Scottish Terrier

A solidly compact dog of vivid personality, the Scottish Terrier is an independent, confident companion with a dignified, almost-human character. Playful, fearless, and clever, Scotties make spirited, fun-loving companions who are good with children.

Temperament

The Scottish Terrier is an independent, confident companion of high spirits. Scotties have a dignified, almost-human character, and their terrier persistence has earned the breed the nickname "the Diehard." They are playful, fearless, clever, curious, and often mischievous. Fairly outgoing toward strangers, they make a spirited and fun-loving companion and are good with children.

Scotties are surprisingly sensitive and do best with reward-based training involving food or games. They learn quickly and are eager to please, but they also bore quickly and may come up with their own ideas. Independent and stubborn, they need a patient, consistent handler who can keep sessions short and engaging.

Around other dogs, Scotties can be feisty and sometimes argumentative. They may chase other household pets, though they can learn to get along with cats. Rodents are a poor choice of housemate. Many like to dig, and they tend to go off hunting and may not come when called, so a secure yard or leash is important for daily walks and sniffing time.

“A solidly compact dog of vivid personality, the Scottish Terrier is an independent, confident companion of high spirits.”

American Kennel Club

Daily needs and attention

A Scottish Terrier is a lively, alert housedog whose exercise needs can be met with a long walk or short run plus a vigorous game. They also need a chance to sniff and explore in a safe place or on leash. Games and tricks provide needed mental exercise, since they learn quickly but can bore easily. Training works best with reward-based methods involving food or games.

Grooming is moderate: the harsh, straight coat needs combing once or twice weekly, and shaping by plucking out dead hairs every three months keeps it tidy. Shedding is below average.

Scotties are independent, confident, and surprisingly sensitive. They are playful and good with children, but can be feisty around other dogs. They may chase other household pets, though they can learn to get along with cats. Many like to dig.

For a working household, a solid walk, a short play session, and some interactive games each day cover the essentials. They tend to stay in good weight or run slightly overweight, so a balanced diet matters.

“Its exercise needs can be met with a long walk or short run, along with a vigorous game.”

VCA Animal Hospitals

Health and lifespan

Scottish Terriers typically live 11 to 13 years, with the AKC listing a life expectancy of 12 years. They are a solidly compact breed standing about 10 inches tall and weighing 18 to 22 pounds. The breed tends to stay at a good weight or drift slightly overweight, so a balanced diet with restricted calories if the dog starts to gain too much weight is important for adult dogs. Their coat is harsh and straight, with below-average shedding. Maintenance involves combing once or twice a week and plucking out dead hairs every three months to keep the coat tidy; professional clipping can make this easier. The breed makes a lively and alert house dog, with exercise needs met by a long walk or short run plus a vigorous game. They also need a chance to sniff and explore in a safe place. For a working household, a daily walk and a short play session cover the physical and mental exercise this small, spirited dog needs.

“Scottish terriers tend to stay in good weight or be slightly overweight.”

VCA Animal Hospitals

Habits and behavior

The Scottish Terrier is an independent, confident companion of high spirits with a dignified, almost-human character. Playful and good with children, the breed is fearless, clever, curious, and often mischievous. They are fairly outgoing toward strangers and make a lively, alert housedog.

Scotties do best with reward-based training involving food or games. They learn quickly and are eager to please, but they also bore quickly and may come up with their own ideas. They are independent and stubborn, and surprisingly sensitive.

Exercise needs are modest: a long walk or short run, along with a vigorous game, meets most of what the breed requires. They also need a chance to sniff and explore in a safe place or on leash. Games and tricks provide needed mental exercise.

Around other dogs, Scotties can be feisty and sometimes argumentative. They may chase other household pets, though they can learn to get along with cats. Rodents are a poor choice of housemate. Many like to dig. They tend to go off hunting and may not come when called.

“Learns quickly and is eager to please, but also bores quickly, and may come up with its own ideas.”

