THE SCOTTISH TERRIER
The Scottish Terrier, affectionately known as the Scottie, is a small breed of terrier that originated in Scotland and closely related to the Skye Terrier, the Dandie Dinmont, the Cairn Terrier and the West Highland White Terrier. It has a distinctive shape and had many roles in popular culture. They were originally bred to hunt vermin on farms.
Scotties are small, compact, thick set with short legs with a hard, wiry, weather-resistant coat. Their head is distinctive and gives the impression of being long for size of dog. They range in colour from black, to greyish-black and even white. They have erect ears and tail.
Scottish Terriers are known as a big dog in a compact body being very agile and active in spite of their short legs. They are a courageous and highly intelligent breed and can make a good watchdog and tend to be very loyal to their family. Scotties are territorial and can be aggressive around other dogs if not socialised at an early age. Because they are independent dogs they can be quite difficultto obedience and house train.
Scottish Terriers being originally bred to hunt and fight badgers are prone to dig as well as chase small animals. The Scottie is not well suited to households with other small pets such as cats and rabbits. While being loyal to older members of the family they can have issues with smaller children. While they enjoy a good walk they should not be allowed near water as, because of their short legs, they are not very good swimmers and can drown easily.
The Scottish Terrier has a double coat. The outer coat is harsh, dense and wiry, the undercoat short, dense and soft. These coats make a weather-resistant covering for the dogs and provides warmth and resistance to water. The Scottie should be brushed with a hard bristle brush regularly to remove dead hair. They should be trimmed every few months as their hair will grow and the dogs will lose their distinctive body shape.
Scotties typically live from 11 to 13 years.
Size
Height: 25-28 cms.
Weight: 8-10 kg.