MyDogBreeds
The Scottish Terrier is also known as the Aberdeen Terrier but people who love and know him refer to him fondly as the Scottie.
These little dogs were originally bred to hunt vermin on farms and their actual origin is ancient. It is believed that the first descriptions of these dogs date way back to 1436 with there being 2 varieties - a rough-haired Scotch Terrier and a smooth-haired English Terrier.
In 1881 the Scottish Terrier Club of England was founded with the Scottish Terrier Club of Scotland being founded in 1888. Scotties were introduced to America in the early 1890s.
The Scottish Terrier is a small dog, fairly robustly built but with short legs. He has a wiry, weather-resistant coat and a soft undercoat. The coat is essentially black but there are other colors too such as a wheaten shade, grey-black and brindle too.
The ears are erect, the eyes small and bright. The tail isn’t docked but is of medium length and is nearly always held up, without curling over the back.
Height at withers for both males and females should be roughly 23 to 26cm and weight in the region of 8 – 10 kg.
The Scottie is a an independent, robust breed. He is playful as a puppy, but as he matures he becomes more dignified and dour. He is stubborn, but being a terrier he is alert and makes a good watchdog. For a small dog he has a powerful bark.
Brave, loving and loyal, he can fit into life in the city or the countryside so long has he has his human family close by. He doesn’t take kindly to strangers and he he slightly aggressive with other dogs he doesn’t know. He makes a great playmate for children but he certainly doesn’t like being prodded, sat on and poked by small children.
The Scottie is strong willed and independent, and training and socialization is important if you don’t want your Scottie believing he has the final say.
These dogs are stubborn and dominant and will need a strong, firm but kind owner. They’re aggressive with other dogs, but get on well with their human family.
When you bring one of these distinctive looking dogs into your home, he’ll be a loving, loyal friend.
Your Scottie is looked upon as being a generally healthy dog breed, but as with any other healthy dogs, he can succumb to some of the conditions and diseases that dogs get -
This is an inherited blood disorder where the blood doesn’t clot properly. The dog will bleed excessively after an injury. Fortunately, while there isn’t a cure, dogs can lead normal lives.
Scottish Terriers are more prone to developing cancer than other dogs. Bladder cancer, lymphosarcoma and malignant melanoma are just some of the cancers they can get. Some cancers are treatable and there is a good success rate in dogs receiving chemotherapy.
When you brush your Scottie, look out for new, unusual lumps that could be indicative of cancer.
Scotty Cramp isn’t serious but uncomfortable for your pet. When your dog becomes worked up, you’ll see him arching his spine and he walks around for a few minutes with a stiff unnatural gait.
Obesity is regarded as a serious disease as it puts strain on the dogs joints and also creates back pain and digestive disorders.
Scotties were once bred as working dogs, and they will certainly require daily exercise and stimulation. He will love a walk but you can’t expect him to run with you as he has short legs.
The Scottie sheds, so he will need to be brushed at least twice weekly. He will require quite a bit of grooming in terms of having the coat professionally trimmed and clipped.
His eyes and ears will need to be checked as well as his teeth. He can’t tell you if he has terrible toothache and while brushing him, check the teeth. Trim his nails too.
It is always recommended that you feed dogs according to size, age and activity levels. Dogs are individuals and they don’t all need the same food.
The quality of the dog food you provide makes a huge difference on your dog’s health. It always pays to go with the better quality kibble available to dogs. Your Scottish Terrier will be depending on your for quality kibble with the right blend of vitamins and minerals.
Dogs thrive on simplicity and consistency and you want to provide him with some home-made food too that gels well with his digestive system. A little bit of raw meat occasionally can also do him the world of good.
Make sure he always has cool, fresh water to drink.