Scottish Terrier Breed Feature

Interview with Mrs. Elsbeth Clerc in the American monthly magazine Dogs in Review 2002

Elsbeth Clerc, Rannoch Scottish Terriers, 4632 Trimbach/Switzerland.
FCI Championship Show Judge for over 150 breeds in Group 3 (Terriers), Group 5 (Spitz and primitive types), Group 8 (Retrievers – Flushing Dogs – Water Dogs), Group 9 (Companion and Toy Dogs) and a few breeds in Group 1 ( Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs, except Swiss Cattle Dogs) and Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossians and Swiss Mountain- and Cattledogs).

1. When and where did you first come across a Scottish Terrier? What attracted you to the breed? Please outline briefly your involvement as an owner, breeder, handler and/or judge.
   I was brought up with dogs, mostly big sized crossbreeds and I was always impressed by dog shows. I remember it was my father who took me 1948 to a dog show and the show virus infected me including collecting catalogues. In the following years I attended regularly well known International Dog Show in Berne. In 1965 I had the opportunity to take a dog with me to my work and my husband suggested a Scottish Terrier since he remembered so well the little Scottie male of the local doctor he met, when he went to school – this was during the World War II. This black male was called Moeckli - this is a Swiss German word and means a little piece - full of himself, touring alone around the village, not taking any notice of anybody except of big dogs, wagging his tail saying, sorry, no time, I am busy. So this was the decision that it has to be a Scottie. I contacted a breeder called Mrs. Paula Meyer (Radimey) and she referd me to Mrs. Elsa Meyer (Reanda) in England. The two ladies were not related but Mrs. Elsa Meyer born in Austria and speaking German, was well known in the German speaking part of Europe. Within 3 years I was the proud owner of 4 Scotties and breeder of the first litter. Since 1968 I bred well over 100 litters of Scotties, about 50 litters of Westies and several litters of Skye and Border Terriers but Scotties are my favorites. - I still have the same devotion to this lovely breed full of character and wisdom. Elsa Meyer was my teacher for whelping, rearing puppies, trimming and showing. Up to the end of the 70’s I spent many days if not weeks at the Reanda Kennels talking about Scotties, reading pedigrees and old books. Elsa Meyer’s knowledge about the Scotties was to my profit. It was also at Elsa Meyer’s home that I met Dan Ericsson the first time – he was about 16 and behaved like a Scottie – full of himself. I bred many International and National Champions of different countries in Europe. Of course the highlight for Elsa Meyer and myself was when Swissrannoch Solo, bred under my English prefix become an English Champion winning BOB at Crufts 1977 under Muriel Owen. Solo was born at Reanda and shown either by Elsa or myself and he is still the only Scottish Terrier bred by a foreign breeder who won his qualifying CC and BOB at Crufts. After passing my judging examination from the Swiss Kennel Club in 1974 I started to judge Terriers, followed by Toys, Retrievers and Spitz breeds.
    
2. What are the most important breed characteristics to keep in mind for anyone wanting to become a good Scottish Terrier judge?
   When you are judging Scotties you will find that they are very honest dogs – now-a-days responding to you when you are talking to them – they have become more open to strangers. They can be very stubborn – we all know that they can hate the collar, shaking the head and refusing to move – that is very typical for Scotties. In my opinion the “old” standard of the parent Club says everything important about the characteristics in “General Appearance – A Scottish Terrier is a sturdy thickset dog of a size to get to ground, placed on short legs, alert in carriage and suggestive to great power and activity in small compass. The head gives the impression of being long for a dog of its size. The body is covered with a close-lying broken, rough-textured coat, and with keen intelligent eyes and sharp prick ears the dog looks willing to go anywhere and to do anything. In spite of its short legs, the construction of the dog enables it to be very agile and active. The whole movement of the dog is smooth, easy and straightforward with free action at shoulder, stifle and hook.” Unfortunately, the words “looks willing to go anywhere and to do anything” has been omitted by the Scottish Terrier Club of England in the 70’s. Dr. Conrad Bremer wrote in The Scottish Terrier Year Book 1951 about Scottish Terrier Type – Forequarters and Hindquarters. The correct anatomical formation of a Scottish Terrier is not difficult to learn. But without knowledge of the bony framework it is impossible to judge efficiently or to compare one dog with another. All these bony points can be felt by the examining fingers and it is a duty of all judges to know these anatomical landmarks”. Terrier judges mostly are familiar with rough coated breeds nevertheless they should keep in mind that Scotties are double coated breed – “close lying, double coat; Undercoat short, dense and soft; outer coat harsh, dense and wiry, together making a weather-resisting covering.” A judge should not overlook a Scottie shown in his undercoat.
    
