PAST PERCEPTIONS: DO THEY STILL FIT TODAY’S SCOTTISH ...
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PAST PERCEPTIONS: DO THEY STILL FIT TODAY’S SCOTTISH TERRIER By Merle Taylor Author’s Note: The diagrams and pictures used in this article have been copied from their original sources as they appeared. The skeleton picture (with double shoulders) and the final picture in the article were modified for their purpose. I must extend my unending gratitude to Darle Heck who, when asked, provided the lines and rulers on the pictures making my simple line drawings much more attractive and informative. This article originated from my investigations and viewpoint; it does not necessarily represent the views of the members of the STCA Standard Review Committee. When Carolyn and I brought home our first Scottie puppy, it began our quest for more information. Neither of us came from show dog families; yes, we had dogs, mixed breeds, but not Scottish Terriers. Being teachers, we began pursuing “books”—books filled with information about Scottish Terriers, from the simple “owners’ manuals” to the in-depth studies of the breed by noted American and English breeders. There was always a “war” as who got to read “The Bagpiper” first. That was then, 1969. When I became involved with the Standards Review Committee, I felt a need to go back to that time, bringing to the forefront some factual information that could be valuable to me in my charge of guiding a committee in developing a good standard for our breed. Information I wanted to share with our membership. If the reader has not read about my beginnings in the breed previously printed in The Bagpiper, I may, later, share that part of my involvement again as it is not unlike anyone getting started today. I certainly did not enter the world of Scottish Terriers with any degree of knowledge about the breed. All I have done is pass through the school of “hard knocks” and consumed all I could from my wonderful all- breed and Scottie mentors and friends I have made through the years. The portion of this writing shares information about type and size from the origins of the breed. At this point, I chose only to use books written prior to the standard revision in 1993. While I am using drawings from some of my sources; I am also using a few drawings from two of the “illustrated” standards prepared by the Scottish Terrier Club of America—Clarification and Amplification of the Scottish Terrier Standard (1980) later referred to as the “Red Book” and A Study of the Scottish Terrier (1999) referred to as the “Plaid Book”. There are excellent current breed books that will be mentioned in a later part of my article plus the third illustrated standard booklet recently published by the Scottish Terrier Club of America.
Transcript of PAST PERCEPTIONS: DO THEY STILL FIT TODAY’S SCOTTISH ...
PASTPERCEPTIONS:DOTHEYSTILLFITTODAY’SSCOTTISHTERRIERByMerleTaylor
Author’sNote:Thediagramsandpicturesusedinthisarticlehavebeencopiedfromtheiroriginalsourcesastheyappeared.Theskeletonpicture(withdoubleshoulders)andthefinalpictureinthearticleweremodifiedfortheirpurpose.ImustextendmyunendinggratitudetoDarleHeckwho,whenasked,providedthelinesandrulersonthepicturesmakingmysimplelinedrawingsmuchmoreattractiveandinformative.Thisarticleoriginatedfrommyinvestigationsandviewpoint;itdoesnotnecessarilyrepresenttheviewsofthemembersoftheSTCAStandardReviewCommittee.
WhenCarolynandIbroughthomeourfirstScottiepuppy,itbeganourquestformoreinformation.Neitherofuscamefromshowdogfamilies;yes,wehaddogs,mixedbreeds,butnotScottishTerriers.Beingteachers,webeganpursuing“books”—booksfilledwithinformationaboutScottishTerriers,fromthesimple“owners’manuals”tothein-depthstudiesofthebreedbynotedAmericanandEnglishbreeders.Therewasalwaysa“war”aswhogottoread“TheBagpiper”first.Thatwasthen,1969.WhenIbecameinvolvedwiththeStandardsReviewCommittee,Ifeltaneedtogobacktothattime,bringingtotheforefrontsomefactualinformationthatcouldbevaluabletomeinmychargeofguidingacommitteeindevelopingagoodstandardforourbreed.InformationIwantedtosharewithourmembership.
IfthereaderhasnotreadaboutmybeginningsinthebreedpreviouslyprintedinTheBagpiper,Imay,later,sharethatpartofmyinvolvementagainasitisnotunlikeanyonegettingstartedtoday.IcertainlydidnotentertheworldofScottishTerrierswithanydegreeofknowledgeaboutthebreed.AllIhavedoneispassthroughtheschoolof“hardknocks”andconsumedallIcouldfrommywonderfulall-breedandScottiementorsandfriendsIhavemadethroughtheyears.
Theportionofthiswritingsharesinformationabouttypeandsizefromtheoriginsofthebreed.Atthispoint,Ichoseonlytousebookswrittenpriortothestandardrevisionin1993.WhileIamusingdrawingsfromsomeofmysources;Iamalsousingafewdrawingsfromtwoofthe“illustrated”standardspreparedbytheScottishTerrierClubofAmerica—ClarificationandAmplificationoftheScottishTerrierStandard(1980)laterreferredtoasthe“RedBook”andAStudyoftheScottishTerrier(1999)referredtoasthe“PlaidBook”.ThereareexcellentcurrentbreedbooksthatwillbementionedinalaterpartofmyarticleplusthethirdillustratedstandardbookletrecentlypublishedbytheScottishTerrierClubofAmerica.
