Scottie Info
Scottish Terriers are certainly not the breed for everyone, but once chosen,
odds are you'll never again be without one, or two, three, or more!
Scotties can be loyal yet independent, affectionate yet aloof, reserved
yet ready for fun at a moment's notice. They prefer to think that everything
they do is their idea, and the sooner a new owner learns to mold their training
methods into reverse psychology, the happier everyone will be.
Scotties can be masters at Obedience, although finding an instructor who
understands a terrier, and more so, a Scottie will be a challenge. Scotties can
excel at Agility, in spite of their short stature. They love to be the king of
the hill, so the top of a teeter-totter is A-OK by them!
Scottish Terrier Growth chart
The AKC standard for the Scottish Terrier, as approved in 1993 reads as
follows:
General
Appearance
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. These characteristics, joined with his very special keen,
piercing, "varminty" 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.
Size,
Proportion, Substance
The
Scottish Terrier should have a thick body and heavy bone. The principal
objective must be symmetry and balance without exaggeration. Equal consideration
shall be given to height, weight, length of back and length of head. Height at
withers for either sex should be about 10 inches. The length of back from
withers to set-on of tail should be approximately 11 inches. Generally, a
well-balanced Scottish Terrier 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. There should be a slight but
definite stop between the skull and muzzle at eye level, allowing the eyes to be
set in under the brow, contributing to proper Scottish Terrier expression. The
skull should be smooth with no prominences or depressions and the cheeks should
be flat and clean. The muzzle should be approximately equal to the length
of skull with only a slight taper to the nose. The muzzle should be well
filled in under the eye, with no evidence of snippiness. A correct Scottish
Terrier muzzle should fill an average man's hand. The nose should be
black, regardless of coat color, and of good size, projecting somewhat over the
mouth and giving the impression that the upper jaw is longer than the lower. The
teeth should be large and evenly spaced, having either a scissor or level
bite, the former preferred. The jaw should be square, level and powerful.
Undershot or overshot bites should be penalized. 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 color should be dark brown or nearly
black, the darker the better. The ears should be small, prick, set well
up on the skull and pointed, but never cut. They should be covered with short
velvety hair. From the front, the outer edge of the ear should form a straight
line up from the side of the skull. The use, size, shape and placement of the
ear and its erect carriage are major elements of the keen, alert, intelligent
Scottish Terrier expression.
Neck,
Topline, Body
The neck should be moderately short, strong, thick and muscular, blending
smoothly into well laid back shoulders. The neck must never be so short as to
appear clumsy. The body should be moderately short with ribs extending
well back into a short, strong loin, deep flanks and very muscular hindquarters.
The ribs should be well sprung out from the spine, forming a broad, strong back,
then curving down and inward to form a deep body that would be nearly
heart-shaped if viewed in cross-section. The topline of the back should
be firm and level. The chest should be 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, and
the brisket should nicely fill an average man's slightly-cupped hand. The lowest
point of the brisket should be such that an average man's fist would fit under
it with little or no overhead clearance. 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 with a definite forechest
in front of them. 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, but a slight
"toeing out" is acceptable. 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.
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 be
presented with 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.
Color
Black, wheaten or brindle of any color. Many black and brindle dogs have
sprinklings of white or silver hairs in their coats which are normal and not to
be penalized. 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 coordinated with powerful drive from the rear and good reach in front.
The action of the rear legs should be square and true and, at the trot, both the
hocks and stifles should be flexed with a vigorous motion. 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-going. 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, living up to his nickname, the
"Diehard."
Penalties
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 are faults to be penalized.
NO JUDGE SHOULD PUT TO WINNERS OR BEST OF BREED ANY SCOTTISH TERRIER NOT SHOWING
REAL TERRIER CHARACTER IN THE RING.
Scale
of Points
Skull
Muzzle
Eyes
Ears
Neck
Chest
Body
Legs & Feet
Tail
Coat
Size
General Appearance
Total |
5
5
5
10
5
5
15
10
5
15
10
10
100 |
Recommended Reading