3. Do you feel that the current AKC breed standard is adequate? Does it differ much from that in Great Britain and the FCI countries?
   There is no difference between the standard of Great Britain and the FCI countries. FCI countries use the standard of the country of origin e.g. Great Britain. The AKC standard is more detailed than the British breed standard. The detailed explanation of the AKC standard given by the Scottish Terrier Club of America is greatly appreciated and I think the Scottish Terrier Club of America and The Scottish Terrier Club of England should think about co-working in revising their actual standards including the detailed explanation from the STCA.
    
4. In what foreign countries have you watched (or judged) Scotties, and how did they compare? What is the reason for any discrepancy in type?
   Over the years being a judge, I have judged Scotties in Great Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Russia, Poland, Australia, South Africa as well as the United States and I felt very honoured to be ask to judge the World Winner Show 1986 in Vienna and the World Winner Show 2002 in Amsterdam. I do remember well that in Vienna only Scotties from the western part of Europe were entered not even one from Scandinavia due to the quarantine rules. No comparison with the entry of 108 in Amsterdam coming from 17 different countries including one from USA and several from Israel. A very strong delegation came from Russia and the Baltic States pushing very hard for top honour. Since the opening of the border to the eastern countries Scotties have become more similar in type, showing quality and are presented in good coat and condition. In Europe we are only a handful of breeders who are also acting a judge and this might be the reason that some of the Scotties are shown too thin – lacking substance. Very often all breed judges blame Scotties for being too fat. I was surprised to see so many bad fronts at the recent World Winner Show in Amsterdam, even in Champion Class, and they obviously got their Champion titles under at least 3 different judges. In Europe Scotties are trimmed and shown by their breeders or enthusiasts – I do not think that we have a handful of professional handlers in Europe. We rarely have kennels most of them are kept together, males and females are running in the garden, kept in the kitchen and over night in a crate . Hard to believe for American breeders that you can have several males running peacefully together but Scotties are also racist and my experience is, that it is easier to keep Scottie males together than having mixed them with other Terrier males like Westies, Borders or Skyes. I think this way of keeping dogs did make a big influence to the more open temperament of the now-a- days Scotties.
    
5. Please mention at least one Scottish Terrier not owned, bred or shown by yourself, which you particularly admired. Which one of those you have been involved with was the best?
   Looking back in old Club Books of the Scottish Terrier Club (England) I remember to be very impressed by Ch. Reanda Ringold, followed by Ch. Eilburn Admaration and many other top winning dogs in England. One of the best shown in Europe recently was for sure the Italian owned Multi Ch. Tamzin Red Cherry (Handler Mja Ejerstad) bred by the Platts. My World Winner BOB in Amsterdam Raglan Rory and his daughter Raglan Royal Prospect, BOS, impressed me immensely. Both do fit the standard and they show all the breed characteristics I mention answering question 2. I owned many lovely Scotties especially my males. GB, Int., German, Austrian and Swiss Ch, World Winner 1979 multiple Group and BIS Winner Swissrannoch Solo , home bred in England. Int., Nordic Ch. Raglan Royal Commander bred by Dan Ericsson, Top Terrier in Sweden 1984/85, joint the Rannochs in 1986 and became a Champion in Germany, Austria and Switzerland taking many times top honour. A great character was Reanda Rainbow Warrior bred by Elsa Meyer, also a multiple Champion and a real gentlemen with a excellent head type, not the smallest ears but well placed, and a typical “Reanda” expression. Multiple Ch. Stuane Glamour Girl bred by Stuart Plane was a grand daughter of Swissrannoch Solo through her sire, Ch. Glenecker Danny Boy. She was a very showy bitch and proved to be an excellent brood bitch. She was the dam of Int, Swiss, German and Austrian Ch. Rannoch Glamour Madam and Glamour Madam produced Rannoch Sweet Look which I had to put to sleep last year. Rannoch High Hope , a Raglan Royal Commander daughter, produced in her only litter Int., German, Austrian and Swiss Ch. Rannoch Honey , World Winner 1990 in Brno. Due to family and health reasons I have neither shown nor bred many litters in the past 5 years and also judging has taken more and more time of my life but that does not mean that I am without dogs. I still have several Scotties, Westies and a Border in my house enjoying a happy life on a romantic spot close to the forest in the middle of Switzerland.

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