General Information |
Group(s):
Terrier |
Height: 10 inches |
Weight: 18-22 pounds |
Longevity: mid-late teens |
Colors: steel or iron gray, grizzled or brindled, black, sandy or wheaten; only very minimal white accepted |
Coat type: short with dense undercoat and very hard, wiry outer coat |
Recognized Registries: AKC and others |
Overall Appearance: Striking harsh wiry outer coat, alert eyes and prick ears enhance the demeanor of action and purpose about the Scottie. The remarkably stout muscular body only adds to the impression of a force to be reckoned with. |
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Personaility - Behavior - Training |
Energy Level: rather high |
General Nature: |
dual - sweet and entertaining and agreeable with family and loved ones; a terror to those it holds it less high regard |
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with Children: can be good with very well behaved children; probably too much to ask with very small ones |
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with other pets: generally not very good; smaller animals are at risk and larger animals do not intimidate this character; males likely a bit worse than females |
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with dogs: can be good with those they are very familiar with; raised with; some individuals will be better meeting dogs than others |
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Socialization requirements: pretty high if you want a dog you can confidently take places and have accept new people, animals and places |
Ideal home characteristics: A well educated home familiar with the Terrier mentality and respectful of all that the Scottie embodies. Tightly fenced yard, daily walks and regular grooming/attention will give the Scottie opportunity to thrive. |
Temperament Notes: Clever, tenacious, determined and somewhat independent. This is a dog fully capable (physically and mentally) of following fearsome creatures that outweighed it into their den to battle. Not to be treated lightly. |
Training requirement: Very respectful. Completely consistent. This dog will remember how things are done and expect them to be maintained. |
Trainer notes: Due to the Terrier nature of independent work (ie no one is there to help them dispatch the badger in its den), this dog is not as likely to be highly responsive to a pat on the head for training. They are keen on having a good sense of their environment and routine. Consistent handling without miscommunication of rewarding a behavior one day and then punishing it the next is the best way to keep a Scottie (and thus the Scottie's family) happy. Because of their quirky nature, the happily trained Scottie will often offer variations on what is requested, both as a suggestion and form of entertainment. |
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Background Information |
Year range of first recognition: probably Middle Ages |
Country of Origin: Scotland - Highlands |
Original Function: badger, otter and fox hunter |
History: Early writers of the 14th century refer to a terrier that was most likely the early Scottish Terrier. First shown in 1860, Terrier nature burst out among fanciers as other terrier types were also shown under this monikor. By 1880, there was a standard. |
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Adoption Information |
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Deviations from Standard: soft coats, very round eye, light eye, oversize, undersize, too much white |
Health Notes: eye problems, minimal hip dysplasia, skin problems, epilepsy, heart problems, deafness, CMO |
Health Testing: CERF (eyes), vWD |
Questions to ask Breeder: http://www.digitaldog.com/breeder_questions.html - The Breeder Questions as listed here provided with explanations and answers you will want to be looking for
- How long have you had Scotties?
- How did you choose the sire of this litter?
- What titles do you seek on your breeding stock?
- What health problems do you find in the breed?
- What health issues do you screen your breeding stock for?
- Do you have written contracts and guarantees on your puppies?
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Web Sites: http://clubs.akc.org/stca/rescue.htm - Scottie National Rescue |
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Other Resources |
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