Scottish Terrier Puppy Checklist
Before Puppy Comes Home
Prepare for a Dog With Strong Opinions From Day One
The Scottish Terrier puppy is compact, alert, and has a personality that becomes very apparent in the first days. Preparation focuses on secure containment, finding a breed-knowledgeable groomer, and knowing the vWD status of your puppy before any veterinary procedures.
Supplies Checklist
- Medium wire crate with divider
- Small, heavy stainless steel food and water bowls
- Adjustable collar and 6-foot leash
- Front-clip harness for leash training
- ID tag with phone number
- Small-breed puppy food confirmed with breeder
- Slicker brush and wide-tooth metal comb
- Soft pet wipes for daily beard care
- Enzymatic cleaner for accidents
- Durable chew toys — the Scottie is a committed chewer
Yard and Home Safety
- Inspect fencing and secure any gaps — the Scottie's digging instinct is genuine
- Bury wire mesh along the fence line to prevent digging out
- Remove unsupervised access to small animals (prey drive is present)
- Secure electrical cords and small chewable hazards
Vet and Groomer Setup
- Find a vet before the puppy arrives and inform them of the puppy's vWD status from the breeder's health documentation
- Schedule first wellness exam within 48–72 hours
- Ensure your vet notes the vWD status in the dog's permanent file
- Enroll in pet insurance with cancer and hereditary condition coverage immediately
- Find a groomer experienced with Scottish Terriers or similar wiry terrier breeds
- Book a puppy introduction appointment at 10–12 weeks
First Week Setup
Calm Introduction for a Dignified Puppy
The Scottie puppy benefits from a calm, structured introduction. It is not typically as enthusiastically social as a Golden Retriever puppy — give it space to assess its new environment on its own terms.
Day 1–2
- Show the puppy the crate with a meal inside — do not force; allow the puppy to investigate at its own pace
- Begin house-training schedule immediately
- Allow the puppy to explore a gated area of the home without overwhelming social pressure
- Begin daily beard wiping as part of the post-meal routine from day one
Day 3–7
- Begin short harness walks — loose-leash training from the first step
- Introduce 1–2 calm adult visitors with quiet positive interactions — do not force the puppy to interact if it is hesitant
- Begin daily handling: feet, beard, ears, and mouth for grooming tolerance
- Complete vet wellness visit — remind vet of vWD status
- Book puppy obedience class
Socialization (Weeks 8–16)
- Calm adults — the Scottie is naturally reserved with strangers and benefits from positive, low-pressure introductions
- Children who are calm and respectful — not boisterous young children
- Other dogs in controlled, non-overwhelming settings
- Novel environments, sounds, and surfaces
- Building independence: crate time while home, increasing duration to prevent separation anxiety
Training
Patient, Positive Training for an Independent Mind
Training a Scottish Terrier requires a different mindset than training most breeds. The Scottie is not going to comply because you want it to — it evaluates whether the proposed transaction is worth its while. Your job is to make training worth the Scottie's while, consistently, and to never try to out-stubborn a Scottie (you won't win).
What Works
- Very high-value food rewards — kibble is rarely motivating enough. Use small pieces of real meat, cheese, or other high-value treats.
- Short sessions (3–5 minutes) that end before the dog's interest flags
- Consistent rules — the Scottie notices when rules change and will exploit inconsistency
- A calm, matter-of-fact training style — the Scottie responds poorly to drama or pressure
Priority Commands
- Come (recall) — this is the most important safety command and the most challenging for a terrier. Work on it daily in secure areas with extremely high-value rewards.
- Sit, stay, down — the fundamentals. Work on them in short daily sessions.
- Leave it — essential for managing prey drive around small animals and dropped food hazards
- Off — teach this before jumping on people becomes a 22-pound habit
What to Avoid
- Harsh corrections — the Scottie may respond with defensiveness, not compliance
- Long repetitive drills — the Scottie gets bored and disengages
- Expecting the same response every time in novel environments — work recall in many different places to build reliable response
- Expecting the Scottie to be universally friendly — respect its selective nature rather than trying to force social behavior it's not comfortable with
Related Reading
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Scottish Terrier a difficult puppy to raise? +
It requires more patience and consistency than many small breeds. The Scottie's independence means it will test limits, may not respond as quickly to training as a biddable breed, and has a confidence that can be mistaken for stubbornness. Experienced dog owners find it rewarding; first-time owners sometimes find it challenging.
What should I tell my vet about my Scottish Terrier's health? +
Ensure your vet knows your puppy's vWD (von Willebrand disease) status from the breeder's health testing documentation. vWD affects blood clotting, and knowing the status is important before any surgical procedure including spay or neuter. This information should be permanently noted in the dog's file.
How do I introduce my Scottish Terrier puppy to strangers? +
Calmly and without pressure. Let the stranger crouch down to the dog's level rather than looming over it. Allow the puppy to approach in its own time. Use food rewards when the puppy chooses to interact. Never force a Scottie into an interaction it is resisting — this breeds defensiveness rather than acceptance.
