate energy levels and will expect you to give him a fair amount of exercise. The Skye Terrier can make an excellent companion for you and your family.

The Irish Terrier is a healthy dog breed and you won't find yourself running to the vet often with him, but still he can land up with one of the common dog problems.

It is always wise to be aware of hip dysplasia as this is a disease which can occur in all dog breeds and all dog ages. Also look out for eye diseases such as progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts as these can lead to blindness in your pet.

There is a disease known as cystinuria which is quite a concern with Irish Terriers. It’s an inherited kidney disease where increased amounts of arginine, lysine, amino acids cystine and ornithine are excreted in the urine.

In well-functioning kidneys, blood is filtered so as to create urine. Cystine is reabsorbed back into the bloodstream but with dogs affected with cystinuria they cannot reabsorb cystine back in their bloodstream, causing an accumulation in the urine. Dogs with cystinuria suffer inflammation of the urinary tract and can also develop urinary blockage and kidney failure. Immediate veterinary intervention is required.

The Skye Terrier is a healthy dog breed. Perhaps the only issue that could be a problem with him is orthopedic problems. He is an achondroplastic dog, meaning a large body on small legs.

He could develop spinal problems if he were allowed to constantly be jumping off beds and high chairs.

Orthopedic problems affect the bones, muscles and joints and can actually be debilitating. Orthopedic conditions can be ligament tears or hip dysplasia for instance, accompanied by arthritis.

You’ll notice your dog has an abnormal way of walking or running, inability to get up once lying down and he may have arthritis and pain.Be careful because obesity can trigger problems with the joints and bones.

Grooming:

The coat of the Irish Terrier requires a brush twice a week to keep it bright. If you intend showing your dog, the coat will need to be stripped a couple of times a year to maintain the texture and color.

Other Irish Terrier owners take their dog to the groomers to have the coat clipped. The dog doesn't shed a lot and they are referred to as being somewhat hypoallergenic.

As with any other dog breed, other grooming needs with your Irish Terrier will include clipping the nails, checking his teeth for plaque build-up and checking inside the ears for infection.

If you're unsure how to perform these grooming procedures with your pet, simply ask your vet who will explain to you precisely how to ensure your dog remains in tip top condition.

Exercise:

He's a fairly active dog so you want to make sure that you are attending to his exercise needs. Take him for a walk every day, and if you've got a good sized garden, throw a ball for him. If you're a jogger you can count him in.

Diet:

What you feed your Irish Terrier will depend a lot on his age and his activity levels. Every dog is a unique individual and nothing is set in stone regarding their diets. Just like people though, feeding him a lot of junk food will contribute to illness and shorten his lifespan.

He needs quality food. If you buy commercially manufactured food, make sure to read up on how much to feed him. Try and mix in some cooked chicken, brown rice and vegetables from time to time as well as some raw meat.

Learn to know what foods are toxic for him. Make sure he has a bowl of fresh, cool water constantly available to him.

● The coat of the Skye Terrier is long and silky and will most certainly require brushing every day if you keep the hair long. Such silky hair can easily become matted.

● Little dogs like this will need their teeth being checked regularly. You can even try to buy special pet toothpaste and toothbrush and brush his teeth yourself. If you prefer, a professional dog groomer can do this for you and at the same time trim his nails and check his ears and clean the insides of the ears too to avoid infection.

● Provide him with his own warm, dry place to sleep.

● Don’t ignore his exercise needs. A dog without exercise will get sick.

● Provide him with top quality food as the quality of the dog food you buy makes a huge difference to his health and longevity. He is a small dog and there are some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods specially made for small, energetic dogs.

Try to include some home-made food for him which can be simply mixed into the dry kibble twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots is super tasty and nutritious. Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.

● Have him neutered or spayed if you aren’t wanting puppies.

● Keep his vaccines up to date against some deadly canine diseases, and get him to the vet when he shows signs of illness.

● He isn't a large dog but will still need to be trained and socialized.