A natural consequence in all breeds of breeding for excessive length of head is the elimination of the stop. The face gets flatter and flatter with every small addition to length. To insist on a proper stop is therefore a hindrance to overdoing length of head. The stop need not, in fact should not, be too deep. W. L. McCandlish |
The "stop" is a depression or step down in the topline of the head, situated almost centrally between the eyes, at the junction of the frontal bones of the skull with those of the upper jaw and nose in front. The "slight but distinct" stop is a small, but critical aspect of a correct Scottish Terrier head. Breeders selecting for excessive length of head to the exclusion of all else often overlook the stop, resulting in a gradual flattening of the head. The stop is crucial because it allows the eyes to be set deeply under the brow, where they can be protected in a fight. British author Dorothy Caspersz correctly asserts that the absence of a stop results in a "foreign" expression. The inner corner of the eye should mark the location of the stop and the longitudinal center of the head from nose to occiput.
Careful trimming of eyebrows can sometimes give the impression of a stop when there is none. If a Scottie has a correct stop, you will see a slight but distinct drop from the level of the topline of the skull to the top line of the muzzle when the dog is viewed in profile. |
The skull should be moderately broad, allowing brain space, but entirely devoid of any prominence at the cheek-bones or above the brows. It should have a clean-cut, chiseled appearance from whatever angle it is viewed. Dorothy Caspersz |
The Scottish Terrier is not supposed to have a narrow skull. Rather, the width of the skull should be just slightly narrower than the length of the skull. For an 8 1/4 inch length of head, this would make the ideal skull about 3 3/4 inches wide. (See the Breeder's Guide Table). The head gives the impression of being narrow because of its length. A skull of the proper width may look too coarse if the head is too short. The dog pictured below has the correct ratio of skull width to head length. |
