Page 286 - ShowSight, November 2020

SCOTTISH TERRIER:
Coat and Color
BY KATHI BROWN & MARIANNE MELUCCI
“It is seldom a
good dog can be
a bad color.”
–A.G. Cowley-Albourne Kennels
More is often made about color, less so identified the variety of Scottish Terrier as, “Steel or iron
regarding the coat itself. As more judges from other Groups begin to judge our breed, it bears reminding that the coat
itself is of greater importance and emphasis. The present standard scale of points adopted in 1993 has removed color and has the highest weight as “coat.” It is important to remember:
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What color is a Scottish Terrier? For the novice and the unfamiliar, the color black might be an answer. Longtime breeders and knowledgeable Terrier judges are well aware that the breed has a coat of many colors, textures, and shades. It is critical to the understanding of the Scottish Terrier that the coat, not the color, is of greater importance.
Historically, the Scot has always been a multi-colored breed. In the early 1880s, Captain Mackie visited the Highlands to view and record information about Scot- tish Terriers. It was, and is still, a purposeful breed and each regional gamekeeper selected and bred dogs for their gameness and ability to rid the area of vermin. Mackie recorded dogs of many colors; red, brindle, fawn, grizzly, black, and sandy. The reports described coats “as hard as any would want” and specifically “rough-coated.” By the year 1880, a committee was formed to describe the breed characteristics, and the only mention of color was “white marking objectionable.” Reports were made that red brindle with a black mask was highly desirable. The first English Standard (1887) was more detailed and
grey, black brindle, brown brindle, grey brindle, black, sandy and wheaten. White markings are objectionable and can be allowed only on the chest and that to a slight extent only.” The American Standard (1947-1993) con- tinued to recognize coat color as “steel or iron grey, brin- dle or grizzled, black, sandy or wheaten.” In 1993, the color was changed, dropping the grizzle and changing to Black, Wheaten or Brindle of any color. The colors were presumably listed alphabetically. A suggestion would be an additional line be added stating that “no color is preferred.” However, it is critical that the original colors identified in the earlier standard not be penalized in any way, and that colors, though rarer today, still may and do occur and are acceptable. While grizzle is very com- mon, most within the breed refer to it as a brindle, and is most certainly included. Personally, being in the breed as an owner, breeder, exhibitor, and judge for more than 45 years, I revel in the colors that may be seen in the Scottish Terrier and which are glorious in their variety.
There are many combinations that can and do occur. The Scottish Terrier can be solid or brindled, darker or lighter, black, sandy, red, rich reddish wheaten or paler. It can have a dark mask visible on the brindles. (The solid black may also have a mask, though it is indistinguish- able on the dog.) Brindles may appear in varying depths of color and shades (red, silver, etc.) Wheaten can appear in any variation from cream through deeper red. As the coat is worked, and the dog ages, shadings may change. Shading on the wheaten is very common as the length and age of the stripped coat and undercoat may influ- ence the color. Even a black dog is not just black, but occurs in many tones. Often a few white hairs may be found on the body coat of a black dog, with no penalty. Some owners will pluck these, whereas others will leave them as evidence for the discerning judge that the dog was not artificially colored. White is still allowable to a slight extent (size of a quarter) on the chest. On the chin, you may find lighter hairs, which breeders refer to as a milk beard. Upon closer examination of these, one will find that the white is often a dilute grizzle. Infrequently, black and tan markings have been known to occur in the breed. Solid reds and sandies are rare.