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Illustration1.Dundee:AnotedScottishTerrierofhisday(1880’s).
Bitsandpiecesfromthepast
Foragingbackintime,IfoundthatScottiesintheearlyyearsweresmaller,leggierdogsthantheScottiesoftoday.Iwouldaskthereadertotakenoteoftheyearreferencedinthefollowing.
Dr.WilliamBruetteinhisbook,TheScottishTerrier,publishedin1934,statesthattheScottiewasoriginallyalongbodieddog.“ThereisatendencyatthistimetobreedthemshorterthanisdesirabledespitethefactthattheAmericanstandardsaysonlymoderatelyshortandwellribbedupwithstrongloin,deepflanksandmuscularhindquarters”(Bruette,1934,p.88).
Bruettecontinuesbyreferringtothe“MorrisonStandard,publishedin1880,drawnbymenwhowerefamiliarwiththeScottieinworkingform,setthedog’sweightatfromsixteentoseventeenpounds,bitchesatfromfourteentofifteenpounds.ThelatestEnglishstandarddeclarestheidealweightinhardshowconditiontobefromseventeentotwenty-onepounds”(Bruette,1934,p.91).
JohnMarvinchartsthemeasurementofDundeeillustratedabove(Bruette,1934,p.33),awell-knownScottieofthe1880’s,inhisbook,TheNewCompleteScottishTerrier(Marvin,1982,p.32).
Occipitalbonetoeye 5inches
Innercornerofeyetonose 3inches
Shouldertorootoftail 15inches
Lengthoftail 7inches
Roundmuzzle 7¼inches
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Roundskull 11¾inches
Roundchest 171/8inches
Roundloin 15inches
Roundarm 5
Height 10inches
Author’sNote:Pleasenote,ifthedrawingofDundeemakestheassumptionthatheis10inchestallatthewithers,thelengthismeasuredfromthepointoftheshoulder(notthewithers)totherootoftail,15inches.
Bruettecontinueshisreferencetoawrittenstandard,(Bruette,1934,p.93),fortheamateur,hewilllearnmorequicklybybeingshownapicturethanhewouldbyalengthydescription,nomatterhowcarefullyitmaybewritten.
Illustration2:EdwinMegargee’svisionofcorrectScottishTerriertype.
InEdwinMegargee’spictorialconception(Bruette,1934,p.95)ofwhatinhismindistheidealScottie,hecomments,“Thebody,‘Moderatelyshortandwellribbed’bodiesaremoreoftentoolongthantooshort,buttheycanbetooshort.Megargeecontinues,“Anicebalancebetweenbodyandheadiswhatisdesired.Whilenohardandfastrulesastotheproportioncanbelaiddown,oneandthreequarterstotwoheadlengthsfromthepointoftheshouldertotherearend,isadesirablebodylength(Bruette,1934,p.101).
Megargeeconcludes,“IfeelthatthethingthatshouldbedweltonandemphasizedinstudyingaScottishterrier,isbalance,orifyouprefer,symmetry.Adogmaybealmostperfectineverysection,
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takenpartbypart,butbecauseofalackofharmonyinbalancebetweenthesepartsmaybeonlyafairspecimen(Bruette,1934,p.108).
TheScottishTerrierClubofEnglandstandard,adoptedin1933,describestheScottishterrierasa“thick-setdog”.InreferringtothebodyoftheScottishTerrier,thebackisproportionatelyshortandverymuscular.”Theidealweightrangesfrom17poundsto21pounds.Thereisnomentionofheight.ThisstandarddoesmakereferencestotheScottishTerrierhaving“shortlegs”(Bruette,1934,p.81).
Interestingly,theMorrisonstandardreferstoathick-set,compact,short-coated,activeterrier,standingaboutnineandahalfincheshigh,withbodyofmoderatelengthandaveragingaboutsixteentoseventeenpoundsweightfordogsandtwopoundslessforbitches.(Bruette,1934,p.79).
DorothyCasperszremarksthatthemoreimportantclausesoftheMorrisonstandardwere”’muscularform’,‘teethlevel’,‘eyeswellsunkinthehead’,‘greatstrength’,‘forelegsshortandstraight’and‘thighswelldevelopedandthick’—allthesearequalitiesasmuchsoughtaftertodayastheywereseventyyearsago.Thegeneraloutline,asalsotheweightofthedog,haschangedwiththeyears,headsbeinglonger,backsshorter,tailshigherplaced,boneheavier,tosaynothingofthetrendoffashionnecessitatingskillfultrimmingforshow.Butfundamentallytheuniquecharacteristicsofourstout-hearted,harsh-coatedpopularlittledogremainmuchunaltered.”(Caspersz,1962,p.24).
