One of the most recognizable of the terrier dog breeds, the Scottish Terrier is a handsome and spirited dog with a mind of it's own and a lot of spunk to back it up. Despite it's glamorous looks, the Scottie is a terrier, developed and bred to hunt rats, rodents and other vermin. That initial purpose is still very much a part of the Scottish Terrier personality, lending tenacity and fearlessness to this unique and endearing breed of terrier.
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming
Training - Health
- Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale
Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues

Scottish Terrier Size
Variations:
Scottish Terrier
Colors:
Grey Scottie
Black Scottie
Brindle Scottie
Wheaten Scottie
Scottish Terrier Height: 10 inches at the shoulder
Scottish Terrier Weight:
18 to 22 poundss
Scottish Terrier
Exercise Needs: Moderate
Scottish Terrier
Grooming Needs: Demanding
Scottish Terrier Life Expectancy (Lifespan):
Are Scottish Terriers Child-Friendly?
Scottish Terrier Training:
Breed Group:
Terrier
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming
Training - Health
- Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale
Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues
The Scottish Terrier dog breed originated in United States of
America. Affectionately known as the "Scottie", the Scottish Terrier is a working terrier that hails from the Scottish Highlands, and was once a member of the "Scotch Terrier Group", which included a variety of terrier types. This group underwent renaming in the mid 1800's by British dog fanciers in an attempt to differentiate between the various breeds, and the Scottie was given the name "Hard-Haired Scotch Terrier". Two years later, the breed was renamed the Scottish Terrier and continues to carry that name today.
The Scottie is a sturdy, low-set terrier that stands about 10 inches at the shoulder and weighs from 18 to 22 pounds. It's outer coat is hard and wiry with a dense, softer undercoat. The coat comes in colors of are grey, brindle, black or wheaten.
Playful, lovable and very loyal, the Scottie makes and excellent house dog and family pet. He also makes a great watchdog, and will eagerly alert his owners to the presence of intruders. Scotties can be aggressive with other dogs, so special care should be taken to avoid "canine disagreements".
Scotties love the great outdoors, and should be given at least one brisk walk each day. Like all terriers, Scotties should not be let off leash (unless you have an entire day to spend on a wild goose (or should we say Scottie) chase.
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming
Training - Health
- Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale
Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues
To keep the trim, "Scottie" look, regular grooming is required, although many owners prefer to clipper their Scotties to soften the hard-textured coat and reduce grooming time and expense.
Scottish Terriers, like the terriers they are, are stubborn and difficult to train. They require early and consistent obedience training and need to be constantly reminded that they are not in charge.
It's best to start the process of teaching a Scottie who's boss from early puppyhood, and take special efforts not to let him get the upper hand. Any attempts to usurp your status as alpha dog should be dealt with immediately and consistently.
With consistent training and a firm hand, a Scottie makes a great companion.
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming
Training - Health
- Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale
Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues
As with any purebred breed of dog, the Scottie is not without health issues that can be a concern. Anyone considering a Scottish Terrier as their breed of choice should be knowledgeable about health conditions that can be prevalent in the breed, and take extra efforts to find a highly reputable breeder who carefully screens their dogs for health issues prior to breeding. A responsible breeder will be very knowledgeable about the Scottie breed, and will be able to advise you about the pros - and the cons of owning this special breed of dog. A reputable breeder will place the health and longevity of her dogs and puppies first and foremost.
There are three main health concerns that can occur in the Scottish Terrier breed. These are:
VonWillebrands Disease
Scottie Cramp
Cranio-mandibular Osteopathy
For more indepth information about these canine disorders, please visit the following site: Scottie Health and Grooming
Scotties are well-suited to almost any accommodations, whether country or city, apartment or acreage, provided that regular daily walks are offered.
Scottish Terriers, like almost any terrier breed, are probably not the best choice for families with small children or small dogs, cats or other pets.
If you're not keen on having a high-maintenance dog when it comes to grooming, then a Scottie is not a great choice either.
However, if you are looking for a spunky dog with plenty of character, rugged good looks and a rich history, then a Scottish Terrier could be your dream dog.
Now that you have decided that the Scottish Terrier is the right breed
for you, it's time to start the process of finding a responsible
Scottish Terrier breeder from which to buy a healthy, well-socialized
puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good breeders - and bad
breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first Scottish Terrier puppy
you find at the cheapest price available! To buy a puppy from a
responsible Scottish Terrier breeder, you may need to pay more and wait
longer. The additional money and waiting time will be well worth it.
Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper ad, pet store or "backyard
breeder", and you'll likely also purchase a great deal of additional
expense and heartache, since you will likely end up falling in love
with a puppy with health and behavioral problems that will likely
need special care, plenty of veterinary visits, regular medication -
or even euthanasia. But do your homework and find a responsible,
caring Scottish Terrier breeder who home-raises their puppies with
love, screens their breeding dogs for health problems, offers a
health guarantee and post sale support, and who genuinely loves the
Scottish Terrier breed and is in it for the love of the breed, rather
than profit, and you can be fairly well assured of getting a
healthy, happy, long lived and affectionate family companion that
will provide you and your family with many years of joy, laughter
and companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Scottish Terrier puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many
sites now online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for
puppy mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear
of these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the
breeders whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming
Training - Health
- Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale
Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues
Choosing a name for your Scottish Terrier puppy can be a daunting
task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot
of thought and research to find just the right name for your
Scottish Terrier. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a
few days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you
decide on just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of
humor? A serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side?
A strange love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Scottish Terrier
puppy over the first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue
about what type of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog
names and pet names web sites on the internet. Some are wonderful
information resources, while others, unfortunately, are just
"garbage" sites set up with the sole purpose of cashing in on
visitor hits for this popular subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Scottish Terrier puppy. These sites offer inventive,
unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
Scottish Terrier Dog Names
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming
Training - Health
- Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale
Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues
Scottish Terriers are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at
Scottish Terrier pictures, you can usually gain more insight into
what these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help
you decide if you really want to become an Scottish Terrier owner.
The following sites below offer pictures of Scottish Terrier dogs,
Scottish Terrier puppy photos, funny Scottish Terrier photos and
more. Enjoy!
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming
Training - Health
- Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale
Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues
There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Scottish Terrier dog breed. We've compiled a list of
Scottish Terrier information sites to assist you in quickly locating
quality information about the Scottish Terrier dog breed, while
avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor
attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general.
If you know of an Scottish Terrier information site that offers
unique, quality information and photos of the Scottish Terrier
breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief description so
that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our list below.
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming
Training - Health
- Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale
Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues
Scottish Terrier clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn
even more about the Scottish Terrier dog breed, help you locate a
responsible Scottish Terrier breeder, or help you find an Scottish Terrier dog or puppy in need of a second chance for a loving,
forever home. We've compiled the following list of Scottish Terrier
clubs and Scottish Terrier rescues web sites for your convenience:
Scottish Terrier Clubs -
Scottish Terrier Rescues