“In the Scottish Terrier we are blessed with a dog that was bred that way for a specific purpose: to go to ground for rodents or varmints; to run the fields in any weather; to have a natural hunting instinct, alert and inquisitive; to be hard and sound with sufficient stamina to go all day. He was given a head much too large for beauty, but to house an honest mouthful of punishing teeth. A skull large enough to house some common sense and protect his deep set eyes, topped with small prick ears that can be laid flat and out of the way of an objecting tooth or claw. A muscular neck, strong enough to pull a badger from his den. Sloping shoulders to gently squeeze into cracks and holes. Well boned, short front legs with strong feet and nails, for digging and pushing backward – (how else to pull the varmint from the lair?) With all this up front he must be balanced with a body, a mid-piece, that is well sprung but not rigid, one piece and supple, for if that front end gets into a crack, the back end can’t block it coming out backwards. Balance it all with a very powerful set of hindquarters, something with which to drive this locomotive, cover it all with a short, hard coat, and you have a most functional and well equipped wee beastie. Set on top a tail, carried a little above the vertical just to let all the world know that he’s proud of being the best built big dog in a little package, and you’ve got a Scottish Terrier.”
Excerpt from TERRIER TYPE – JUDGING: Not so much HOW, but the WHY? – Published June 1966 – by Robert A. Marshall
