Terrier group · Scotland
Scottish Terrier
Also called Scottie, Aberdeenie.
Small dog, moderate energy, trains well with consistency.
- Confident
- Independent
- Spirited
- Dignified
- Feisty
- Size
- Small
- Weight
- 8 to 10 kg18 to 22 lb
- Lives
- 12 to 14 years
- Energy
- Moderate
- Trains
- Moderate
- Barks
- Moderate
Training
Training a Scottish Terrier
Terrier breeds. Impulse control and a rock-solid leave it. Short, high-value sessions; they bore fast.
Respect Their Independence
Start here
Scotties think for themselves. Use motivational methods rather than compulsion, they will shut down if forced.
Early Socialisation
Naturally aloof with strangers. Early positive experiences prevent excessive wariness.
Consistent Boundaries
Will take over the household if allowed. Set clear rules from day one and stick to them.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Scottish Terrier and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, on video with Atlas and Shango.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to go to ground after vermin. Fearless, quick, and not built to back down.
Gets on with
- ChildrenModerate
- Other dogsLow
- StrangersLow
- CatsLow
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 45-60 minutes daily. Moderate walks and play. Not a distance runner but enjoys activities.
- Grooming
- Hand-stripping 2-3 times yearly for proper coat. Regular brushing and professional grooming every 6-8 weeks.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Double coat, Wiry outer coat, Soft undercoatBlack, Wheaten, Brindle
- In a flat
- Can work, with enough exercise outside it.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Scottie Cramp
Moderate
Breed-specific movement disorder triggered by excitement or exercise
Von Willebrand Disease
Moderate
Blood clotting disorder. DNA test available
Bladder Cancer
Severe
Scotties have 18-20 times higher risk of transitional cell carcinoma than other breeds
Where they come from
History
One of five Scottish terrier breeds, developed in the Scottish Highlands to hunt badgers, foxes, and vermin. Originally called Aberdeen Terriers after the Scottish town where they were developed. The breed became especially popular after President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Scottie "Fala."
- Fala · President Franklin D. Roosevelt's beloved Scottie who attended many state functions and has his own statue at the FDR Memorial
- Barney and Miss Beazley · President George W. Bush's Scottish Terriers who lived in the White House
