Scotties are special dogs for many reasons. They are intelligent, joyful companions; we like to describe them as big dogs in little dog packages, as our Scotties have that nobility and gentleness that “big dog people” so value in their pets. They will have their energetic moments, particularly when new people come around, or when playing ball or chasing squirrels, but you’re just as likely to see them snoozing on the couch or cuddling on a lap. They are not, by any means, yappy terriers, and they can have a decidedly stoic streak. They’re excellent guard dogs on the vocal front, but none of our dogs are excessive barkers. Once they’ve alerted you to a “threat” (a car pulling into the driveway, a doorbell, etc.) and you thank them or give them an enthusiastic “okay!” they usually stop pretty quickly. We’ve sold many dogs to apartment-dwellers and it’s worked out perfectly well.
Scotties will run trails with you; walk briskly at your heels on a pavement; spend a lazy Sunday morning in bed reading the paper with you; or curl up on your lap while you both watch TV – they’re highly adaptable, versatile dogs.
Short, muscular dogs like Scotties are protected from the hip problems that plague bigger dogs. This is a definite bonus, especially since they live, on average, such long lives.
Many people also appreciate Scotties because they don’t shed any more than humans do; they’re low-dander, so you’ll find that they’re easier on allergies than many other breeds, and easier to keep clean.
We’ve read that Scotties are known to dig, but none of ours have really proven this characteristic past their puppy years. Individual dogs in every breed can be prone to digging; as with so many other traits, much depends on your dog’s unique personality and its training.
Some descriptions of Scotties in books and on websites call them “scrappy.” We have our doubts about this. It’s true that most Scotties won’t back down in a fight, even when provoked by a much bigger dog, but our dogs have always approached visitors with friendly excitement, not a “scrappy” mentality. And when our pups have come back as adults to board with us, we’ve found that with some careful introductions and monitoring in the beginning, dogs that have never met before and are in a new place can still get along and become part of a pack.
It’s heartbreaking to see so many breed guides in print and online label Scotties as “difficult to train” and “bad with children” – these kinds of comments are certainly NOT representative of the experiences we’ve had with our wonderful brood, and the feedback we’ve gotten from our clients. Our five children were all raised with many Scotties — as babies and toddlers they would often crawl into the crate where a mum and her pups were, pick up the pups and cuddle them, and the mum would watch patiently. Intact males with females, pups and boarding dogs on the property would still slowly, carefully take a treat out of a baby’s hand, and only when it was finally offered. Truly, it was wonderful to raise our children with these dogs.
Mucklewags 