{"id":34978,"date":"2024-02-29T09:49:17","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T08:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e3fc8c79-ad7e-4419-b4a8-006dd662c668"},"modified":"2024-02-29T11:39:23","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T10:39:23","slug":"is-the-scottish-terrier-facing-extinction-iconic-dog-breed-records-lowest-ever-puppy-births","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/is-the-scottish-terrier-facing-extinction-iconic-dog-breed-records-lowest-ever-puppy-births\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the Scottish terrier facing extinction? Iconic dog breed records lowest ever puppy births"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once the third most popular breed in Britain, the Scottie recorded just 406 puppy births in 2023, placing it on The Kennel Club’s \u2018At Watch\u2019 list. Other breeds added to the list include the pointer, rough collie and wire fox terrier. <\/p>

By Daniel Graham\n <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 29 February 2024 at 08:49 AM<\/p>

\n\n

In 2023, the Scottish terrier \u2013 a small, compact dog with short legs and a big personality \u2013 recorded just 406 puppy births, the lowest number since records began. <\/p>

The Scottie, as the breed is affectionately known, is iconic in Britain, appearing as the face for Walker’s Shortbread and one of the tokens from the board game Monopoly. The breed was also thought to be Queen Victoria\u2019s favourite dog. <\/p>

In its heyday, from the mid-1930s to the early 1940s, the Scottish terrier was the third most popular breed in Britain, with 5,800 puppies registered in 1947 \u2013 a figure more than 10 times greater than today.<\/p>

But after many years in the limelight, the dog is now facing a worrying future, according The Kennel Club<\/a>, an organisation devoted to dogs.<\/p>

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Most popular dog breeds of the year \u2013 find out if your pooch made the top 10<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
The Scottish terrier was originally known as the Aberdeen terrier because of its high numbers in North East Scotland. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Is it game over for the beloved Scottish terrier?<\/h2>
The 406 puppy births in 2023 mean that, for the second time in their history, the terrier breed has been added to The Kennel Club\u2019s \u2018At Watch\u2019 list, which monitors breeds with between 300-450 puppy registrations a year. <\/p>
Breeds with less than 300 puppy births annually are recorded on the The Kennel Club\u2019s ‘Vulnerable Native’ breed list, a classification devised to highlight native breeds that are at risk of disappearing from Britain’s streets and parks.\u00a0<\/p>
You may recognise the Scottish terrier as one of the tokens from the board game Monopoly. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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\u201cThe Scottish terrier has been such an iconic and recognisable breed in the UK for decades, and means so much to so many different people, so these latest figures are really worrying,” says Bill Lambert, spokesperson for The Kennel Club.\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cWe are lucky to have an amazing 222 breeds of dog in this country, each with unique personalities and characteristics, but the vast majority of dogs that you will meet come from within the top ten breeds alone. <\/p>
The Scottish terrier was once the third most popular breed in Britain, with 5,800 puppies registered in 1947 \u2013 a figure more than 10 times greater than today.<\/p><\/blockquote>
“People often opt for the well-known choices and simply forget to dig a little deeper, with the worrying knock-on effect that not only are some of our most iconic breeds in decline but also that people might not be getting the perfect match for them.”\u00a0<\/p>
Three other British breeds have entered the \u2018At Watch\u2019 list for the first time \u2013 the pointer, rough collie and wire fox terrier, while the cairn terrier has also rejoined the list, meaning there are now more breeds classed as \u2018At Watch\u2019 and \u2018Vulnerable\u2019 than ever before.<\/p>
\u201cWe are lucky to have an amazing 222 breeds of dog in this country, each with unique personalities and characteristics, but the vast majority of dogs that you will meet come from within the top ten breeds alone.”<\/p><\/blockquote>
$\"Scottish$
Just 406 Scottish terrier puppy births were recorded in 2023. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Breeds on the up<\/h2>
Thankfully, there was good news for other British breeds, many of which experienced a rise in popularity in 2023. The English setter increased by 18%, while the Yorkshire terrier and Jack russell terrier (King Charles’ and Queen Camilla’s favoured breed) were both up 14%. <\/p>
The breed that saw the most notable rise was the Bernese mountain dog, which saw its numbers increase by nearly a quarter.<\/p>
$\"Jack$
Jack russell terriers are up 14%. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Crufts: the importance of the ‘world’s greatest dog show’<\/h2>
Despite their dwindling numbers, the Scottish terrier has won ‘Best in Show’ at Crufts<\/a> dog show twice, most recently in 2015. Both the pointer and rough collie \u2013 also on the At Watch\u2019 list \u2013\u00a0have more than 200 dogs set to compete in Crufts 2024.<\/p>
Bill Lambert believes that shows like Crufts \u2013 which runs from 7-10 March at the NEC in Birmingham \u2013 are vital for supporting less popular dog breeds. \u201cThe difficulty is, of course, that opportunities to meet less popular breeds of dogs are limited, which is why we have a unique Discover Dogs zone at Crufts, in a few weeks\u2019 time \u2013 where visitors can talk to experts and meet any of the 222 breeds, from the most popular to vulnerable breeds, and a huge variety in between, including breeds that are new to the UK\u2019s shores and those that yodel instead of bark.<\/p>
“We want people to enjoy lifelong relationships with their four-legged friends and urge potential dog owners to do their research, to meet the huge variety of breeds, and to use the information and resources we provide at Crufts and online, to really understand which breed and which breeder is right for them.”<\/p>
Scottish terrier playing in autumn leaves. Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Crufts 2024 runs from 7-10 March at the NEC in Birmingham. Over 24,000 dogs and more than 220 breeds will be showcased, from the Labrador to the otterhound<\/a>. More information and tickets for the event are available at crufts.org.uk.<\/p>
Discover more information about vulnerable breeds<\/a> and The Kennel Club\u2019s campaign to save them.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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