Scottish Terrier. Scottish Terrier

Small-sized dogs with short legs never go unheeded. In addition to the original appearance, Scottish terriers, of course, have charisma and charm. All owners are unanimous - once having let the Scotch Terrier into the house, you fall in love with this breed forever. What do these little dogs conquer the hearts of?

Breed origin

The origin of Scotch terriers, or in other words, the Scottish earthen dog, is the United Kingdom and the Hebrides archipelago. These dogs were used in hunting at that time - they cleverly penetrated holes, dug them out and pulled the animals out.

Officially, the breed was recognized in 1879, and at the same time its first representative was allowed to participate in the exhibition. The standard was approved a little later, in 1883, at the same time the first Scottish Terrier Club was founded by lovers of the breed. This was the starting point for this breed, which in a short time was able to gain world popularity.

Scotch Terrier breed description

Scotch terrier is a small dog with a compact body, short, strong legs. The head is small, with a long, medium body width, but proportional to the body.

According to the standard, representatives of the breed should have a dense complexion with a heavy bone frame. Also, special attention is paid to symmetry and balance of addition:

The muzzle of the dogs is elongated, has a slight narrowing to the nose. The color of the lobe does not depend on the color; in any case, it should be black. The teeth are large, even, scissor bite, which is preferable, or straight. Square jaw, powerful.
The eyes are small, almond-shaped, set wide apart and deep set. The look is penetrating. The iris is dark, best of all, if it is black.
Auricles are small, standing, high, sharpened, not stopping. Give the dog a wary, serious look.
The neck is moderately shortened, thickish, with developed muscles. The transition to the shoulders is soft. If the neck is too short, then the dog looks overly awkward.
Torso shortened with the same loin, wide sides and muscular hind limbs.
The tail is thickened at the base, tapers at the tip, is high and is in an elevated position when moving, but does not lie on its back. Covered with short hair.
The front and rear limbs are strong, straight, with good muscle mass and parallel hock.

The coat of scotch terriers is long, hard, the undercoat is short, soft. The elongated fur on the beard, limbs and abdomen is usually softer than on other parts of the body, but its fluffiness is not allowed.

Breed colors

The standard allowed three main suits:

monochrome black;
wheat;
brindle.

Often, dogs with a black or yellowish-brown color have silver or white blotches.

Traits

Scottish terriers are charming and they are very captivating. However, they have a rather changeable character - only just playing, a cheerful dog can suddenly turn into an irritated, angry dog.

Another quality of these dogs that can complicate relations with the owner is pathological stubbornness. In order for the pet to become more docile, the owner must show firmness and from the first days show the puppy who is the boss in the house.

Despite their modest size, Scottish Terriers have the courage and dignity. They often show capriciousness, trying to go where they want, and do what they want. They value their space and protect it from alien invasion. In addition, some representatives of the breed have pronounced leadership qualities, and in this case they will show aggression towards their own kind.

In order for the dog to get along well with other pets, it should be socialized very early, otherwise his innate hunting instincts will prevail. In this case, living together will turn into a permanent hunt. This quality should also be taken into account when walking - the dog can jerk off the spot when he sees suitable prey.

The sensitivity of dogs is quite high, they clearly determine by the intonation of the voice whether the owner criticizes the actions of his pet or praises. And if the dog does not perceive his master as the leader, he will constantly test his patience.

Scottish terriers are very dedicated, alert, so they are excellent watchmen. Dogs of this breed tend to choose one or two people with whom they will establish a closer relationship. Pedigreed dogs do not make friendship with a person who is not a member of their family. With strangers behave with restraint, trying not to be touched.

The Scotch Terrier is a very playful dog who adores various ball games, frisbee, runs a lot both at home and during walking. But the minus can be called their volume - these pets bark, oh, how they love. Little Scots are not recommended for families with small children, and for older children a pet can be an excellent companion and friend. Breeders of the breed warn - if you find a common language with scotch terrier, he will become the best friend until the last day.

How to train Scotch Terrier

From the foregoing it is clear that the representatives of this breed are by no means simple dogs. Having a small height, they are very strong and independent, and, moreover, they are not used to giving in even to larger relatives. Mind and ingenuity they do not hold, so they are perfectly trained. But do not use physical strength and other harsh methods, Scotch Terrier will respond with gratitude to kindness and warm attitude.

The earlier you teach your pet to the teams, the better he will master them. Training and education should begin as soon as the new member of the family crossed the threshold of the house. If the owner hesitates, then you have to make much more effort to achieve obedience from the Scotch tape.

You need to train regularly, devoting a lot of time to this process. And one of the most important qualities that it is recommended to develop in hunting breeds is walking on a leash. Otherwise, the pet can run away, starting to pursue the "prey".

