Scottish Terrier Owners Comments

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Do you have a story to share about your Scottish terrier dog and lessons learned the hard way? Please take a minute and email us your experience; your Scottish terrier advice could save many new Scottie owners headaches and heartaches.

Elaine Knibbs Weyburn Sask Canada, Dec 2, 2008
We have a 3 year old scottie and to any one that is reading this you have not had a dog till you have a scottie. We have had weimeraners shtiz stu, corgis, mongrels etc. but none as entertaining as our scottie. We had him to obedience school which I think is a must for a dog with this temperament as they are a little bullheaded and want to be boss .He loves the grand kids but is not to fussy about other dogs he will play with our kids dogs though just does not like strangers. He is very well behaved does not bark much, loves the animal planet on tv will watch program right through. His name is Mack 23 we had to drive to Fargo N.D. to get him and I am so glad we did. Email me with your comments or questions.

Bonnie M. Oregon, November 2, 2008
We have a wonderful 8 month old scottie puppy named Mavis. She is such a joy to have around, now that we have her we can't imagine life without her. She can test our patience such as during potty training and learning basic obedience. But she is very food motivated and will do just about anything for a treat and she always keeps us laughing. She has a sweet disposition and is eager to meet new friends (humans & dogs). She loves to play and take walks but she's also just as content to snuggle up with us to take a nap or chew on her nylabone. She is the typical scottie with her fearless attitude, with the exception to feathers and brooms. She likes to chew on carrots and ice cubes and seems to have a certain ritual with each one with how and where she will eat them. The best advice I can give to the new or potential scottie owner is to be consistent, gentle and respectful to your puppy. Learn to be a calm-assertive pack leader and they will follow you to the ends of the earth. Please email me if you have questions.

Petra Brune, October 6, 2008
Hi my name is Petra. I have owned 2 scotties, love them very much. It's been trying @ times but in the long run it has been very rewarding, patience is the key to owning and dealing with scotties. They have a mind of their own but can be guided into doing what you want them to do, with a lot of love, trust and patience. Scotties are very intuned in what is going on with their owner, I have a condition (seizures) and my scottie knows when I'm going to have one he is a real blessing! He also loves to play, a clown @ times , last but not least very loyal and protective. My suggestion to any scottie owner is to read up on the breed and go to a breeder and interact with a scottie , you'll be very surprised and want to own one. Petra, Max my scottie. Please email me.

Owner, June 17, 2008
My five year old black Scotty is a wonderful companion. She has a fungus around her mouth that smells awful. Also her eyes have mucus in them every morning and her nose gets crusty. I have spent over a thousand dollars at the vet, changed her food and tried various medications. (she does better without meds.) She has allergies to outside things like pine trees etc also black fly bites. They offered weekly shots and pills but I didn’t want to go that route. No guarantee they would help. They also wanted to do further testing to see if she had food allergies, but I just can’t afford another couple of hundred dollars right now. Do you know anyone with a Scotty that may be dealing with this health problem?? Please email me.

Owner, April 28, 2008
I am the proud parent (owner) of a 3 year old male scotty. He is the best dog in the world. My tip would be to crate train. Crate training was the best thing we ever did. From the time I brought him home, I put a crate in a quiet darker area in the house, padded it well, put a blanket over the top to give him privacy and I would put a clock that made noise on top of the crate. This helped him sleep at night. Now, he goes to his crate at bedtime and stays in there all night - we never close the door. I also put in a favorite toy (when he was first brought home and a blanket that he could use forever). He is the third Scottish Terrier the family owned and by far the best? Email me if you have questions.

Owner, April 27, 2008
Evergreen, CO
We got our Scotty last September. He is going on 9 months old. He is a good dog and has been super with trainer, however just in the past week, he has been acting strange. He deliberately goes into our room and pulls things out to chew up. He chewed up my brand new running shoes - pulled them out of my gym back. He is chewing up things that is not necessarily just left on the floor by accident. Does anyone know why he would all of a sudden start doing this? Please email with your suggestions.

