Scottish Terrier Dog Breed Information

The Scottish Terrier is the small black terrier on the Monopoly board and Black & White whisky bottle, and a steady but uncommon presence in NZ council registrations. The breed has a temperament that does not match its toy-aisle marketing image, since a Scottie is independent, often reserved with strangers, and famously bonded to one person rather than the whole family.

Adults stand 25 to 28 cm at the shoulder and weigh 8 to 10 kg. The harsh wire double coat is most often black, with brindle and wheaten the other accepted breed-standard colours. Lifespan runs 11 to 13 years, somewhat shorter than most small terriers because of the breed’s documented elevated cancer risk.

The trade-off most prospective owners do not see in the marketing is the bond pattern. Scotties typically choose one person in the household and treat the rest of the family as acceptable but secondary. This makes the breed an excellent fit for single-owner homes and a less reliable fit for busy family households expecting a dog who treats every person identically.

Personality and behaviour

Scotties are dignified, often described as cat-like in their independence, and notably quieter at home than most small terriers. They bark to alert at the door but rarely run a continuous commentary on neighbourhood traffic. Adolescence (8 to 14 months) brings the testing phase; expect selective hearing, some resource guarding, and a clear demonstration of which household member the dog has chosen as primary.

The trait that surprises new owners is the loyalty pattern. The breed bonds hard and narrow. A Scottie who has chosen the woman of the house may follow her to the bathroom and ignore the rest of the family, including the person who feeds and walks the dog. This is hard-wired temperament, not a training failure.

The other surprise is the prey drive. The breed was developed to dispatch foxes and badgers in their dens, and the drive to chase rabbits, possums and cats remains. Households with rabbits, guinea pigs or aviary birds need to think carefully before adding a Scottie.

Scotties tolerate time alone better than most small breeds. An adult Scottie will sleep through a six to seven hour workday given a long morning walk, which suits the single-owner household that buys this breed.

Care and exercise

Plan on 45 minutes of real exercise per day, split into two walks. The breed is not a jogger, not an off-lead recall champion, and not a dog that wants to play fetch for an hour. A 25 minute morning walk and a 20 minute evening walk with sniffing time satisfies most Scotties.

The grooming workload is the underestimated cost. The breed-correct way to maintain the harsh wire coat is hand-stripping every three to four months. NZ groomers who hand-strip Scotties charge NZ$100 to NZ$180 per session and are not in every town. The alternative is clipping, which most NZ pet Scotties get; clipping softens the coat permanently and lightens the black colour over time, but is the practical choice for households not showing the dog. Brush twice weekly either way, and book a monthly tidy of face, ears and feet.

The health watchpoint is bladder cancer. The breed has the highest documented genetic risk for transitional cell carcinoma of any registered breed (Purdue University’s 2004 study placed Scottie risk at 18 to 20 times the general dog population). Annual urine checks from age six are a sensible precaution. Some research suggests adding a small portion of cruciferous vegetables to the diet two to three times a week may reduce risk, though evidence is limited.

Dental disease is the other lifetime watchpoint. Small jaw, crowded teeth, plaque builds, and most Scotties need a scale-and-polish under general anaesthetic from age six (NZ$400 to NZ$900 per session). Daily tooth brushing pushes that out by years.

Where to find a Scottish Terrier in New Zealand

The Scottie is a low-volume breed in NZ. Active NZKC breeders number in the single digits at any given time, litter sizes are small, and waitlists run long.

1. Registered NZKC breeders. The Dogs NZ breed directory lists active Scottish Terrier breeders, though the list often shows only one or two by region. Expect a 12 to 18 month waitlist and NZ$2,200 to NZ$3,800 per puppy. Reputable breeders test parents for von Willebrand disease, patellar luxation and eye conditions, and offer documented pedigree.
2. SPCA NZ and small-breed rescue. Scotties are uncommon in NZ rescue; the breed turns up perhaps a few times a year through SPCA centres or specialist small-breed rescues, usually as adolescents or seniors surrendered after the original owner’s circumstances changed. Adoption fees typically NZ$300 to NZ$600.
3. Australian breeders. Some NZ owners import puppies from Australian Scottie breeders. Expect total cost (puppy, MPI import process, transit) to land between NZ$5,500 and NZ$8,000.

Avoid Trade Me listings without parent health screening, and avoid breeders who can’t show you the dam.

Insurance and lifetime cost

Scottie insurance claims in NZ skew toward dermatology, dental disease, and the breed’s elevated cancer risk in older age. Lifetime cover handles chronic skin disease and senior cancer treatment that accident-only policies do not.

For a typical NZ Scottie on a mid-range lifetime policy, lifetime cost (purchase, setup, plus 11 to 13 years of food, vet, grooming, insurance and other) lands around NZ$22,000 to NZ$32,000. Cancer treatment in old age can push this higher; surgical removal of bladder tumours runs NZ$3,500 to NZ$7,500 plus follow-up chemotherapy.