Casperszcontinues,“Attainingextrashortnessofbackhassometimesmeantsacrificinggoodribs.Itismuchmoreimportantthatthedogshouldpossessgooddeepribscarriedwellback,withastrongmuscularloin,thanthatheshouldmeasureaninchorsolessfromhiswitherstohistail.Thetwovirtuesarenotentirelyincompatibleinanycase,forexamplescanbefoundofdogswithgoodribsbothfordepthandlength,plusastrongmuscularloinandyetwithal(sic)short-backedandstillagile.Suchistheideal,butexcessivelyshortbodiesonadogofsuchlowbuild,onshortlegs,areapttointerferewiththefine,free,long-stridinggaitsotypicalofthebreed.”(Caspersz,1962,p.68).
JohnMarvin,inTheNewCompleteScottishTerrier,referencesthechangesintheexistingstandardbystatingthat“in1947whenitwasbelievedthatrevisionswererequiredtokeepabreastofbreedingandjudgingtrends.”Therevisedstandardread:“19to22poundsfordogsand18to21poundsforbitches,andtheheightforbothsexes,whichwassetatabout10inchesandwasafarcryfromtheoriginal9to12inchesofthe1895standard“(Marvin,1982,p.166).
MarvinalsocommentsabouttheScottishTerrierClubofEnglandstandard(1965)inregardstosize—largerdogshavingashoulderheightof11inchesasatoplimittogetherwithheavieranimalstogowiththeheight(Marvin,1982,p.168)
Marvincontinuestocommentaboutthechangeoftoday’sScottishTerrierfromtheearlybreedrepresentatives.“Hehasincreasedinweightfromarangeof13to18poundstothepresentdayfiguresof19to22pounds;hisearsmustbeprickedorupright,whereashecouldhavehalf-droppedearinthebeginning;hisneckhasbeenlengthenedfrom“thickandmuscular”to“moderatelyshort,butnotsoshortastoappearclumsy;hisbodyhasbeenremadefromone“ofmoderatelength,notsolongasaSkye’sto“moderatelyshort”;andhisheighthasbeenmodifiedfromthe9to12inchesatthewitherstoaflat10inches.Healsowritesthatthesechangeshavemadeamoreattractivedog,butnotnecessarilyaddedtohisworkingabilities(Marvin,1982,p.178)
Inhisearlyversionofhisbook,TheCompleteScottishTerrier,Marvinwritesthat“Ingeneral,theScottishTerriershouldofferthekeen,sharpappearanceofanalertdog.Heshouldappearcompactandstrong,neverweedyorlight.Thestandardsaysheshouldpresentanappearanceofimmensepowerinasmallsizeandthisisanadequatedescriptionofthedog”(Marvin,1967,p.109)
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Marvinanalyzedthefourstandards,namelytheoneinforcebefore1888throughthepresentandfindsdeviationsthathavepracticallymadeoverthebreed.First,thebodyhasbeenshortenedwithalongermoregracefulneck.Infact,thedogisnowtermeda“short-bodieddog”whilehisancestorwasdefinitelya“long-bodieddog.”Secondtheweightsforthebreedhavebeenincreasedwhiletheheighthasbeenreduced.Thismeansthatthedogisdefinitelycobbier,moreblockyinappearancethanhisracierforebear”(Marvin,1971,p.166).
Inhisbook,ThisIsTheScottishTerrier,Dr.T.AllenKirkstates,“ThebodyofaScottishTerrierisasdistinctiveasthehead.Itismoderatelyshort,measuringapproximatelythesamefromthewitherstotherootoftheerecttailasdoestheheadfromtheocciputtothenose”(Kirk,1966,p.80).
MyratherbriefwalkthroughthehistoryoftheScottishTerrieranditsstandardbringstolighttothereaderthattheScottishTerrierhaschangedthroughtheyears;however,heremainsacobby,compactdoginabalancedpackage.Thetotalpictureisoneofsymmetry.Nowhereinanyofthestandardsaremeasuredreferencesmadetohislengthofback,onlyhisheightandweightarestatisticallydefined.Pleaseremember,thereisnothingwrittenintheprecedingpagespertainingtothecurrentstandardoftheScottishTerrierClubofAmerica.
TherearemanyprintedsourcesabouttheScottishTerrier.Ichose,obviously,tousethese.IfoundduplicateinformationineachsourceIused,oftentimes,somethingdifferentwasrevealed.Intheremainingpages,myintentistorelaywhatIhaveencounteredandlearnedthroughtheyears,takingthesesameprinciplesandapplyingthemtotoday’sScottishTerrier.