Owner, April 23, 2008
I need help with my scotty. I bought her from a breeder in Tennessee and had her flown to California. She was 12 weeks. I thought that was perfect time to have her separated from her mother. However, she has only warmed up to me. She is afraid to death of my husband, for that matter, any male or female. She is not friendly and clings to me or stayed between my legs. Even calling her from out of the room she won't come. She won't come out of her bed. She is spooked at any noise. She loves playing with our other dog (shit shue), recently, I've taught her to run along side my golf cart (on the grass), along with our other dog, and she loves it. But I don't know what to do because she is afraid of everything and we have had her for two months now. Are we being overprotective. She has all that any spoiled scotty could have. Help. Please email with your suggestions.

Heather, NOV 3, 2007
I understand that an ancestor George Bruce (b. 1868) left Aberdeen, Scotland to live in America - I'm not sure when - but I know he appeared in 1901 Aberdeen census. The one interesting bit of information I have been given is that he was a keen breeder of "Scottish Terriers" which he sent to USA. I am presuming that this interest was perhaps the reason he emigrated and wonder if he has emerged in any records of the breed. I understand that this is old history but just thought I would pursue this as I've failed to find where and when he died, leaving a largish family back in Scotland. Please email Heather

Bev McLeod from Portland, OREGON
Hi, I have a 2 1/2 year old Scotty who has been having problems with her butt. I have taken her to 2 vets and done all kinds of tests, but they cannot seem to find anything wrong with her. She would try to grab at her butt and then run around the house and whimper and find a place she can hide under. This may last a couple minutes, but it is starting to happen more often. She eats fine and is active. It is breaking my heart. Have you ever heard of this in a Scottie? Please email your reply to Bev McLeod

Ismael C. from Locust Grove, VA
You have a great website, my wife found it and the hair trimming portion is really great. My wife decided she could do a better job by trimming our terriers hair on her own, and after purchasing some dog trimmers and your the use of your instructions, he looks great. Our Scotty is a great dog and to be honest he is great with our little girl. At first it took me a while to ensure he understood that I was the alpha male of the house and once he grasped that concept he has been doing fine. I started out by only letting him in one room of the house. He was not allowed in any other room. I did that for a while before letting him go anywhere else in the house. I actually got that idea from watching the Dog whisper, which is very informative. He was only allowed where I told him to go, and he knows his bed is the safe spot for him whenever he wants to get away. I purchased him from a breeder in Iowa and to my knowledge they do really great with the Scottish breeds (full white and Brindles). The hardest decision I made was deciding to get him neutered, but I have to say he his a lot more laid back. Great site again.

Carol Knudsen from Eagle, Idaho
Before you get a Scottie, make sure the breeder is reputable. We had to put our 2 1/2 year old male down because of genetically transmitted conditions. We informed the breeders so that they could take actions which would prevent any more puppies being whelped with these conditions, and they were totally disinterested. The stud's owner was so callous as to tell me to "Have a nice day" before he hung up on me. Not only is he is still breeding, but he took two of my Scottie's litter mates to continue the line, knowing that they are carrying the same genes which killed my baby.

Unknown Location
We just bought a Scottish Terrier from a registered AKC breeder. He is 12 weeks old and I am having trouble housetraining him; he really has a mind of his own.

Mobile, AL
Before taking your Scottie to a groomer, please make sure that the groomer knows what she is doing. We took our 3-yr old Scot to one after we moved here and gave the groomer specific instructions on how we wanted his Scottish terrier "skirt" clipped before we left him, but when we came back, he looked like a "schnauzer"; the groomer clipped all of his hair off on the bottom, his back, his legs, tail, etc. There was nothing we could do to fix the problem or pursue a solution through legal channels.

Mayfield, MO
I had been looking to buy a Scottish terrier puppy, placed ads, corresponded with the breeder, but Dog has APR registration, not AKC (American Kennel Club). What is APR? How much is too much to pay for a Dog with APR? Requested info package, Apr and APRI are not the same, although APRI just bought out APR. APRI will not register just any dogs, APR would. I am guessing, lots of breeders are looking into different registries since AKC is supporting PAWS, ILP, etc.

