Your Scottish Terrier's Health & Care:
 
Scotties, like all living creatures, are subject to congenital, hereditary and acquired health disorders.  With the advent of antibiotics and vaccines, most of the serious health problems your dog will faces are genetic.  Many nongenetic health problems can be avoided or postponed, however, by providing for your dog's basic needs. 

*Von Willebrand's disease is a bleeding disorder which can now be deter mined by a DNA test through VetGen Inc. Do you know the following Scottie genetic problems????

*Scottie Cramp is the most widespread hereditary disorder in the breed and it is also the most benign. Affected dogs are normal at rest and exhibit normal ability to walk and run at the beginning of exercise. With continued exercise, or additional exciting stimuli (such as the sight of a squirrel) the dog's gait begins to change. If the dog is running, he may somersault and fall. Scottie Cramp can be seen in puppies as young as six to eight weeks, it take an experienced breeder to spot it. The puppy can sometime out grow it, and live a normal life. This is genetic and the breeding should not reaped. 


* CMO(Cranial Mandibular Osteopathy) is a growth disorder in a puppy jaw, extremely painful, is genetic. You really have to be doing some poor breeding to have this in your line.


* Liver Shunt is another problem which often does not show up until the pup is 4 or 5 months old.


* Thyroid disorder, Hypothyroidism causes hair loss, weight gain, greasy coat, lack of energy, and often the dog seeks a source of heat.

*Skin Problems
 
* For more health on Scottish Terriers go to http://clubs.akc.org/stca/health.htm

Finding a Veterinarian:

You should try to find a veterinarian you feel you can work with before you buy your Scottie puppy. If you do not know of one, ask your puppy's breeder. If the breeder is not local, call some friends or family or call some of the kennel clubs and ask them about a vets in the area. Interview the vet before you make your selection. Talk about the health problems specific to Scottish Terriers and, if the vet does not seem current on these problems, he or she should exhibit a willing ness to learn about them. Ask to look around the facility. The vet's office, workrooms, surgery room and kennel should be clean, and the should smell that way. Ask the vet about emergency care and weekend calls.

Preventive Care:

It should go without saying that your puppy should have a regular inoculations and worming's. Your adult Scottie should be checked at least once a year by the vet. The annual checkup should include inoculations, a stool check, a heartworm test, and a teeth-cleaning. Your vet should examine the dog's eyes, ears and throat, and listen to the heart and lungs with the stethoscope. Finally, the vet should physically examine the dog with close attention to the bladder, the prostate (in males), and the uterus (in unspayed bitches).

Food:

The number and variety of dog foods available today is often overwhelming to the new dog owner. Pet food and supplies often occupy an entire aisle at the supermarket. If you purchased your puppy from a breeder, ask the breeder for a recommendation. Otherwise, pick a good quality, brand-name, dry kibble and feed that to you dog. Feed the dog regularly-the same amount of food at the same time every day. If your dog has not finished eating in twenty minutes, pick up the food and throw it away. No, healthy dog ever voluntarily starved himself to death. Your dog will always eat enough to survive and usually a lot more. Like people, lean dogs are healthier than fat ones.

Exercise:

Scotties can adapt quite well to a sedentary life but do much better if they are regularly exercised. They do not need much-a brick one -mile walk each day will not only improve your dog's physical will-being but will also provide him with interesting new smells, sights and experiences.  Scottie's love the out doors!!! 

Cleanliness:

Many skin Problems can be avoided by keeping you dog clean. Regular brushing and bathing of furnishings will eliminate matted hair and dead skin cells. These provide a breeding ground for bacteria and mites that can attack the dog's skin.

Companionship:

Dogs are social animals and need companionship. Like people, dogs develop mental aberrations and behavior problems when they are alone too much.If you cannot be home with your dog during the day, share your evenings and weekends with him. If you cannot, then you should reconsider dog ownership until you can give it the time it should have. What you put in your dog is what you get. 

Microchips:

One of the most recent, high-tech, and efficient forms of animal identification used today is by means of a microchip.  A microchip is a microtransponder the size of a grain of rice that is implanted under the skin quickly and easily by injection.  The microchip has a series of numbers unique to itself so that each animal has its own identification numbers.  A hand-held scanner (also called a decoder or reader) is used to read the ID number.

Housebreaking Your Scottish Terrier:

Because Scottie are so smart, housebreaking is usually accomplished quickly.  What is the secret?  Patience, diligence, consistency, making sure your puppy gets to the right place at the right time, and lots of praise.  Scotties will do their best not to soil their living quarters.  
Tips:
*Start house training your puppy the day she or he arrives, it is never to early.  Ask the breeder for tips too and what have they been doing, if any.
*Let Her outside several times a day first thing in the morning, after every meal, after naps, and as late as possible in the evening.  Take her or him back around the some places they have went out side, they go by their scent.
*Never scold her or him if she or he has an accident, if she or he has accident, take it outside, so the next time they can smell it and know that is where they go.
*Praise her profusely when she does the right thing.
*Be patient and understanding, when they are little they have to go more.

Obedience Training:

You, should make sure you do this with your Scottie.  There is nothing like a well behaved and social Scottie.