Skye Terrier vs Old English Bulldog - Breed Comparison

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.

This is an extinct dog breed. It is believed that the dog came from ancient dogs such as the old Mastiff. The Old English Bulldog was the original English Bulldog but quite different from the modern variety, with longer legs as well as a longer muzzle and more aggressive.

It is believed that the Old English Bulldog was the ancestor to many breeds and there have been efforts to recreate the Old English Bulldog, bringing about quite a few new Bulldog breeds. Records are actually unclear as to its origins and when you read up on its ancestry, you see that a lot of the information is conflicting.

A number of breeders have attempted to recreate this extinct breed with some success, but it must be borne in mind that these recreations aren’t the Old English Bulldog, as the genetics of it are extinct.

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.

This dog is extinct but he used to be a fairly broadly set, muscular dog, taller than the bulldog of today.

The average height of this dog was 36 – 40cm, weighing in at about 18 to 22kg. One of the dog’s more noticeable characteristics was his lower jaw that projected quite a bit in front of the upper jaw. The dog was deep-chested, the head broad and the nose and muzzle short.

The breed was developed for bull baiting, but in England, with the adoption of the Act of cruelty to animals, there was a decline in the interest for the dog, leading to it becoming extinct. There are old paintings from the 1800s and one such painting, Crib and Rosa, gives an idea of the form and size of the Old English Bulldog.

Temperament:

The regular English Bulldog today is often confused with the Old English Bulldog but it is a far sweeter breed than the Old English Bulldog. It is believed that the Old English Bulldog was an aggressive dog, bred to be this way because of his role in bull baiting.

As a pet though, brought up as a companion, he no doubt would have made a loving, loyal pet.

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.

Not much information is available on this extinct dog. Perhaps because of his history of being used for bull baiting, he wouldn’t have made a good family pet as he was too aggressive. He wouldn't have been a good choice for a first time dog owner and he wouldn't have been a good choice of pet for children.

He was possibly owned by a single person who made money from him. Small wonder then that he became extinct when he was no longer required for this role.

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.

This dog, although extinct would have battled with common dog illnesses that can still be seen in the modern bulldog today.

Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome:

Brachycephalic airway syndrome is all about upper airway abnormalities and can be quite a problem in your Old English Bulldog because of the shortened muzzle of these breeds. These particular dogs have a smaller upper jaw and an overcrowding of of teeth and you will see that effort is required to inhale. They breathe more easily through the mouth then the nose. They have noisy breathing, particularly during exercise and in hot weather.

Cherry Eye:

Dogs have 3 eyelids, and cherry eye is the term used for prolapsed nictitating membrane, or the 3rd eyelid, when the eyelid comes out of place and you get a pink mass. It is a common condition found in Bulldogs, a genetic problem where surgical intervention or medicine may be recommended.

● 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.

If the Old English Bulldog were still around today, you would have cared for him like you would most other dogs -

Feed your Old English Bulldog puppy 4 times a day with high quality puppy food.

At 6 months of age you can be giving your young dog 2 meals a day.

Commercially manufactured food is fine if its a high quality one. Always check out the top 5 ingredients on the packaging – the first 2 should be protein or meat. Follow a simple, consistent diet to minimize symptoms. Your adult dog can have kibble and sometimes you can add in chopped boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. A little bit of raw meat can also be added to the kibble once in a while. Never leave your dog without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Even though the dog is extinct, dog owners of that time would have had to watch their dogs for ticks and fleas and any of the common dog illnesses of that time.

The dog would have had some kind of grooming – a brush down a couple of times and he would have been checked for ear and eye infections.