PastproportionsandhowtheyapplytotheScottishTerrier Havinggonebackintimetogatheraccuratefacts,Iamnowgoingtoutilizethatinformation,applyittoanumberofdifferentScottishTerriersandillustratehowmuchweareonorofftrackwithourcurrentstandard,revisedin1993.
Therearetwoproportionreferences(mentionedearlier)thatIamgoingtousetoillustratehowthoseproportionsrelatetothedogsandbitcheswehaveseenintheringandcontinuetoseeinthering.
1. Proportion1.Oneandthreequarterstotwoheadlengthsfromthepointoftheshouldertotherearend,isadesirablebodylength.
2. Proportion2.Thebodyis...moderatelyshort,measuringapproximatelythesamefromthewitherstotherootoftheerecttailasdoestheheadfromocciputtothenose.
IamusingdrawingsfromthebooksI’vequoted.IamalsousingillustrationsfromtheSTCA’sillustratedstandardsandoutlinestakenfromacurrentall-breedmagazine(allwithpermission).And,Iwillbeusingthreephotographsofdogs/bitchesrandomlyselectedfromthoseIhavebredand/orshownwhenIwasstillexhibiting.Astheywereinmycharge,Iwillnothurtanyone’sfeelingsif“thingsdon’twork.”
Pleasenotethatinallofthefollowingdrawings/pictures,onecannotcompareinexactmeasurements—particularlywithersandpointofshoulder.Todosowouldinvolveahands-onexamination,obviouslynotavailableinonedimensionaldiagrams.Takingeachdrawing/pictureindividually,comparingthelengthofheadtothelengthofbackandthelengthofbody,oneismerely
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usingthatparticulardog’sorbitch’sproportions.Webegintoseetherelevanceofsymmetryandbalancewithlittleuseofdefinitivenumbers.
AsBruette/Megargeecommented,emphasisshouldbeplacedonsymmetryandbalance;I’lllet
thereader’seyebethecritic.Remember,withtheserelationships,wearenotconsideringheight.Wearemerelyusingtherelationshipbetweenthelengthofhead,thelengthofback,andthelengthofbody.
I’llmerelytalkabouttheoriginoftheoutlineillustratingthevarietyofsourcesusedtodevelop
thissenseofcorrectsymmetryandbalance.
ThefirstdrawingtoillustratethetworelationshipsisMegargee’sownpictorialconceptofcorrectScottishTerriertype.
Illustration3:Proportionsdemonstratingcorrectsymmetry/balanceonMegargee’svisionofcorrectScottishTerriertype.
ThefollowingoutlinewastakenfromtheSTCA’sClarificationandAmplificationoftheScottish
TerrierStandardpublishedin1980andwrittenbyacommitteeofRobertC.Graham,MiriamStamm,andDr.andMrs.T.AllenKirk,Jr.TheillustrationsweredrawnbyLoriBush.
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Illustration4:CorrectproportionsappliedtotheScottishTerrieroutlinefoundinthefirstillustratedstandardoftheScottishTerrier.
Ontheinsidecoverofthissamepublication,acopyofaTauskyphotographappears.I
personallyhavealwaysadmiredthisTauskyphotographas,tome,thisoutlineepitomizesthe“perfect”specimen.Iwouldhavebeena“happycamper”hadwebeenabletobreedsuchaScottieand,equallyasimportant,beenabletogroomaswellasMr.Tausky’stalenteduseofphotographictoolsenhancedhiswork.Nevertheless,thisScottishTerrierfillsthebillwhenourtworelationshipsareapplied.
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Illustration5:ATauskeyphotograph,appearinginthefirstillustratedSTCAstandard,reflecting
proportionsofawell-balancedScottishTerrier
Movingon,IampicturingtwodifferentdiagramswhichappearinthesecondSTCAillustratedstandard,AStudyoftheScottishTerrier.ThispublicationwaspreparedbySTCAmembers:C.MichaelCook,Chair;SandraGooseAllen;BarbaraDeSaye;EvelynKirk,andMiriamStamm.TheillustratorswereJodySylvesterandHeidiB.Martin.ThefirstdiagramistakenfromanillustrationofthethreebasiccolorsoftheScottishTerrier.IhavechosentheWheatenversionaslinesappeareasiertoread.Thesecondoutlineisasilhouettedemonstratingneck,topline,andbody.Again,bothoutlinesdemonstratecorrectproportions.
Illustration6:TwoScottishTerriersilhouettestakenfromthe“plaid”illustratedstandardbooklet.Both
outlinesdisplayproportions.
NikkiRiggsbee,writerandAKCapprovedjudge,haswrittenanarticlethatappearedinDogsInReview,September2012.She,alongwiththeeditor,AllanRenzik,havegivenmepermissiontousethearticle.Ifreadershavenotseenthearticleinitsentirety,itmakesforagoodandinterestingread.Theessenceofthearticleishowcurrentbreeder/judgesandmembersoftheillustratedstandardcommitteeprioritizecharacteristicsoftheScottishTerrierwhentheyarelookingatsixoutlinesofdogsandsixoutlinesofbitches—alloftheoutlinesarefromphotographsofrealdogsso“noneisideal”.Iamusingtheoutlinesaspartofmyarticlepertainingtobalanceandsymmetry.
