Animal register · DogIn the app
Scottish Terrier
Scottie, Aberdeen Terrier
The Scottish Terrier, often called the Scottie, comes from Great Britain; the FCI lists it among the small-sized terriers. The Kennel Club standard describes a thick-set, short-legged dog, alert in carriage and suggestive of great power and activity in small compass, loyal and faithful, dignified, independent and reserved, but courageous and highly intelligent — bold, but never aggressive. Its close-lying double coat has a harsh, wiry outer coat; the colour is black, wheaten or brindle of any shade. It gives a height of 25–28 cm and a weight of 8.5–10.5 kg.
The PDSA says Scotties need around an hour of exercise daily and daily grooming, with stripping and clipping by a professional groomer every two to three months, describes them as loyal and devoted to their family, and says they can be stubborn, so training needs patience and commitment. PetMD says that with the right training and socialisation they can be good dogs for families, that socialising the puppy is important, and that they should not be left alone for extended periods.
Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).
Updated:
At a glance
- Size
- medium — PDSA S474
- Adult weight
- males 8.5–10.5 kg, females 8.5–10.5 kg — The Kennel Club S473
- Daily exercise
- at least 1 hour a day — PDSA S474
- Lifespan
- more than 10 years — PDSA S474
Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.
Who it suits
The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.
What it needs
From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.
Exercise
- Daily exercise: at least 1 hour a day — PDSA S474
Meals
General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):
Lifespan
- Lifespan: more than 10 years — PDSA S474
Life stages
- Reaches adult size at: about 9–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10
General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):
Size and weight
Training
Questions and answers
Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.
How much exercise does a Scottish Terrier need?
According to our sources, the Scottish Terrier needs this much exercise: at least 1 hour a day — PDSA S474.
How long does a Scottish Terrier live?
According to our sources, the lifespan of the Scottish Terrier is: more than 10 years — PDSA S474.
Game rules, not veterinary advice
How PetPrep simulates it
In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.
| Life stage | Starts | Meals a day | Daily step goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy | arrives at 2 months | 4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 2 | 1,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6 |
| Young dog | month 9 | 2 | 6,000 steps |
| Adult | month 36 (3 years) | 2 | 6,000 steps |
| Senior | month 90 (7.5 years) | 2 | 4,500 steps |
- Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
- Learns commands more slowly than the mixed breed of the free plan (0.7× its speed).
- Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
- Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
- Combing 7 times a week.
- Care: a visit to the groomer every 8 weeks — a reminder for the parent.
Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, PDSA S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S474
Health
For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.
- Von Willebrand's disease, an inherited problem with blood clotting that can cause excessive bleeding, occurs in the breed. — PDSA S474
- Scottie cramp — short episodes of muscle cramping, usually brought on by excitement — occurs in the breed; it is not painful. — PDSA S474
- Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S474
- Cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart caused by a weakening of the heart muscle, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S474
- Eye problems can occur in the breed, such as cataracts, which cloud the lens, and a dislocated lens (lens luxation). — PDSA S474
- Skin allergies (atopy), which cause itching and sore skin, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S474
- Deafness in one or both ears occurs in the breed; puppies' hearing can be checked with a BAER test. — PDSA S474
Before you buy: what to check with the breeder
Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.
For every breed
- See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
- The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
- Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
- Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
- National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
- Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10
Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.
Health tests of the parents for this breed
Other screening schemes for this breed
- DNA test for von Willebrand disease type 3 (vWD3), an inherited bleeding disorder — Scottish Terrier Club of America K34
- Kneecap check for luxating patella before breeding — Scottish Terrier Club of America K34
- Test for craniomandibular osteopathy (CMO), an inherited bone disorder of the jaw — Scottish Terrier Club of America K34
These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.
Similar breeds
Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.
Sources
Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.
- S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
- S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
- S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
- S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
- S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
- S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
- S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
- S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
- S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
- S472FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — Scottish Terrier (73)https://www.fci.be/EN/nomenclature/TERRIER-ECOSSAIS-73.html
- S473The Kennel Club (reprinted by the Kennel Union of Southern Africa) — Scottish Terrier — Kennel Club breed standard (01-2026) (PDF)https://www.kusa.co.za/images/breed%20stds%20djaki/Scottish%20Terrier%20-%20KC%20[01-2026].pdf
- S474PDSA — Scottish Terrier breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/medium-dogs/scottish-terrier
- S475PetMD — Scottish Terrierhttps://petmd.com/dog/breeds/scottish-terrier
- K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
- K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
- K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
- K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
- K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy
- K34Scottish Terrier Club of America (hosted by the American Kennel Club) — STCA CHIC Requirements 2026 (PDF)https://www.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/STCA-CHIC-Requirements-2026.pdf
PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.
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