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| The Scottish Terrier - bossy but staunch. |
JOHN Naylor is credited with being the first to introduce the Scottie to America. The first registered Scottie in America was Dake, whelped on September 15, 1884. The American Kennel Club assesses the Scottish terrier as "absolutely dependable and loyal but may sometimes appear aloof and independent". He is not a docile pet.
"Although he enjoys his independence and can have a hot temper, the Scottie is very sensitive and will make a good pet for someone who understands his feisty nature. The Scottish terrier is a small, compact, short-legged, sturdily-built dog of good bone and substance. His head is long in proportion to his size. He has a hard, wiry, weather-resistant coat and a thick-set, cobby body which is hung between short, heavy legs."
Many factors influence what an individual dog is like - its genetic makeup, training and environment. Individual dogs from the most notorious breeds can be lovable and affectionate, and dogs from the quietest breeds can become aggressive with illness, genetic problems, bad environment or lack of training.
The Scottish terrier originated in the Scottish Highlands some time in the 18th Century. It was developed as a hunter, specifically for rats and foxes and has a lifespan of about 12 years.
The Scottie is strong and compact with a thick-boned body, short legs and pricked ears. He comes in colours of dark grey, brindle, wheaten or black, and his coat is short and wiry with a soft undercoat - he is not usually a heavy shedder. Just a quick brush every day and a clip about every three months will see him looking well groomed and tidy. Don't forget the ear cleaning and nail trimming.
Ideal height for these dogs is nine to 10 inches and weight 18-22 pounds. They are on a medium activity level and have a very high ability as a watchdog, but will generally not act to protect their owner against another person.
Their intelligence is high, but successful training must be started early and be slow and firm, steady but not rushed. This little dog will resist harsh and hurried methods - he is too bright to be harshly treated into submission.
He is not good with small children and has a high dominance and aggression to other dogs, a high prey drive, and may chase any small animals.
Suspicious of strangers he is a discerning one or two-person dog that can be all in the same day playful, irritable, loving, aggressive, obedient, dominant, stubborn, submissive, sullen, snappish, quiet, noisy, bold, crusty, independent ... in other words, of variable temperament.
An apartment or small house is fine for this little guy as long as he gets a daily walk. If you think you may enjoy being the owner of a Scottie, you will need to be quiet, predictable, firm, consistent and a patient pack leader.
The Scottish terrier is potentially aggressive, may bark a lot if not trained out of the habit, indulges in destructive digging and dominance challenges, is often bossy, snippy, irritable and grouchy.
Potential problems are structural - usually involving his stocky frame and short legs. They are rather susceptible to skin problems also. It is recommended that obedience training and socialisation are started as soon as possible. Getting a pup used to being handled, and getting them used to having teeth (mouth), ears, paws and claws touched begins the day they are born. A word of warning - do not overfeed. This breed easily becomes overweight.
The Scottish terrier is a good dog for an older person, as long as that person has a strong personality and is firm, gentle and quietly dominant.
The Scottie in history
There is controversy over the origins of the Scottie - a Scotsman will tell you that this breed is the original indigenous dog of the Highlands (possibly all of Britain). Early literary references in the mid-1500s tell of an earth dog used in hunting the fox.
It is a staunch little breed, compact, well muscled and powerful for its size. Its dominant feature is the head, held high and erect with a square and well-furred muzzle, a long skull, and ears neatly pointed. The tail, about seven inches long, complements the head in that it is also held stiffly erect.
Coat
The Scottish terrier should have a broken coat. It is a hard, wiry outer coat with a soft, dense undercoat. The coat should be trimmed and blended into the furnishings to give a distinct Scottish terrier outline. The dog should have sufficient coat so that the texture and density may be determined. The longer coat on the beard, legs and lower body may be slightly softer than the body coat but should not be or appear fluffy.
Colour
Black, wheaten or brindle of any colour are acceptable. Many black and brindle dogs have sprinklings of white or silver hairs in their coats that are normal and not to be penalised. White can be allowed only on the chest and chin and that to a slight extent only.