ApplyingthesameprinciplestothetwelveoutlinespresentedinMs.Riggsbee’sarticleinDogs
InReview,theoutlinesfallintothesamepatternofsymmetryandbalancepreviouslydescribed.Pleaserememberthatwe’retalking“about”measurements,notexactmeasurements.Note,inparticular,the
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forechestandbuttocksoftheoutlinesastheedgesofthebeginningandendofthedogobviouslyincludessomefurnishings.
Illustration7:SixScottishTerrierdogoutlinesdepictingheadtobodylengthproportions.
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Illustration8:SixScottishTerrierbitchoutlinesdepictingheadtobodylengthproportions.
ThefinalthreeScottiesillustratedarethreeactualshowphotographsofdogs/bitchesthatI
randomlypickedfrommyowndogs.ThefirstphotoisaChampiondogshownintheearly-to-midseventiesandthentwophotosofclassanimals(priortotheirChampionships).Usingthesame“rules”ofproportion,onecanquicklynotetherelationshipofthethreeproportions.
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Illustration9:AmatureScottishTerriermalechampion(fromthe70’s)illustratingsymmetry/balancethroughcorrectproportionsofhead,back,andbodylength.
Illustration10:AyoungScottishTerrierclassdogwithproportionsillustratingsymmetry/balance.
Illustration11:AyoungScottishTerrierbitchreflectingsymmetry/balance.
Inthepreviousdrawings,photos,etc,onecanseehowthis“ruleofthumb”easilyrelatestothe
reader(or,perhaps,judge),thecorrectproportionsofthebreedwithouttheutilizationofdefinitivenumbers.
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Author’sNote:Imustcommentabouttwodimensionsthathavenotbeenincluded—thelengthofneckandtheheightwithitsrelationshiptodepthofbodyandlengthofleg.Theneckcanbevisuallyevaluated;however,itisratherdifficulttoevaluatethedepthofbodyandlengthoflegunlessoneactuallyputshishandsonthedog.
TheScottishTerrierstandardcomparedtootherAKCstandards
ItisinterestingtocomparetheScottishTerrierstandard(currentand1947)tostandardsof
othersimilarterriersandtootherdogs,ingeneral.SomeAKCstandardshavemeasurablereferencestolengthofheadcomparedtolengthofneck,andtolengthofbody.Some,notonlyincludetheheightmeasuredininches,buttheproportionsofthebodydepthcomparedtotheleglengthaswellastheheadandnecklengthsmeasuredininchesorpercentages.ThecurrentAKCstandardoftheSealyhamTerrierreads,“Lengthofheadroughly,three-quartersheightatwithers,oraboutaninchlongerthanneck.”TherelationshipofthebodydepthtolengthoflegisstatedintheBorderColliestandard:“...thedistancefromthewithertotheelbowisslightlylessthanfromtheelbowtotheground...“Bothexamplesofstandardsthatreflectthebreedsproportionsindifferentways.
Witheyeandhand,whatwedotomeasuretheScottishTerrier
TheScottishTerrierstandardof1947merelystatesthattheScottishTerrier’sneckshouldbe“Moderatelyshort”;hisbodyisalsodescribedas“Moderatelyshort”.“Bothforelegsandhindlegsshouldbeshortandveryheavyinboneinproportiontothesizeofthedog”describestherelationshipofleglengthtodepthofbody.Onlyinthetextofthe1980ClarificationandAmplificationoftheScottishTerrierStandardistheuseofanaveragesizehumanhand/anaverageman’sfistusedtodeterminethecorrectbreadthanddepthofchest—a“technique”thatshouldalwaysbeutilizedinjudgingtheScottishTerrier.The1993ScottishTerrierstandardusesthephrase“moderatelyshort”aswell;again,utilizationofanaveragesizeman’shand/fistisvisuallydemonstratedinAStudyoftheScottishTerrierpublishedbytheScottishTerrierClubofAmerica.
AlongwithMegargee’sthinking,precisemeasurementsshouldnotbe“laiddown”.Hisversion
ofcorrecttypehasbeenabenchmarksinceitsconception.Hisguidelinesofproportionshouldnotonly“standthetestoftime”butrelatecorrectproportionsfordogs/bitchesthatareaboveandbelowthestandard’sidealsizeof10inches.Whilethesetaller/shorterdogsarenotideal,the“babyshouldneverbethrownoutwiththebathwater”astheirattributescouldoverridetheirless-than-idealsizeprovidingapositiveinfluenceinsomebreedingprograms.Remember,balanceandsymmetryareofutmostimportance.
