The Scottish Terrier Community

The Scottish Terrier, affectionately known as the Scottie, is one of Britain's most recognisable and beloved terrier breeds, a compact, low-slung and powerfully built earth dog developed in Scotland to hunt foxes, badgers and other quarry in the rocky, heathery terrain of the Scottish Highlands, working independently and with great determination in underground burrows and rocky outcroppings that required a dog of specific physical dimensions, considerable courage and genuine tenacity. The breed was formally standardised in the 1880s and quickly became popular both as a working terrier and as a show and companion dog, achieving international recognition and appearing as one of the tokens in Monopoly, as President Franklin D Roosevelt's companion Fala, and in numerous other cultural contexts that reflect its status as an iconic dog. It is registered by the Kennel Club in the Terrier Group. The Scottish Terrier is a small, compact and powerfully built dog of distinctive and immediately recognisable appearance. The coat is a hard, dense and wiry outer coat over a soft, dense undercoat, typically in black, wheaten or brindle. The long head is characterised by a profuse beard and eyebrows that give the breed its distinguished, somewhat stern expression. The body is longer than it is tall, the legs short but powerful, and the overall impression is of a determined and capable working terrier packed into a compact frame. Adults typically stand 25 to 28 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh 8 to 10 kilograms. The character is bold, dignified and independent - a terrier in the truest sense of the word, bred to make its own decisions underground and not given to ready compliance with instructions that contradict its own judgement. The Scottish Terrier is devoted to its own family and affectionate in the right context, but it is reserved with strangers and is not the instantly sociable, eager-to-please companion of some other small breeds. It is stubborn and persistent, which are virtues when working underground but require management in the home environment. Training requires patience, consistency and positive reinforcement established from an early age. Force produces resistance. The breed can achieve good behaviour when training is approached correctly but it will always retain its independent character. The primary health concerns are Scottie Cramp, Von Willebrand's Disease and a documented higher cancer incidence. Prospective owners should discuss cancer risk openly with any breeder. Purchase prices from KC-registered, health-tested breeders range from £700 to £1,500. Monthly running costs average £65 to £110. The Scottish Terrier Club is the primary resource for breed information, health testing requirements, responsible breeders and rescue contact.