The Paisley Terrier was a

breed A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist seve ...

terrier Terrier () is a Dog type, type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many Dog breed, breeds or landraces of the terrier Dog type, type, which are typically small, wiry, Gameness, game, and fearless. There are fi ...

type Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * ...

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...

that is now extinct. Originating in

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

, the Paisley Terrier was bred primarily as a pet and showdog version of the

Skye Terrier The Skye Terrier is a Scottish dog breed that is a long, low, hardy terrier with short legs. It is "one of the most endangered native dog breeds in the United Kingdom" according to the Kennel Club. Appearance Coat The Skye is double c ...

, and was the progenitor of today's

Yorkshire Terrier The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as a Yorkie, is a British breed of toy dog of terrier type. It is among the smallest of the terriers and indeed of all dog breeds, with a weight of no more than . It originated in the nineteenth century in the ...

. The breed was called the Paisley Terrier since most of the dogs came from that location, but it was also called the Clydesdale Terrier, for another location in the

Clyde Valley The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. T ...

where the dogs were bred.

Appearance

The appearance of the Paisley Terrier was similar to the Skye Terrier, but it was shorter backed and weighed around 7 kg (16 lbs), about half the weight of today's Skye Terrier. The breed had a flowing "silvery, soft jacket" (

coat A coat is typically an outer garment for the upper body, worn by any gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front, and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners (AKA velcro), ...

) of blue and tan, and was shown along with the hard-coated Skye Terriers. They were further described as having a great profusion of silky fur with very profuse ear feathering (long hair on the ears). To differentiate it from the Skye, it was nicknamed the ''Silky''. From the earliest time of the breed, the beauty of the coat won prizes at dog shows. Traditionally, the dogs were shown standing on a box, so that the length of the silky coat could be shown to its best advantage. The Paisley Terrier was described in 1894 as "an excellent house dog, and most suitable for a lady who wishes something more substantial than a toy", but the care requirements for the coat made it less desirable than some other popular breeds as a pet.

History

In a book written in 1894, the author speculates that the Paisley Terrier was created by fanciers in

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

who selected Skye Terriers with short backs and long, silky coats "until they bred fairly truly". Describing the Paisley Terrier in 1894, Rawdon Lee writes that "Though he can kill rats, and maybe other vermin, the Paisley Terrier is essentially a pet dog, and is usually kept as such." The breed was primarily a pet, and it was also a popular show dog. In 1903, the breed is referred to as "a fancier's dog, a sport from the Skye Terrier stock" and despite some fanciers of the time claiming that the breed had the "hardiness and fitness for terrier work... it is evident that a dog with a coat that looks like silk is simply a toy." Owners and breeders in the 1800s placed a high value on the beautiful blue and tan coat, and would cover the dog's feet and tie the hair back over their eyes to keep the coat looking at its best for dog shows. The Kennel Club recognised the Paisley Terrier in 1888 as a variety of the Skye Terrier, even though separate show classes had been held for the two types in 1887. However, there were so few entries that the Kennel Club did not continue to encourage offering the category at further exhibitions. The breed's success as a show dog may have led to its decline. Judges would give awards to the dogs with the long, attractive coat, since length of coat was a principal factor in Skye Terriers. The Paisleys, bred for long but soft coats (useless for a

working dog A working dog is a dog used to perform practical tasks, as opposed to pet or companion dogs. Definitions vary on what a working dog is, they are sometimes described as any dog trained for and employed in meaningful work; other times as any ...

), would win the prizes. Skye Terrier fanciers objected to the type being shown with Skyes, since they considered the Paisleys to be mixed breeds or possibly crossed with Dandie Dinmont Terriers. The interest of fanciers declined, and the breed began to disappear. A book published in 1918 describes Paisley Terriers as uncommon and "I doubt that you'll ever see one in the United States."''The Dogs of Boytown'' - Page 74 by Walter Alden Dyer, Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1918 But with the availability of Internet-based dog registries that will register breeds with little or no documentation, combined with the public's appetite for unique or rare pets, it is likely that there will be attempts to reconstitute the breed.

Continuing influence

The famous 1860s showdog Huddersfield Ben came from Paisley Terrier stock in the 1860s, and is considered by all authorities to be the founding sire of the

breed, although the Yorkshire Terrier was not recognized until 1890. It is also the ancestor of many other breeds, notably the Silky Terrier and the Biewer Terrier.

References

External links

History of the Yorkshire Terrier by Joan Gordan
{{Scottish animal breeds Extinct terriers Extinct dog breeds Dog breeds originating in Scotland

Appearance

History

Continuing influence

See also

References

External links