Terriers are very greedy for praise and this should be used when training. Experts recommend not to skimp on the praise, because the pets will not be able to refuse to perform the task, only to once again hear good words addressed to him from the mouth of the host. It should be borne in mind that representatives of this breed are prone to independent action. And even being brought up, the dog will have some time to decide how to act in this situation.

How to care for scotch terrier

The scotch terrier needs quality care, only by getting it, the dog will be cheerful, healthy and look luxurious. By purchasing a Scotty, the owner must be prepared to devote time to the daily care procedures. And since these doggies are capricious, it is recommended to teach hygiene from puppyhood.

You will need to inspect the eyes, auricles, teeth and paw pads daily for damage and inflammation. The dog should be combed regularly using a massage brush. This will not only improve the appearance of the coat, but also enhance the blood circulation of the skin. It is important to prevent the formation of koltunov, which will make the procedure of combing painful.

The genitals and anus of the pet need to be cared for, they should be inspected and cleaned of dirt with a wet tampon. Wash your pet often is not worth it, it must be done when the need arises. For a neat look, dog hair must be trimmed at least twice a year.

Eyes should be regularly cleaned of accumulated secretions. It is possible to use for these purposes a cotton pad dipped in warm water. If the discharge is purulent, the eyes can be treated with solutions of rivanol or furatsilina.

It is also worth taking care of the health of the auricles, ideally they should be pink and dry. Wool, which penetrate the ears, you need to cut off, clean sulfur and dirt with a cotton pad dipped in warm water or an antiseptic solution. Soaps and cotton buds are not recommended.

Puppies change their teeth from 3 to 7 months, and owners need to control this process, identifying when dairy begin to interfere with the growth of permanent, contact the veterinarian for their removal. Otherwise, the scotch terrier may have a bite violation. From dental calculus as a preventive measure, dogs of this breed are recommended to give tomato juice. It is advisable to brush your teeth using special tools.

If the claws of a pet do not grind off in a natural way, they should be shortened with a claw cutter. The ideal place for a Scottish terrier is the owner’s room, which deals with and cares for him. Best suited lounger with sides, raised above the floor.

Feeding

You can use dry food as the ration of a scotch terrier, only this should be a high-quality, balanced premium or super premium product. An important criterion when choosing is the low content of protein components, since an excess of protein can lead to liver disease.

"Scotty" different appetite, which means that the owners need to limit the amount of food consumed by the dog. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the dog did not receive food from the master's table, including from small family members. If the owner decided to feed the pet with natural products, then there are several rules for feeding the dogs of this breed:

fat and harmful should be necessarily excluded from the diet, since the liver is the weak point of these dogs;
raw foods are preferable because heat treatment makes the protein difficult to digest;
preservatives, dyes, flavor enhancers - this is something that dogs should not eat.

As in the case of other breeds, meat forms the basis of the Scotch Terrier diet. Best suited to beef with cartilage and chicken. They are cut into small pieces and given raw. Stuffing the dog should not be given.

Meat additives can be vegetables, cereals - buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, vegetable oils, finely chopped greens. The menu also recommends dairy products, boiled eggs, fruits, dried fruits, raw sea fish. Milk is suitable for feeding puppies, adult dogs can add powdered milk to porridge.

Bones, large, without sharp edges, can be periodically given to a pet, this is especially important during teething. For these purposes, you can purchase special products at the pet store. With natural feeding, you may need additional vitamin supplements, but they are given only after consulting a veterinarian.

Photo scotch terrier

Scotch Terrier Video

How much is a scotch terrier puppy

If you are interested in the question, for how much you can buy a Scottish Terrier puppy, then it is worth considering the available options. First of all, if the goal of acquiring a purebred pet is pursued, then it is better to buy a puppy in nurseries, bypassing bird markets and private announcements. Here are often offered mestizos, externally similar to scotch terriers or puppies with pedigree, but with significant vices. The price of terriers varies within:

The cost of a puppy with a pedigree from the titled parents from the nursery can be up to 60,000 rubles. In this case, the pet will have excellent qualities, and in the future there is a chance to build an excellent show career.
17000-25000 rubles worth a puppy of a brid class - with excellent health, suitable for breeding, but not reaching the show class. Usually these dogs are bought by people who do not want to exhibit their pet in the ring.
The most affordable puppies are pet-class. They are not used for breeding due to small flaws, for the same reason they can not participate in exhibitions. The rest is healthy, strong kids. Their price is 10,000-17,000 rubles.

Regardless of class and cost, the pet will be a great friend. Scottish Terrier - confident, brave and independent dog. He is not a decorative dog, and therefore requires a serious approach. Its owner, first of all, should understand and, most importantly, accept the characteristics of the character of the four-legged friend, be able to handle him and give him enough attention. And only then the scotch terrier will become a loyal friend, loving family and protecting it from foreign invasion.