VCA Animal Hospitals

Housing: apartment, house, yard and crate

The Scottish Terrier is a solidly compact dog standing 10 inches tall and weighing 18 to 22 pounds, making it well suited to apartment or house living. VCA describes the breed as a lively and alert housedog, and its exercise needs can be met with a long walk or short run along with a vigorous game. In a home, Scotties need a chance to sniff and explore in a safe place or on leash. A yard calls for a secure fence: Scotties tend to go off hunting and may not come when called, and many like to dig. Around other animals, they may chase household pets, and rodents are a poor choice of housemate. For crate or alone time, keep in mind that Scotties are independent, stubborn, and surprisingly sensitive. They do best with reward-based training involving food or games, and while they learn quickly, they may come up with their own ideas.

“Makes a lively and alert housedog.”

VCA Animal Hospitals

Challenges

Scottish Terriers are eager to please and learn quickly, but they are also independent and stubborn, so training works best when it is reward-based, using food or games. They can bore quickly and may come up with their own ideas. A working household should plan for a dog that needs a long walk or short run plus a vigorous game, along with time to sniff and explore in a safe place. They tend to go off hunting and may not come when called, so a secure yard or consistent leash use matters. Around other dogs, Scotties can be feisty and sometimes argumentative, and they may chase other household pets. Rodents are a poor choice of housemate. Grooming requires combing once or twice weekly and plucking out dead hairs every three months to keep the coat tidy, though professional clipping makes maintenance easier. They also tend to stay in good weight or be slightly overweight, so portion control is important.

“Learns quickly and is eager to please, but also bores quickly, and may come up with its own ideas.”

VCA Animal Hospitals

The fun part

The Scottish Terrier is a spirited, fun-loving companion with a vivid personality. Playful and good with children, Scotties are fearless, clever, curious, and often mischievous. They make a lively and alert housedog that thrives on games and tricks, which provide the mental exercise they need. They learn quickly and are eager to please, though they also bore quickly and may come up with their own ideas. A long walk or short run, along with a vigorous game, meets their exercise needs. They also enjoy a chance to sniff and explore in a safe place or on leash. Fairly outgoing toward strangers, a Scottie can be a confident, high-spirited presence in a working household. Their dignified, almost-human character and terrier persistence have earned the breed the nickname 'the Diehard.'

“Scotties have a dignified, almost-human character.”

AKC

Living with kids, cats and other dogs

Scottish Terriers are playful and good with children, making them a spirited companion in a family home. They are fairly outgoing toward strangers. Around other dogs, Scotties can be feisty and sometimes argumentative, so introductions should be handled carefully. With cats, a Scottish Terrier may chase other household pets but can learn to get along with cats over time. Rodents are a poor choice of housemate.

In a working household, a Scottish Terrier's exercise needs are modest: a long walk or short run plus a vigorous game covers the physical side. They also need a chance to sniff and explore in a safe place or on a leash. Games and tricks provide needed mental exercise, since they learn quickly but can bore and may come up with their own ideas. They do best with reward-based training involving food or games.

One practical note: many Scotties like to dig, and they tend to go off hunting and may not come when called, so a secure yard or leash is wise.

“May chase other household pets, but can learn to get along with cats.”

VCA Animal Hospitals

What to ask the rescue

When you meet a Scottish Terrier at the rescue, ask what motivates this particular dog. Scotties do best with reward-based training involving food or games, so ask the handler whether the dog responds to treats, play, or both. Ask about exercise: a long walk or short run plus a vigorous game should meet the breed's needs, but confirm this dog's level. Since many Scotties like to dig and can be feisty around other dogs, ask whether this one has shown digging or how it interacts with other animals on site. Ask about the coat's condition and whether it has been plucked or clipped recently, as the coat needs combing once or twice weekly and plucking every three months. Ask about weight, since Scotties tend to stay in good weight or be slightly overweight, and what the feeding schedule looks like. Finally, ask how the dog handles alone time, as Scotties are independent and may come up with their own ideas when bored.

“Does best with reward-based training involving food or games.”

VCA Animal Hospitals

Sources

• American Kennel Club
• VCA Animal Hospitals