Theauthorchallengesthereaderstohand-measuretheirScottishTerriers
Iwaspleasantlysurprisedtoseethatthesetworeferencepointsfrom“daysgoneby”appliedtoeverydiagram/photoIselected.IhopethisportionofthearticleencouragestheScottiebreeder/enthusiast,thenexttimechargesaregroomed,usetheirhandsandseeifthese“old”rulesofproportionapply.IfthereaderisamemberofSTCA,viewthecoversandflipthroughthepagesofSTCA’snewsbulletin,TheBagpiper.Onecouldalsoperusethetwofairlyrecentwell-writtenScottishTerrierbooks,CindyCooke’sTheNewScottishTerrierandMurielP.Lee’sTheOfficialBookoftheScottishTerrier.Bothofthesebookscontainnumerousqualityphotographsofwinnersfrompasttothenearlypresent.
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Thecorrectproportioncaneasilybeevaluatedbyeyeor,ifdesired,byhand.Byhand,simplyplaceone’sthumbattheendofthedog’snoseandspreadfigurestowardtheocciputtogetabeginningproportion.Keepthefingersspreadatthatdistanceandplacethemonthewithersandthenthepointofshoulder.Remember1¾totwotimesthelengthofhead.Again,it’saboutrelationships,notaboutnumbers.Oncethepointofshoulderistouched,one,withhandspread,canseehowmuchlengthremains,¾to1timesthecurrentthumbtolittlefingerspan.
Theartofmeasuring,assimpleasitcanbe
Iwillnowprovidesomebasicmeasuringinformationbeforemovingontoaddressproportionsofourcurrentstandard’smeasurements.
FortheAKCapprovedjudge,measuringandweighingknowledgeisamust.AKChasavery
clearpolicyforsuchactivities,andalljudges,whojudgebreedsthatareweighedormeasured,mustfollowthatpolicytoa“T”.Intheshowring,judgescanonlymeasureorweighbreedswhereheightorweightcontainsdisqualifications.TheScottishTerrierstandardcontainsnodisqualifications.Therefore,thebreedcannotbemeasuredintheshowring.Thatdoesn’tmeanthat,asbreedersorowners,wecan’tweighormeasure.
Forthebeginningand,perhaps,fortheexperiencedScottieenthusiast,thenextportionofmy
articlepertainstothe“art”ofmeasuringourdogs.
Firstofall,theheightofdogsismeasuredfromthehighestpointofthewitherstotheground.(SeeIllustration12)Typically,awicketisused.Tapesandrulerscanbeused,butcaremustbetakentoassurecorrectmeasurements.And,Imightadd,somestandardsdonotdifferentiatebetweenpuppiesandadults,somedo.Insomebreeds,puppiesmustmeetthesameheightlimitsastheadult. I’mincludingadiagrambelowtoillustrate(Illustration12)wherethesemeasureablepartsarelocated.Itisinterestingtonotethatwhentheshouldersbecome“straighter”thanthepreferredlayback,theactualmeasurementbecomeslonger,andthedogbecomestaller.Clevergroomingcanchangetheoutlineweseeinthering,butthegoodjudgewouldbeabletofindthatpointand,certainly,noticetheresultofsuchpoorshoulderplacementwhentheanimalmoves.
Earlier,ImentionedPointofShoulder(seeillustrationbelow).Hopefully,intheScottishTerrier,thePointofShoulderisnotthemostforwardpartofthedog’sfrontassembly.Insomebreeds,thisPointisusedinmeasuringthelengthofthedog,notsointheScottishTerrierstandard.TheScottiestandardreferstothelengthofback,measuredfromwitherstosetonoftail,notlengthofdog.
Thelengthofbackismeasuredfromthehighestpointofthewitherstothebaseofthetail.I
haveseenmentionedinsomediscussionsthatthebaseofthetail“might”bebehindthetail;I,personally,donotfeelthisiscorrectfortheScottishTerrierstandard.Asmentionedearlier,becauseoneusesthehighestpointofthewitherstomeasurethelengthofback;adogwithastraightershoulderwouldmeasurelongerandtallerthanthedogwithcorrectshoulderseventhoughthetwo,withclevergrooming,couldappearverysimilarinstature.Onemustalsorealizewhenmeasuringthelengthofback,andthetailsetislow,themeasurementwillalsoshowalongerbackasthemeasurementgoesfromthewitherstothesetonoftail.
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Illustration12:AmodifiedScottishTerrierskeleton(displayingtwoshoulderangles)comparingthe
measurementsofawelllaidbackshoulder(blue)andastraightershoulder(yellow).Anotherreaders’challenge,measuringtheirScottishTerriers
Again,IchallengeeveryonetoputtheirScottiesonthetableandmeasureandnotetheresults.
