Breed: Scottish Terrier

The Scottish Terrier (also known as the Aberdeen Terrier), popularly called the Scottie, is a breed of dog. Initially one of the highland breeds of Terrier that were grouped under the name of Skye Terrier, it is one of five breeds of terrier that originated in Scotland, the other four being the modern Skye, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont, and West Highland White Terrier. They are an independent and rugged breed with a wiry outer coat and a soft dense undercoat. The Fourth Earl of Dumbarton nicknamed the breed "the diehard." The modern breed is said to be able to trace its lineage back to a single female, named Splinter II.

They are a small breed of Terrier with a distinctive shape and have had many roles in popular culture. They have been owned by a variety of celebrities, including the 43rd President George W. Bush, and are well known for being a playing piece in the board game Monopoly. Described as a territorial, feisty dog, they can make a good watchdog but tend to be very loyal to their family. In health issues, Scottish Terriers can be more prone to bleeding disorders, joint disorders, autoimmune diseases, allergies, and cancer than some other breeds of dog and there is a condition named after the breed called Scotty cramp.

Temperament

Scotties are territorial, alert, quick moving and feisty, perhaps even more so than other terrier breeds. The breed is known to be independent and self-assured, playful, intelligent and has been nicknamed the 'Diehard' because of its rugged nature and endless determination. The 'Diehard' nickname was originally given to it in the 19th century by George, the fourth Earl of Dumbarton. The Earl had a famous pack of Scottish Terriers, so brave that they were named “Diehards”. They were supposed to have inspired the name of his Regiment, The Royal Scots, "Dumbarton’s Diehards".

Scotties, while being described as very loving, have also been described as stubborn. They are sometimes described as an aloof breed, although it has been noted that they tend to be very loyal to their family and are known to attach themselves to one or two people.

It has been suggested that the Scottish Terrier can make a good watchdog due to its tendency to bark only when necessary and because it is typically reserved with strangers, although this is not always the case. They have been described as a fearless breed that may be aggressive around other dogs unless introduced at an early age. Scottish Terriers were originally bred to hunt and fight badgers. Therefore, the Scottie is prone to dig as well as chase small vermin, such as Squirrels, rats, and mice.

History

The Scottish Terrier, as implied by its name, has its origins in Scotland and is a member of the Terrier group.  What may not be realized is that there were no specific types of Terriers up until around 1800.  They had been loosely grouped as either long-legged or short-legged. Each region would breed for type, that is how we now have the Cairn Terrier, the West Highland White, the Dandie Dinmont, and the Scottish Terriers.  The Scottish Terrier is thought to be an ancestor of the other three terriers.  The Dandie Dinmont was the first of these terriers to break off and to stand alone as a distinct and separate breed.  However, the remaining three were grouped together until 1917, when The Kennel Club of Great Britain prohibited interbreeding.  It is believed that until this time, all three types could be found in a single litter.

What needs to be kept in mind is that the early breeding practices were not exactly scientific.  Nothing was written down.  The rule was if a dog performed its function well, it stayed.  If the dog would not, or could not, perform its function, it was gone.  The Scottish Terrier was bred to be a serious working farm dog.  It hunted varmints, and exterminated them.  Some of the varmints included foxes, badgers, wildcats, weasels, otters, rats, and anything else that gave the Scottish farmer a problem.  This dog needed to be able to work independently of the farmer, the dog had a job to do and he was expected to do it with little direction from the farmer, who had his own work to do.  The breed became protective of the farmer's land (territorial) and being intelligent and confident, rather domineering.

The Scottish Terrier made its first appearance in a show ring in 1860.  What is interesting is that under the classification of "Scottish Terrier" there were exhibited other terriers that possessed names such as the "Rough-haired, the Paisley, Highland, Aberdeen and Skye".  Apparently it was a classification that did not pertain to the specific breed of Scottish Terrier that we know today, it was simply a way of defining a group of terriers from Scotland.

In 1883 there was a movement among Scottish Terrier owners to purify and maintain the Scottie as a separate breed.  A standard was written and adopted by a specialty club in Scotland for the "Hard-Haired Scotch Terrier".  In 1887 a Scottish Terrier Club was established ironically in England, than in 1888 a similar club was established in Scotland.

The Scottish Terrier made its appearance on the American continent in the 1880's.  The A.K.C. registered its first Scottie in 1885.  The Scottish Terrier Club of America was establish in 1900.

Article Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Terrier
http://www.barkbytes.com/history/sctter.htm