JUDGING THE SCOTTISH TERRIER BY DARLE HECK
O ver the years, breeders have discussed the fact that the Scottish Terrier is a dwarf breed. We now have undeni- able proof of his dwarf status. In 2009, a study was done by geneticist Heidi Parker and colleagues at the National Human Genome Research Institute in Maryland. They compared 76 different dog breeds looking for genetic differ- ences in dogs of different leg lengths. They found the mutation of a single gene and traced it to one mutational event in the canine genome that occurred early in the evolution of domestic dogs possi- bly as far back as 30,000 years ago. This mutation is responsible for short legs in 19 breeds, suggesting that most short- legged dogs share a common ancestor. The event was a DNA insertion that dou- bled the FgF4 gene for growth factor pro- tein causing overproduction. Scientists think that the second copy of the gene, an incomplete version of the original, is a retrogene and that it is sending sig- nals at the wrong time. As these breeds develop, the growth plates of their limb bones calcify and close early, stunting growth and leading to a type of dwarf- ism called chondrodysplasia. The study has linked 19 modern breeds including Scotties, Corgis, Dachshunds, Pekingese and Basset Hounds, all of which have short legs. Throughout history, humans have valued these dogs for their unique structure. In the Scottie, it was the abil- ity to follow vermin into the ground and either rout the pests or kill them underground. It was very advantageous to have a big dog with short legs to do battle with some of the more ferocious vermin. The larger head and jaw size allowed more strength of muzzle and bigger teeth. The heavier bone is harder to damage, more muscle allowed for more strength. A chest very deep and well let down between the forelegs allowed the dog to dig underground by resting on his brisket and placing the line of travel of the elbow above the
brisket, freeing the leg to move in the hole and allowed good heart and lung capacity. Stifles well bent and thighs very muscular allowed the dog to pull the vermin out of the hole backwards, added to digging power and gave a bet- ter ability to spring. We have reference to dwarf charac- teristics in our breed standard, where in almost every sentence the stan- dard describes a bigger dog with short legs. The Scottish Terrier standard has described a dog that is very compact, well muscled and powerful, giving the impression of immense power in a small size. It goes on to say that both forelegs and hind legs should be short and very heavy in bone in proportion to the size of the dog. The body to be moderately short and well ribbed up, the chest broad, very deep and well let down between the forelegs. Stifles well bent and thighs very muscular. Many of you are familiar with dwarf breeds in other groups and understand that structure. Think of them when
judging a Scottie—you would not put up a long legged, narrow Basset or Cor- gi nor one that is straight in shoulder, short in upper arm with no fore chest, so don’t put it up in a Scottie. Look for a 45 degree lay back, a long scapula with good length of upper arm which sets the front leg well back under the dog. Look for a pronounced fore chest, like the keel of a ship or as described by one of our famous breeders the “chest of a duchess”. Expect the chest to be broad, with body between the front legs (body dropped between the legs). This clearly means that the front is not narrow, the legs are not close together. The brisket is below the elbow, it is about 4" from the ground which is the size of an aver- age mans fist. This breed is not compact when looked at from his outside measure- ments, in fact, he is decidedly rectangu- lar. His pronounced fore chest and the pronounced shelf behind his tail add to his overall length. So, how does this equate with the “compact” wording
S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2017 • 269
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