Ifyouhavenomeasuringdevicesand/ornoknowledgehowtogoaboutit,findabreederofabreedwhohasaheightDQintheirstandard,andtheywouldbeabletohelpyouthroughtheprocess.Onthefigurebelow,pleasenotetheplacementofthePointofShoulder(No.2),oneofthepointsusedearliertomeasurethelengthofthedog.(Thisisnotthelengthofback.)Eventhepreviousproportionreferencesworkedasshownbelow.
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Illustration13:TheScottishTerrierskeletondepictingcorrectproportions.Point1illustratingthewithers;Point2illustratingthepointoftheshoulder.
Applyingthecurrentstandard’smeasurementtotheactualdog
Thecurrentstandardcallsforabackthatis“approximately11inches”fromwitherstosetonoftail.Ihaveusedthesamedrawings/picturesshownbeforetoillustratethisproportion.Inthecurrentstandard,relationshipsininchesareonlymentionedinheightandlength(witherstosetonoftail).Nomeasurementismadeofheadlength,necklength,oroverallbodylength.
Typically,whenmeasuringthelengthofback,onestartsatthehighestpointofthewithersandmeasuresbacktothesetonoftail.Inthisdiscussion,Ihavechosentodothereversebecauseindrawingsandphotographs,theclosestprecisepointistheappearanceofthesetonoftail.Ishallmeasurebackwards.Theendresultwillshow,iffollowingthecurrentstandard’smeasurement,wherethe“withers”shouldbe.Foradiagramofpropershoulderplacement,pleaserefertothediagrampreviouslyshown(Illustration12).
Again,anotherassumptionmustbemade.Onemustassumethatallofthedogsinthesediagramsareabout10”atthewithers.Therefore,accordingtothecurrentstandard,theidealScottieshouldmeasureaboutaninchlongerthantallfromwitherstosetonoftail.TheScottiestandardmakesnoadjustmentfordogswhoareshorterthanortallerthantheidealheight.Itmerelyrefersto“symmetryandbalancewithoutexaggeration”.
Forillustrativepurposes,Iwillplacea“whitedot”onthedogwherethewithersshouldbewhen
utilizingthe“about11incheslengthofback”.Ihavealsousedthesamepicturespreviouslyillustratedinthisarticle.
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Illustration14.Megargee’svisionofcorrectScottishTerriertypemeasuredwithtoday’sstandard.Thewhitedotrepresentswherethewitherswouldbeif“about11inches”wereused.
Illustration15:TheTauskeyphotographmeasuredwithtoday’sstandardmeasurements.
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Illustration16:The“RedBook”ScottishTerrierdiagrammeasuredwithtoday’sstandardmeasurements.
Illustraiton17:Thefirst“PlaidBook”ScottishTerrierdiagramshowingtoday’smeasurementsandpossiblewitherplacement.
Illustration18:Thesecond“PlaidBook”ScottishTerrierdiagramshowingtoday’smeasurementsand
possiblewithersplacement.
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Illustration19:SixScottishTerrierdogoutlinesmeasuredpertoday’sstandard.Thewithersplacement
isdepictedwithablackdot.
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Illustration20:SixScottishTerrierbitchoutlinesmeasuredpertoday’sstandard.Thewithersplacementisdepictedwithablackdot.
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Illustration21:AmatureScottishTerrierchampionsmeasuredundertoday’sstandard.Thewhitedotrepresentswhere,accordingtothosemeasurements,thewitherswouldbeplaced.
Illustration22:AyoungScottishTerrierdogmeasuredwithtoday’sstandard.
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Illustration23:AyoungScottishTerrierbitchmeasuredwithtoday’sstandard.
Readerschallengedtomeasurelengthofbackwithmeasuringdevices
Inmyobservationsofthesedrawings/photographs,IhaveneverseenScottishTerrierswhose
witherswouldeverbesetsofarforwardnorcouldtheyeverbesetsoforward.I,again,challengetheScottieenthusiasttomeasurehisdog.Thismeasurementiseasytomakewithatapemeasure.Placetheendofthetapemeasureatthehighestpointofthewithersandgobacktothesetonoftail.Thatmeasurementisthelengthofback.Now,repeattheprocessbutgobackfromthesetonoftail—thisprocedureisnotnormallyused,butI’msuggestingitmerelytoproveapoint.Withatapemeasureatthesetonoftail,gobacktoabout11inches,thatpointiswherethe“withers”shouldbeaccordingtoourcurrentstandard.Isthereadifferenceinmeasurements?
HowmypersonalexperiencerelatedtothecurrentScottishTerrierstandard
In2000,IwasaskedtobecomethechairfortheSTCAJudgesEducationCommittee.Beingateacherandatactile/visuallearner,IfeltitnecessarytoprepareaposterboardcutoutoftheperfectlysizedideallyproportionedScottishTerrier.Atthattime,Iusedthediagramshownbelow(Illustration24)asthebasisformyoutline.Gatheringmyposterboardandrulers,utilizingmyartistictalents,onwardImoved.