Gait
The gait of the Scottish terrier is very characteristic of the breed. It is not the square trot or walk desirable in the long-legged breeds. The forelegs do not move in exact parallel planes; rather, in reaching out, the forelegs incline slightly inward because of the deep broad forechest. Movement should be free, agile and co-ordinated with powerful drive from the rear and good reach in front. When the dog is in motion, the back should remain firm and level.
Temperament
The Scottish terrier should be alert and spirited but also stable and steady. He is a determined and thoughtful dog whose "heads up, tails up" attitude in the ring should convey both fire and control. The Scottish terrier, while loving and gentle with people, can be aggressive with other dogs. He should exude ruggedness and power.
Penalty is earned in the showring for: soft coat; curly coat; round, protruding or light eyes; overshot or undershot jaws; obviously oversize or undersize; shyness or timidity; upright shoulders; lack of reach in front or drive in rear; stiff or stilted movement; movement too wide or too close in rear; too narrow in front or rear; out at the elbow; lack of bone and substance; low-set tail; lack of pigment in the nose; coarse head; and failure to show with head and tail up.
His very special keen, piercing, varmint expression, and his erect ears and tail are salient features of the breed. The Scottish terrier's bold, confident, dignified aspect exemplifies power in a small package."
An over-all view of the breed requirements for showing are: the Scottish terrier should have a thick body and heavy bone, well balanced and without exaggeration. Equal consideration should be given to height, weight, length of back and length of head. Height at the withers for either sex should be about 10 inches. The length of back from withers to tail set-on should be about 11 inches. Generally, a well-balanced Scottie dog should weigh from 19 to 22 pounds and a bitch from 18 to 21 pounds.
Head
The head should be long in proportion to the overall length and size of the dog. In profile, the skull and muzzle should give the appearance of two parallel planes. The skull should be long and of medium width, slightly domed and covered with short, hard hair. In profile, the skull should appear flat. The muzzle should be approximately equal to the length of skull with only a slight taper to the nose. The muzzle should also be well filled in under the eye. A correct Scottish terrier muzzle should fill an average man's hand. The nose should be black, regardless of coat colour, and of good size, projecting over the mouth and giving the impression that the upper jaw is longer than the lower.
The teeth should be large and evenly spaced, with a scissor bite. The jaw should be square, level and powerful. Undershot or overshot bites are penalised. The eyes should be set wide apart and well in under the brow. They should be small, bright and piercing, and almond-shaped not round. The colour should be dark brown or nearly black, the darker the better.
The ears should be small, pricked, set well up on the skull and pointed, but never cut. They should be covered with short velvety hair.
Neck, Topline, Body
The neck should be moderately short, strong, thick and muscular, but never so short as to appear clumsy. The body should be moderately short with ribs extending well back and sprung out from the spine, forming a broad, strong back.
The body should be deep, the topline of the back firm and level, the chest broad, very deep and well let down between the forelegs. The forechest should extend well in front of the legs and drop well down into the brisket. The chest should not be flat or concave.
The tail should be about seven inches long and never cut. It should be set on high and carried erectly, either vertical or with a slight curve forward, but not over the back. The tail should be thick at the base, tapering gradually to a point and covered with short, hard hair.
Forequarters
The shoulders should be well laid back and moderately well knit at the withers. The forelegs should be very heavy in bone, straight or slightly bent with elbows close to the body, and set in under the shoulder blade. Scottish terriers should not be out at the elbows. The forefeet should be larger than the hind feet, round, thick and compact with strong nails. The front feet should point straight ahead. Dew claws may be removed.
Hindquarters
The thighs should be very muscular and powerful for the size of the dog with the stifles well bent and the legs straight from hock to heel. Hocks should be well let down and parallel to each other.
This article is in no way meant to be the standard of any one club, but is rather a mix of a few in order to convey the main points of type that a non-showing breeder should strive for. Anyone wanting to obtain a copy of their country's kennel club standard should phone, write or email the club to have a copy sent to you. If you are intending to breed from a pedigree you own you will need to join your kennel club, and you will be grateful (later, if not now) for the services that the club provides.
This is not meant to be any club's requirement for showing - it is simply an overview for the amateur breeder to aim for.
