The Scottish Terrier needs more grooming than at first appears, so give yourself more time than you initially think you’ll need. The Scottie’s coat is close-lying. It has a double coat, which consists of a short, dense undercoat and a harsh, dense and wiry outercoat that is weather resistant. Requires regular brushing at least three times a week, especially the long hair of the skirt and the beard, and so on.

Grooming Procedure

Equipment needed: Slicker brush, wide toothed comb, stripping knife, clippers, scissors.

• Brush with a slicker to remove tangles and dead hair.
• Clip with a No. 10 from the eyebrows to the back of the skull to the base of the ears, down the cheek, in a line from the outer corner of the eye to the outer edge of the mouth.
• Clip a narrow strip between the eyes to
 within 11 inches (4 cm) of the nose.
• Use scissors to shape the ears, leaving tufts inside at the base.
• Hand- or knife-strip, thin or clip from the head, down the neck, to leave a skirt from just above the elbow. Show dogs should not be clipped. Always remember to work in the direction of the coat growth. If stripping, remove only dead hair with a blunt stripping knife.
• Continue trimming down the back, taking in the sides of the body to a line level from just above the elbow to the bottom of the pelvis.
• Trim the upper part of tail by stripping or clipping it to tidy.
• Clip carefully under the tail and around the anal area with an Oster No. 10. When using clippers, do make sure first that the dog is not going to be shown.
• Clip the abdomen area.
• Clip down the front of the dog, below the throat to the breastbone, and blend in to the sides.
• Bathe the Scottish Terrier in a suitable shampoo, conditioning where necessary.
• Blow-dry the coat with the growth of the hair, brushing the long hair with a pin brush or slicker.
• Check the dog’s nails, ears and teeth.
• Blend the skirt into the body all around.
• Trim around the feet to neaten their appearance.
• Cut the hair short between the pads and the toes.
• Comb the eyebrows and beard forward.