Shortly,Ibecameconfused—Ihadneverseenadogofthisproportion—IwasseeingstandardproportionsbutnottheScottiethatIhadgrownupwithsincemyinvolvementinthebreed.IthoughtIhadmiscalculatedormisdrawn,Ichecked.No,Iwasright.Ishowedtheoutlinetoanumberofmyterrierfriends,andtheyconcurredwithmysentiments.OneofmydearmentorswasaSealyham
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TerrierandScottiebreederwhohadbeeninvolvedinSealyhamTerriersnearly50years.WenoticedthattheScottishTerrierstandardnowhadtheScottiebeinglongerthantheSealyham.Belowisthereducedcopyofthatoutline.Oneisnowabletocomparethatoutlinetotheoutlines/photosthatwereusedinpreviouspages(Thebasisformydrawingisalsoshownbelow—takenfromthe“RedBook”,theillustratedstandardbookletIhadusedwhenIgavethegroomingworkshopsfortheSTCA.)Itbecameobvious,tome,thattheproportionscreatedbythecurrentstandarddidnotreflectthesymmetryandbalancedesiredinthebreed.
Illustration24:TheoriginalScottishTerrieroutlinetheauthororiginallyusedinhiseducationalmaterials.Thisoutlineappearedinthe“RedBook”.
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llustration25:ThisScottishTerrieroutlinewasIllustration24drawntotoday’scurrentstandard
proportions.
ConclusionIthasbeenmypurposetosharewiththereadermyfindingswhenItraveledbackintothe
historyofthebreed.Ihopeeachpersonwhoreadsthisarticlefindssomethinguseful.MyoriginalintentwastoprovidemyselfwithstrongsupportformyviewofthecorrectScottishTerrier.Ifeel,forme,Ihavedonethat.Forthereader,IhopeIhavemademypointclear.IhopethisinformationcanbeutilizedinapositivemannertomaketheScottishTerrierstandardastandardthatclearlyandcorrectlydefinesthebreedweallcherish.
REFERENCES
Bruette,Dr.William.(1934).TheScottishTerrier.NewYorkCity,NewYork:G.HowardWatt.
Caspersz,Dorothy.(1962).ThePopularScottishTerrier.NewYorkCity,NewYork:ArcoPublishingCompany,Inc.
Cooke,Cindy.(1996).TheNewScottishTerrier.NewYorkCity,NewYork:HowellBookHouse.
Kirk,T.AllenKirk,Jr.,M.D.(1966).ThisIsTheScottishTerrier.JerseyCity,NewJersey:T.F.H.Publications,Inc.
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Lee,MurielP.(1994).TheOfficialBookoftheScottishTerrier.NeptuneCity,NewJersey:T.F.H.Publications,Inc.
Marvin,JohnT.(1967).TheCompleteScottishTerrier.NewYorkCity,NewYork:HowellBookHouse.
Marvin,JohnT.(1971).TheBookofAllTerriers.NewYorkCity,NewYork:HowellBookHouse.
Marvin,JohnT.(1982).TheNewCompleteScottishTerrier.NewYorkCity,NewYork:HowellBookHouse.
ScottishTerrierClubofAmerica.AStudyoftheScottishTerrier.ScottishTerrierClubofAmerica,1999.
ScottishTerrierClubofAmerica.ClarificationandAmplificationoftheScottishTerrierStandard.Hammond:ScottishTerrierClubofAmerica,1980.
Abouttheauthor
MerleTayloriscurrentlythechairoftheStandardsReviewCommittee.Heandhiswife,Carolyn,becameinvolvedwithScottishTerriersin1969.Fromthatpoint,theybeganshowingandbreedingonalimitedscale.TheyhavebredandshownnumerousScottishTerrierchampions,specialtywinners,andanationalandall-breedBestInShowwinnerundertheJabberwokprefix.MerlebecameanAKClicensedhandlerandhasfinishedchampionsinallsevengroups.HeandCarolynhaveownedChampionNorwichTerriers,Affenpinschers,BrusselsGriffons,BouvierdesFlandres,Pointers,andaBeauceron.TheirhouseholdcurrentlyincludesarescueScottishTerrier.
MerlehasservedontheBoardofDirectorsfortheSTCA.HewrotethefirstgroomingmanualpublishedbytheSTCA,andwasjudgeseducationchairfortheSTCA.Hehasjudgednumerousspecialties,theSTCAspecialtyatMontgomery,andtheCanadiannationalspecialty.Merlebeganjudgingin2000andiscurrentlyapprovedtojudgetheTerrierandHerdinggroupsandhalfoftheToygroup.After38years,Merleretiredfromteachinghighschoolbusinessinthepublicschoolsystem.
Merleisalsoamemberoffourall-breedkennelclubs,PresidentoftheChampaignIllinoisKennelClub,andtheClusterChairfortheProgressCityCluster.
