Petzlover
Scottish Terrier is originated from United Kingdom but Spitz is originated from Russia. Scottish Terrier may grow 44 cm / 17 inches shorter than Spitz. Scottish Terrier may weigh 30 kg / 66 pounds lesser than Spitz. Scottish Terrier may live 3 years less than Spitz. Scottish Terrier may have less litter size than Spitz. Both Scottish Terrier and Spitz requires Moderate Maintenance.
The Scottish Terrier is also known as the Aberdeen Terrier but people who love and know him refer to him fondly as the Scottie.
These little dogs were originally bred to hunt vermin on farms and their actual origin is ancient. It is believed that the first descriptions of these dogs date way back to 1436 with there being 2 varieties - a rough-haired Scotch Terrier and a smooth-haired English Terrier.
In 1881 the Scottish Terrier Club of England was founded with the Scottish Terrier Club of Scotland being founded in 1888. Scotties were introduced to America in the early 1890s.
A spitz is not a breed of dog, but rather a “group or family” of dogs that has its roots in Germany. Within this family there are a variety of breeds that were bred for very specific purposes by people in many different parts of the world. The spitz family can be toy dog size up to vey large. Examples run from the Pomeranian to the Canadian Eskimo Dog.
The Spitz family dogs share the look of thick, long fur and pointed muzzles, ears and curly tail. Despite their German name, they are thought to originally be of East Asia or Artic descent. Most of today’s spitz are from Siberia’s Artic region, first described in 1788 and in English in 1792. Spitz have been bred for three types of jobs depending upon where they were developed. These jobs included pulling, herding and hunting.
There are very powerful and large Spitz breeds that pull or hunt large game. Examples of these breeds are the Swedish Elkhound, the Akita Inu, the Norwegian Elkhound and the Karelian Bear Dog. The smaller sized breeds like the Samoyed hunted small mammals and birds, while the Finnish Lapphund, Lapponian Herder, and Swedish Lapphund herded, hunted and pulled small sleds.
The three largest spitz also pulled sleds throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. In most places the Canadian Eskimo Dog, the Alakan Malamute and the Greenland dog were used in sled racing and fur trapping while in Canada and Alaska the Siberian Husky was used for the same things.
Recently there have been genetic tests that show a large number of dogs that are considered Spitz type so share many strong ancestral ties and DNA similarities with wild wolves. It is now believed that a lot of these breeds were intentionally mated with wolves and some were accidental. Both domestic and wild dogs are included in this history.
Most spitz are made for cold weather, even today’s lapdogs, like the Pomeranian, do not do well in hot climates.
The Scottish Terrier is a small dog, fairly robustly built but with short legs. He has a wiry, weather-resistant coat and a soft undercoat. The coat is essentially black but there are other colors too such as a wheaten shade, grey-black and brindle too.
The ears are erect, the eyes small and bright. The tail isn’t docked but is of medium length and is nearly always held up, without curling over the back.
Height at withers for both males and females should be roughly 23 to 26cm and weight in the region of 8 – 10 kg.
The Scottie is a an independent, robust breed. He is playful as a puppy, but as he matures he becomes more dignified and dour. He is stubborn, but being a terrier he is alert and makes a good watchdog. For a small dog he has a powerful bark.
Brave, loving and loyal, he can fit into life in the city or the countryside so long has he has his human family close by. He doesn’t take kindly to strangers and he he slightly aggressive with other dogs he doesn’t know. He makes a great playmate for children but he certainly doesn’t like being prodded, sat on and poked by small children.
Most of the spitz breeds share a “look” that includes erect ears, stocky heavy, usually double coats, a pointed muzzle, thick, fluffy ruffs and a heavy curled tail carried high over the body. Build for northern climates they are insulated by a undercoat that is waterproof and dense and a less dense topcoat. Their ears are small to prevent frostbite and their paws have thick fur to protect them in the frigid, icy terrain.
Many still have wolf-like looks and tendencies. Some are very difficult to train to be companions – the Akita, Chow and especially the Karelian Bear Dog – fall into this category. Many mixed breed dogs are also considered members of the Spitz family. These dogs are easy to recognize as spitz because of these physical characteristics
The Scottie is strong willed and independent, and training and socialization is important if you don’t want your Scottie believing he has the final say.
These dogs are stubborn and dominant and will need a strong, firm but kind owner. They’re aggressive with other dogs, but get on well with their human family.
When you bring one of these distinctive looking dogs into your home, he’ll be a loving, loyal friend.
Your Scottie is looked upon as being a generally healthy dog breed, but as with any other healthy dogs, he can succumb to some of the conditions and diseases that dogs get -
This is an inherited blood disorder where the blood doesn’t clot properly. The dog will bleed excessively after an injury. Fortunately, while there isn’t a cure, dogs can lead normal lives.
Scottish Terriers are more prone to developing cancer than other dogs. Bladder cancer, lymphosarcoma and malignant melanoma are just some of the cancers they can get. Some cancers are treatable and there is a good success rate in dogs receiving chemotherapy.
When you brush your Scottie, look out for new, unusual lumps that could be indicative of cancer.
Scotty Cramp isn’t serious but uncomfortable for your pet. When your dog becomes worked up, you’ll see him arching his spine and he walks around for a few minutes with a stiff unnatural gait.
Obesity is regarded as a serious disease as it puts strain on the dogs joints and also creates back pain and digestive disorders.
It is a little harder to characterize the health issues of a family of dogs than it is a .will overheat in hot climates due to their double coats. Here are some propensities of dogs in the Spitz family.
• Thrombopathia bleeding disorder with the risk of a hemorrhage, platets don’t clot.
• Larger breeds are affected by Elbow and Hip dysplasia that can cause arthritis and lameness.
Scotties were once bred as working dogs, and they will certainly require daily exercise and stimulation. He will love a walk but you can’t expect him to run with you as he has short legs.
The Scottie sheds, so he will need to be brushed at least twice weekly. He will require quite a bit of grooming in terms of having the coat professionally trimmed and clipped.
His eyes and ears will need to be checked as well as his teeth. He can’t tell you if he has terrible toothache and while brushing him, check the teeth. Trim his nails too.
It is always recommended that you feed dogs according to size, age and activity levels. Dogs are individuals and they don’t all need the same food.
The quality of the dog food you provide makes a huge difference on your dog’s health. It always pays to go with the better quality kibble available to dogs. Your Scottish Terrier will be depending on your for quality kibble with the right blend of vitamins and minerals.
Dogs thrive on simplicity and consistency and you want to provide him with some home-made food too that gels well with his digestive system. A little bit of raw meat occasionally can also do him the world of good.
Make sure he always has cool, fresh water to drink.
1Feeding the puppy The Spitz family has high energy needs but in a slow-release so they need protein more than grain. Puppies should be fed 3-4x a day in small meals. Don’t overfeed them.
2.Feeding the adult – The Spitz type dog stores their energy to use in extended periods when working or playing. They will become obese if overfed or if they don’t get enough exercise. Feed 2-3X a day in small or medium sized meals, even the larger breeds because of their storage of calories.
4. Games and Exercises – Having been bred for endurance and stamina most Spritz breed need plenty of exercise, lots of space and lots of play. They love to run, jog, or play games. They are outdoors types who love to hike, and run or walk for long times over long distances. They are great in cold, wet weather but not so good in the heat. How much exercise they need depends on the size and history of the specific breeds. Most love to play with other dogs, so dog parks and dog day care can both be good choices for most of them. Agility, barnhunt, field trials, pulling games are all good choices.
