Plate 069 · British Isles
Scottish Terrier
苏格兰㹴
“The 'Diehard' of the Highlands, with a famous presidential fan.”
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Scottish Highlands
- Region of origin
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Highland terrier type; standardised in the late 19th century
- Today
- Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
Then → Now
Then · 1923Champion Fairwold Plaid. The archive's original caption reads: 'Best in show New York 1923.'
Unknown artist · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
NowHistory
01 · Origin
Scottish Highlands
A sturdy, short-legged terrier from the Scottish Highlands, once known as the Aberdeen Terrier.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Hunted foxes, badgers and vermin among rocks and in dens.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
In the late 19th century breeders separated the various Highland terriers into distinct breeds and wrote the first Scottish Terrier standard.
04 · Today
Companion
A dignified, independent companion with a famously feisty character.
Personality
- Independent
- Confident
- Dignified
- Spirited
- Loyal
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: this atlas’s editorial summary on a 1–5 scale, for rough comparison between breeds here — not a measurement or a standardised assessment.
- Size
- Small
- Lifespan
- 12 years
- Coat
- Harsh, wiry outer coat with a dense undercoat
Field note
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Scottish Terrier, Fala, is called the most famous Scottie in history and stands beside him in a statue in Washington, D.C.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Terrier Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI, The Kennel Club (UK)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
A classic terrier long associated with Scotland and American popular culture.
Sources2 references
- Scottish Terrier — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/scottish-terrier/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-07 · Registry status and AKC group; AKC recognition 1885 per AKC "Breeds by Year Recognized". Used as a registry reference only.
- Scottish Terrier (encyclopedia overview) — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Terrier
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-07 · Secondary overview; cross-check claims against primary breed-club sources.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions.
