when walking. Sidewalk walking can help keep them in proper length as well as the rough terrain in Scotland once did. “A Scottie is a big dog in a small pack- age” is often used when describing their character Th ey are extremely strong for their size. Being a full sized dog on dwarf legs, it’s also important to remember heavy bone when selecting breeding stock. Recently, a lady very experienced with Kerry Blue Terriers helped us at a show to take Winners Dog back into the ring for BOB judging. She was almost dragged around the ring by our boy! I don’t know who was more suprised, her or me! As Captain Jocelyn Lucas notes in Hunt and Working Terriers (1931): “Working ter- riers means, in sporting parlance, a terrier that will go to ground on fox, badger, or otter, and not merely a dog that will kill rats or hunt out rabbits.” How true for our undaunted Scottish Terrier!
As a Scottie digs di ff erently than many breeds, throwing dirt between its front legs rather than out to the side, the hole being dug is very narrow. Th ey do not turn in the hole, but rather use those huge teeth that they have to lock onto the varmint. Th e fi rmly rooted tail allows them to be dragged out of the hole by the tail, and if the prey is not already dead, it is fi nished o ff by the “Scottish Highlander” as in old days, or the modern earth dogger today as the dog backs out of the hole. At dog shows today, spectators are often shocked by see- ing a scottie lifted by the tail. Th ere is a funny saying of unknown origin applied to Scottie character. “What I have is mine, what you have is mine, and what I see is mine” Th ey never hesitate to let their humans know this. Of strong charac- ter, a Scottie is also very sensitive to punish- ment. Th ey can not be forced to do much of anything, and if scolded severely, they may
sulk under the couch and not come out. A treat may bring them out, but they may be unforgiving for some time. Too severe and you may create real aggression. If my old Scottie bitch shows her teeth, it is only to smile. Her grand- daughter smiles so much it causes her to sneeze. Often taken with this breed as a sign of aggression, it is a peculiar thing they can do when very pleased and when the owner comes home or talks to them sweetly. To check for aggression one must look at the eyes and ears. It is not hard distinguish. Th is funny trait seems to run in families. But to understand a Scottie is to know that they do not like the top of their head patted, probably because they think it makes them submissive. But they will always enjoy having their neck or cheeks scratched. With people they know well, they will sometimes do a doggy “ummm”
“With people they know well, THEY WILL SOMETIMES DO A DOGGY ‘UMMM’ OF APPROVAL IF THEIR HEAD IS RUBBED.”
t4 )08 4 *()5 . "(";*/& + 6-:
Powered by FlippingBook