Scotties carry one of the best-documented cancer risks of any breed — a Purdue University study found them roughly 20 times more likely than other breeds to develop bladder cancer — a fact almost never mentioned by sellers focused on the breed's famous silhouette.
12.7years, median
About the same as the all-dog median of 12.5 years.
Measured, not estimated: the middle age at death across 584,734 UK dogs, 284,734 of them deceased. Based on 2,616 dogs of this breed. 95% confidence interval 12.5 to 12.9 years. Half lived longer than this, half did not. UK dogs, so treat it as the best available figure rather than a promise about yours.
In the same study, small breeds as a group had a median of 12.7 years and long-muzzled breeds 12.1. This breed is small and long-muzzled.
McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14:531 — open access · CC BY 4.0Health tests to ask the breeder for
Scottish Terrier Club of America sets the tests a Scottish Terrier needs for a CHIC number in the OFA's open database. A CHIC number means the tests were done and the results are public. It does not mean the dog passed them: ask for the results for both parents, or look them up yourself on ofa.org.
- von Willebrand Disease (vWD type III) DNA test
- Craniomandibular Osteopathy (CMO) DNA test
- Patellar Luxation (veterinary evaluation, results registered with OFA)
- ONE optional test from: Autoimmune Thyroiditis panel; Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist; Serum Bile Acid test; Kidney screen (urine protein:creatinine ratio); Legg-Calve-Perthes radiographs
When to spay or neuter: the guidelines split at 45 pounds grown, five to six months under it and after growth is complete over it, and the UC Davis study gives a guideline by breed for 35 breeds. The spay and neuter page has both, and the two weeks after.
Itchy skin: Merck lists the Scottish Terrier among the breeds prone to atopic dermatitis, a lifelong allergy to things like pollen, mold and dust that usually starts between six months and three years of age. Why does my dog keep itching? has how vets tell it apart from fleas, mites and food allergy, and the treatments.
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis panel (approved laboratory, OFA)
- Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist (OFA)
- Serum Bile Acid test (approved laboratory, OFA)
- Kidney Screen (urine protein:creatinine ratio, OFA)
- Legg-Calve-Perthes (radiographs submitted to OFA)
Test names as the club lists them; checked September 2026. OFA CHIC breed page. How to use this at the breeder: check a breeder.
Adopt a Scottish Terrier near you
Shelters and rescues list Scottish Terriers and Scottish Terrier mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Scottish Terrier
Scotties are independent, dignified, and famously stubborn — they were bred to hunt vermin alone underground, and that self-sufficiency makes them slower to housebreak and less biddable in obedience class than a retriever. The wiry double coat needs weekly grooming and clipping every couple of months to keep its texture, and the breed's well-documented cancer risk means owners should budget for veterinary vigilance as the dog ages, not just grooming appointments.
Health you should know about
- Transitional cell carcinoma (bladder/urinary tract cancer) — about 20 times more common in Scotties than in dogs generally, per a Purdue University study; usually diagnosed around age 11, more often in females.
- Scottie cramp — a non-painful, non-life-threatening movement disorder triggered by excitement or stress, causing temporary gait abnormalities.
- Von Willebrand disease — an inherited bleeding disorder; DNA testing is available and has reduced incidence in tested lines.
- Craniomandibular osteopathy ('Scottie jaw') — excess bone growth on the jaw in puppies, usually appearing between 3-6 months old, that can make eating painful.
Read the full Dog Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a dog needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Scottish Terrier? Scottish dog and cat names, 79 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 3 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 3 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.