Westie and Scottie Mix: All About the Scoland Terrier

A Westie and Scottie mix is a perfect option for pet parents searching for a hypoallergenic dog. Known as the Scoland terrier, this designer breed has the ideal combination of loyalty, energy, playfulness, and love.

These traits are what make it as popular as it is, and they can undoubtedly breathe new life into your family with their astounding entertaining nature.

The History of the Scoland Terrier

When you breed a Westie and Scottie together, you’re sure to find a long and exciting history. Both of these breeds originated in Scotland and have accounts dating as far back as the 1500s. Some suggest Scottish Terriers can be traced back to 55 B.C. based on writings from Pliny the Elder.

The original purpose of a Scottish Terrier was to hunt fox and eradicate vermin, but their immense talent and confidence are what makes them one of the most popular dog breeds today. You would typically find them prancing around homes, mills, villages, and fields.

Another interesting fact is that they were initially red, which made them difficult to tell apart from the foxes they were hunting. Thus, they began breeding them to change their color to white.

The Scoland Terrier’s Personality

Every dog has innate personality traits that will come out eventually, and Scoland Terriers are a phenomenal family-friendly dog that you’ll want to consider. They’re known to be affectionate, opinionated, fun, lovable, and very playful. They are also quite sensitive to their environment and are highly intelligent, which requires early socialization.

A Scoland Terrier who is poorly socialized will develop unhealthy attributes in terms of sharing their space and adapting to new members of the family. This point is especially true if you have more than one pet in your household, as they won’t be likely to take in someone else sharing the spotlight. Nevertheless, with proper socialization, Scoland Terriers can become very friendly with others.

The most prominent part of your dog’s personality will be its energy level. This is because both of the parent breeds are renowned for their excessive energy levels. They will need to be exercised daily to keep their natural hunting triggers managed. You will also want to invest in the best dog bed for chewers, in case they become bored and destructive.

The Health of a Scoland Terrier

Before you invest in a specific type of dog, it’s always a great idea to consider their health concerns, whether minor or significant. This information will help you to give your dog the highest quality of life possible, as you will be prepared for absolutely anything.

In knowing this, you will be able to customize their food to promote longevity as well as ensure they get the perfect amount of exercise to stay healthy.

Major Health Concerns

There are a few notable major health concerns with Scoland Terriers, including:

• Seborrhea: Similar to humans, this particular dog breed is prone to a skin disorder known as seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis. It can cause skin flaking or excessively oily skin, as the sebaceous glands will produce more sebum than necessary. As a treatment, you may require prescribed medication or medicated shampoos.
• Von Willebrand’s Disease: As the most common inherited blood disorder in dogs, Von Willebrand’s disease causes blood vessels to be unable to clot. If a pet is injured or cut, you’ll find they will bleed excessively, as they won’t have the right proteins to enable their platelets to seal broken blood vessels.
• Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca: Another common disease experienced by dogs is KCS, which causes chronic inflammation in their eyes. A less medical term is “dry eye”; this ailment can lead to blindness and difficulty with vision.
• Craniomandibular Osteopathy: With this disease, dogs are likely to experience the thickening of skull bones. There is very little information about how this disease develops; however, it is treatable, by both a veterinarian and a pet parent.

What Do Scoland Terriers Look Like?

Every dog is unique in their way, and there’s a lot to love with Scoland Terriers, especially as they are the perfect mix of a Scottie and a Westie.

Many owners suggest the head looks far more like a Westie, and the body looks like a Scottish Terrier. Most will have a black frame with white markings throughout, though there are plenty that is also wheat-colored.

Their adorable eyes are round and dark in color, and their bite is particularly noticeable, as it is scissored. You’ll also love their petite dark nose that works perfectly with their other small features, not to mention their adorable triangular ears that seemingly perk up all of the time.

On average, Scoland Terriers have a medium to long coat that falls in between standard and dense thickness. You’ll find that their hair is far wirier than it is corded or straight, which can be relatively easy to maintain over their lifetime.

How to Maintain a Scottie and Westie Mix

Maintenance is vital for any dog breed, as you will have to make sure their coats are regularly cleaned, their nails are taken care of, and more. With Scoland Terriers, you may have a couple of extra steps, depending on the condition of their eyes, but they are relatively easy to maintain.

Their medium-length coat will need to be brushed weekly, at a minimum, depending on how active your dog is. You’ll need to make sure you remove any debris and tangles to make sure their skin stays healthy. Also, as they are prone to excessive sebum production, brushing helps to spread the oil through their coat.

It is also important that you check their ears weekly and follow through with an ear wash, as well as checking their toenails and ensuring they are trimmed appropriately.

With Scoland Terriers, it is best if you can brush their teeth at home at least three times per week to help prevent periodontal disease. When it comes to getting all of the right tools for the job, we highly recommend investing in a pin brush, deshedder, and nail clipper.

Tips for Exercising Your Scoland Terrier

As you can likely tell, the high energy personality of a Scoland Terrier means that you’ll be spending a lot of your time outdoors. On average, they will need up to seven miles of walking per week, which makes them one of the most energetic breeds to opt for.

Daily, your dog will need at least 60 minutes of activity, though we recommend going for more to tire them out. It can be a fantastic idea to take your Scoland Terrier to a dog park or set up dog playdates with neighbors and friends to help them expel their energy. Additionally, this will help them to socialize while exercising all at the same time.

Westie and Scottie Mix: Final Thoughts

There’s nothing more beautiful than having a dog that genuinely wants to become a part of your family. With a well-trained and fully socialized Westie and Scottie mix, you can make your pet-owning dreams come true.

They are curious, intelligent, playful, and more than energetic enough to keep your family on their toes throughout the day. As with any Westie mix, knowing more about your Scoland Terrier can help them assimilate easier into your expanding family.