The long, lean skull is a precious possession which we should strenuously preserve and if coarse skulls are pardoned, the fault is most insidious. W. L. McCandlish |
The 1993 STCA Standard includes a Scale of Points, the purpose of which is to give judges some way to evaluate the relative importance of virtues and faults. Of the 100 points, 25 are assigned to the elements of the headpiece. You could put a Scottie head on a body of virtually any size and shape, and it would still be recognizable as a Scottie head. It is, therefore, essential that we maintain correct head type if we are going to maintain correct breed type. The proponents of the "square" Scottie have become accepting of shorter heads, arguing that a short-backed dog may have a short head. The fact is, however, that a Scottie head that doesn't look long in proportion to the dog is incorrect and seriously deviating from breed type. On a personal note, I was horrified at the number of short-headed "cat-faced" Scottie puppies in the Sweepstakes at the 1998 Montgomery County dog show. Breeders and judges must actively oppose this trend or our Scots shall soon be indistinguishable from their cousins, the Westie and the Cairn. |
This is the end of Chapter 2. Please click here to submit questions. Questions and answers will be posted on a separate page and updated regularly. Suggestions are also VERY welcome. Thanks for your interest in the Scottish Terrier. |