Raleigh, NC
The AKC is not perfect by any stretch, but it is still the most used registry in the USA. Do not buy a puppy of a breed that is recognized by the AKC but is not registered with it.... if you are looking for quality. AKC registration in and of it self is not a guarantee of quality, but the lack of an AKC registration almost certainly guarantees low quality

Titusville, FL
Where do I start looking for a Scottish Terrier puppy... I tried everything...terrificpets, nextdaypets, puppyfind, even yahoo pets, the biggest problem is the puppies are either wrong color, unreasonably expensive, or have to be transported. I even tried to contact Scottish Terrier Club of Tampa Bay, did not get any references there...

Houston, TX
When my Scottie hurt himself, I learned a few lessons: injured dogs are logically in pain, and an animal in pain may lash out. One of the most important things to do before helping him is to place a muzzle on the mouth. It is just better to be on a safe side. Even your own sweet Scot may bite if frightened or in severe pain. There are several methods to muzzle your Scotty but never muzzle one that is vomiting, has difficulty breathing or is coughing. A cute idea is to make a special doggie first aid kit for him and include a muzzle with it.

On topic of muzzles, you can often read about how to make a temporary muzzle out of tape, nylon stocking, neckties, thick string, belts or strips of fabric. My suggestion is to always buy one from a pet store. The temporary one, if not made properly, could snap off and your Scottie may bite you when you are trying to help him, like putting a topical cream for a minor wound on his foot (Scottish terriers do not like their paws touched). But make sure to not leave any muzzle on any longer than necessary because a dog perspires through his tongue.

Los Angeles, CA
These are so many questions Scottish terrier owners ask me at my animal clinic, perhaps the answers posted here will be helpful to many new Scottie breeders:

When can I breed my Scottish terrier?
Breed your Scottie when she goes into heat. Watch out for some signs of female in heat: she will get a swelled vulva, bleed out of it blood ranging in color anywhere from milky to red (be alarmed If your Scottie female is having brown-like discharge for it may be an infection with symptoms of absence of appetite, very passive behavior, refusal to play or walk, etc. CONSULT YOUR PROFESSIONAL IMMEDIATELY) she may urinate more often, and males will be more attracted to her.

When does Scottish terrier bitch go into heat?
Anywhere from 6 mo to 1 1/2 years of age. Heat at average lasts 3 weeks: approximately one week going into heat (this stage can last from 1-17 days), and one week in heat (this stage lasts from 3-21 days). To breed your Scottie, have a male around from the first day just to be sure. She will go into heat again about 6 months later (and perhaps even from 4-14 months between heats.) If she does get pregnant she will be pregnant 58-66 days counting from about the time she stopped mating.

What age should I breed my Scottie?
You should not breed her if she is younger than a year, please wait until your Scottish terrier is 1 1/2 to 2 years old so that her body can fully develop physically and mature mentally in order to be able to handle the stresses of being a mother. It is normally observed that smaller dogs, like Scotties, go into heat around 6-10 months for the first time, but larger dogs may have their first heat around 11-12 months.

How long does Scottish terrier pregnancy last?
She should have them on or about the 60th day from the last time she was bred, or when the dilation of her vulva went away. Around the 50th day, start checking her temperature rectally 2-3 times per day. If her temperature drops below 100 degrees, she should have the puppies within 24 hours; she may also start ripping up newspaper if you gave her a whelping box, she may start digging, she may even vomit and discharge.

What to do if Scottie just gave birth and is full of milk?
The puppies should take care of the milk. If puppies are refusing to suck, CONSULT YOUR VET IMMEDIATELY. Don't milk the dog yourself. It might make her comfortable for awhile but it will stimulate production of more milk and she will be more uncomfortable. But more importantly, the mother is extremely defensive during this time and may not understand that you are trying to help. Scottish terriers in general should be handled with caution at all times for they demand respect and have mind of their own.

If you want to hold newborn puppies, make sure to wait a few hours after birth so they can eat, rest, and settle down. Even then be as gentle as possible and don't hold them very often until they're a few days older. You also may want to consider that the mom may be protective, do it gradually, very slowly and calmly while demonstrate to her that you will not hurt her babies.

Should the father be separated from the mother?
I advise against letting the dad near the mother or the puppies, as mentioned in comments above, because the mother is in super protective mode and will probably try to hurt him. I would strongly suggest keeping him away from the mother and puppies. Male dogs are not good parents and usually a Scottie father would not want anything to do with the pups while they are young. Leave the parenting to the mother and keep the dad out, he can even kill or injure the little ones.

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