With KAthi BroWn, Bill devillenueve, KAthleen J. FerriS, Gene hAinS, dArle hecK, cArolyn herBel, KAri hill, MAreth Kipp, richArd Miller, thoMAS pArrotti, Fred StephenS & Merle tAylor
back length of about 11 inches which is a rather long dog when compared to what we see in the ring. Prior to the 1993 standard change, the Scotty was considered a compact, cobby dog. I prefer to think of them as a square within a rectangle—height to length of back forming a square fitting into a rectangle containing a well-devel- oped forechest and a well-developed rear. I think new judges often fail to recognize the details that make the functional parts essential: deep-set eyes for protection, a well-filled muzzle to do its job, small ears to lesson damage, harsh, dense coat for protection, well-developed chest for breathing capabilities, a well-assembled front for digging power and short hocks for propulsion with a good strong tail set to provide handler assistance. Keep- ing these features in mind, one only has to prioritize and reward those dogs that excel. One of the examining tech- niques that Scotty people expect judges to use is using the hand to feel the forechest of the dog and using their fist to check for body depth—Scotty people expect it and judges should do it. And, only spar the dogs if, as a judge, you really know how and why you’re doing it— never more than two or three. With novices and inexpe- rienced handlers, it’s a sure way of losing total control of their exhibits. I usually only spar in the more mature classes, winners and breed—more so at specialties than all-breed shows. 9. Is there anything else you’d like to share about the breed? BD: Scotties can be a challenging breed to own; they have a mind of their own, but are also a lot of fun. They can also be quite affectionate, and I would never be without one. KF: Yes, attitude. It is what makes this breed the tough arrogant hunter they are. It is one of the few Terriers to spell it out clearly in the standard. No judge should put to Winners or Best of Breed any Scottish Terrier not showing real Terrier character in the ring. That is a heads-up, tails- up attitude, it may or may not include sparing if you know what you are doing, but it definitely means attitude. GH: Properly done, the spar is beautiful. While most aren’t properly done, and judges may not realize that, it involves neither snarling or baiting. DH: The breed is fearless, intelligent and can be easily bored. It is an easily sculpted breed, the coat lends itself to artistic mastery. Remember as you go over the dogs, to believe what you feel more than what you see. “thAt thiS iS A BiG doG in A SMAll, Sturdy, loW- StAtioned pAcKAGe...”
one front is a critical flaw of generic Terrier judging. This sturdy breed is so much more than an outline. Too many Scotties rewarded only on presentation and outline and being too high on leg. BD: New judges may have the most problem understanding the correct Scottie expression. When they are staring intensely it is a mean, hard, steely look—a look of eagles. When you get to know the breed well, you will under- stand this look. It is just about unique to the Scottie, when compared to other Terriers. GH: Scottie attitude. DH: We have a problem with judges putting up dogs that are too high on leg, especially when judging them in the grass. This is a short legged Terrier, the chest is deep and set below the elbow. The construction is similar to that of other short legged breeds in that the shoulder is long and well laid back with an equal upper arm. There are too many dogs with short upper arms in the ring today. That structure does not provide the correct digging front for this breed. Sometimes judges new to the breed put up dogs that are too refined. It is a breed of substance, look at how many times the word strong and broad are used in the standard. In addition, the breed specific gait is directly attributed to the deep broad forechest. CH: That this is a big dog in a small, sturdy, low- stationed package that does not have the normal canine front assembly. KH: Front angulation and the interpretation of the statement in the standard that says: “Elbows close to the body, and set in under the shoulder blade with a definite forechest in front of them.” The shoulder blade and the upper arm must be equal lengths and create a 90-degree angle at the point of shoulder. Many of the Scotties being shown today have well laid back shoulders, but the upper arms are not long enough. If you drop a plumb line from the back of ear down to the ground, the front foot should be behind that line. That is what it means to be set under the shoulder blade and that is what allows for the forechest in front of them. Think of the Dachshund front, albeit overdone for a Scottie, it makes the point. MK: Like most judges who actually started out in Terriers, I find not enough attention is paid to condition. Those jack- ets don’t happen overnight. I think length of body in the various breeds isn’t paid proper attention. The length of body is not the same in all breeds. Tail sets are often over- looked. Spend due diligence talking to breeders, attend specialties. You can’t learn it just by reading the standard. FS: The length of head, the body structure and the overall balance of the breed. MT: To be perfectly frank, I believe the standard is quite misleading and confuses new judges as to the proper balance of the Scottie. The current standard calls for a
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