in the standard. Compactness is seen in the view from withers to set on of tail. The Scapula is long and laid back at a true 45 degrees while the tail is set high on a broad, flat croup. He is long ribbed with a short loin and combined these traits appear to visually shorten the dog, while allowing him to main- tain the structure necessary for a go to ground breed. Why am I stressing this? Because our breed is changing and we are seeing generic dogs winning in the all-breed ring. We see dogs that are too tall, too narrow, with steep shoulders and upright upper arms placing in groups. These dogs have minimal or non-existent fore chest and frequently have low tail sets with no rear shelf. They lack dwarf char- acteristics and are so far removed from type that they may as well be another breed. They may go around the ring quickly, but they are not correct. The illustrated guide for the STCA has a final pull out page designed to fit in your judges book. It describes the six key priorities of the breed in the order in which the club wants you to rank them. If you do nothing more, understanding these six priorities will allow you to do a better job with this breed. 1st Temperament because the stan- dard has an effective elimination for shy dogs. 2nd Low to ground because nothing else matters if he is not a dwarf. 3rd Heavy bone and substance basi- cally the same as above. 4th Long, clean, powerful head and jaws with big teeth because he was a badger dog and we think it’s pretty. 5th Hard wiry double coat, because he lived in Scotland and worked the briars and burrows 6th Gait, because it is breed specific and related to his dwarf structure. Now let’s look at the details always remembering what the priorities are. SO WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR? As your class enters the ring, look for an outline, this is a classic outline breed. The head and tail are up, the head is long for the size of the body, the neck is arched, the dog looks compact from withers to set on of tail. There is a pronounced fore chest and there is a rear shelf (look for dog behind the tail).
He has been described as a battleship sitting low in the water with a prow, a keel and a stern. Look for him to be about 10" tall, low to the ground, broad and substantial. The Scottish Terrier is a multum in parvo dog—a lot of dog in a small package. And he is an attitude breed. He should own the ground he walks on— he is a confident dog. He should flow smoothly around the ring in expecta- tion that everything and everyone will move aside for him. He is also highly intelligent and easily bored with an elimination for shyness, which is why he is also the most frequently sparred Terrier. He is not a wind up toy, he doesn’t have the boisterous high energy of some of the other Terriers; he is dig- nified and proud, indifferent to strang- ers. An aloof, independent breed that tends to like his own people. Don’t stare down the Scottie—he doesn’t like it. When you get him on the table, take a look at the side view. Note the proportions of head to neck to back. This is a breed of extremes, there is nothing moderate about a Scottie. His head is long for his body, his neck is strong and nicely arched. He has a true 45 degree lay back with a long scapula which sets the withers further back on the dog than normally expected. His tail is set high on a broad, flat croup. There is bum behind the tail, we call it a rear shelf. But, he looks compact from withers to set on of tail. His upper arm is approximately equal, bringing the elbow under the with- ers. This sets the front leg well back under the dog and adds to the appear- ance of a pronounced fore chest. You realize that this dog is actually longer than you thought when you look at his outside measure from pro sternum
to ischium, the fore chest and rear shelf have added to his overall length without taking away your impression of compactness.
How to Judge the Scottish Terrier
EXAMINATION OF THE HEAD
Approaching from the front, look for a well-balanced, quality head. Approach the head by placing hands underneath the muzzle and skull. Check the eyes for correct almond shape and expres- sion. Feel the bones at the side of the head. These bones should be flat and clean, with no curves. Feel that the top of the skull is nearly flat or slight- ly domed, not apple shaped. Compare the length of skull from occiput to stop and muzzle from stop to the end of the
272 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2017
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