Scottish Terrier: temperament, size, care and health

About the Scottish Terrier

The Scottish Terrier is a short-legged, heavily boned dog that stands about ten inches tall and carries itself with unusual self-possession. The head is long for the body, the ears are small and erect, and the beard and leg furnishings give it a distinctive silhouette. Colors are black, wheaten, and brindle.

It was developed to go to ground after foxes and badgers on rocky Scottish terrain, which accounts for its power, its low stance, and its willingness to work alone. Owners value the breed for its loyalty and its dry, dignified personality, which is quite different from the bouncy affability of many small dogs.

Temperament and family life

Scotties are often devoted to one or two people and polite rather than effusive with others. They bond strongly at home, but they dislike rough handling and are generally better matched with older children who understand boundaries than with toddlers. A Scottie that feels teased may snap.

Strangers are watched with reserve. The breed is a good alarm barker without being a nonstop one. Same-sex aggression toward other dogs is possible, and small animals outdoors are likely to be chased. Many Scotties stay serious into old age and show humor in small, particular ways, such as a routine they refuse to skip.

Exercise and training

The breed needs less activity than many terriers. A couple of daily walks and some play in a secure yard keep an adult content. It has a strong urge to dig and to follow scent, so it should be leashed or fenced.

Training requires patience. Scotties understand quickly and then decide whether a request is worth the effort. Harsh correction produces stubbornness, and repetitive drills bore them. Short sessions with food rewards, firm consistency, and early socialization give the best results. Housetraining may be slow.

Grooming and shedding

The coat sheds little but demands regular work. Hand-stripping removes dead hair and keeps the texture hard and the color rich; pet owners often have the body clipped and the beard and skirt left long. Brush the furnishings several times a week to prevent mats, and wash the beard after meals.

Trim nails regularly, clean the ears as needed, and brush the teeth. Professional grooming every six to eight weeks is common for show-style or tidy pet trims.

Health

The Scottish Terrier has some notable risks. Scottie cramp is a movement disorder in which muscles stiffen during excitement. Von Willebrand disease, a bleeding disorder, is found in the breed and can be tested for. Scotties are also reported to develop bladder cancer at a much higher rate than most breeds, and they can have jaw bone abnormalities as puppies, thyroid problems, and skin allergies. Breeders typically test for von Willebrand disease and screen for other conditions.

These notes are general information, and a veterinarian can advise on the health of a specific Scottish Terrier.

History

The Scottish Terrier is generally traced to the Scottish Highlands, where several regional terrier types were kept for work. In the nineteenth century, fanciers began to standardize a single breed, and the early show dogs were often called Aberdeen Terriers, and a written standard appeared in 1880. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and George W. Bush both kept Scotties, and the silhouette is a playing piece in the board game Monopoly.

Is the Scottish Terrier right for you?

A Scottie suits adults who like a self-contained, humorous, loyal dog and who can handle grooming and a degree of stubbornness. It does well in modest homes with regular walks. It is a weaker fit for families with very young children, for owners who want an eager-to-please student, or for homes with other dogs that may provoke it.

For a friendlier, easier-to-train Scottish terrier, look at the Cairn Terrier or the West Highland White Terrier. The Norwich Terrier is smaller and generally more sociable.