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.
     The Scottish Terrier is not a dog for everyone.  Be sure that you are as determined as this dog, and possess a good sense of humor.  This breed is not subservient, even though the loyalty of the dog to his owner is to the death.  The Scottie will not always do what it is told to do.  He needs to know the answer to the question, "Why?  What's in it for me?"

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