Cesky Terrier or Scottish Terrier, how different are the two breeds

There are many native breeds in the UK which over time have found a massive fan base in many other countries of the world. One native breed that was used to create another charming dog is the Scottish Terrier and the result was the Cesky Terrier. Both breeds are very similar looking, but just how different is the Cesky to the Scottish Terrier is covered in this article.

Cesky Terrier origins

Cesky Terriers were first bred during the thirties by a man in Czechoslovakia called Dr. Frantisek Horak who used Scottish Terriers and Sealyham Terriers to create a hardy dog capable of hunting with other dogs and one that would also make a great companion and family pet. He spent twenty years developing the breed which has found a fan base in many other countries of the world including the UK. These charming dogs are often called Bohemian Terriers"" and the breed was awarded full recognition by the Kennel Club in 1990. Their numbers remain quite low in the UK, but their popularity is rising with more well-bred pedigree puppies being registered every year.

Scottish Terrier origins

The Scottish Terrier is thought to be related to another British canine treasure, namely the West Highland Terrier. With this said, their origins remain a bit of a mystery because no records of the breed were ever kept in times long past. There are people who think that the breed is an ancient on that could well date right back to Roman times who had similar looking dogs known as ""terrarii"" which means ""workers of the earth"".

They could also have the once highly prized Old Scotch Terrier in their ancestry because they are the foundation of many terrier breeds found in the UK today. Similar looking dogs can be found in “A History of Scotland”. With this said, during the 18th Century, there were two varieties of terriers namely th rough coated Scottish Terrier and the smooth coated English Terrier and it is thought that these two breeds could be the foundation breeds of the Scottish Terriers we see today. They are often referred to affectionately as ""Aberdeenies"" and have become popular not only as companions, but also as family pets.

Cesky Terrier appearance

Cesky Terriers have Scottish Terrier in their lineage as they are one of the foundation breeds used to create these charming looking small dogs. As such, they are very similar in looks and size. They stand at around 29 cm at the withers with females being a little shorter. They weigh in at between 6 to 10 kg and have short legs with nicely compact, sturdy bodies. Much like the Scottish Terrier, the Cesky has a long head which is well furnished with a bushy beard and thick moustache with a very defining feature being their bushy eyebrows.

The Cesky has a slightly wavy coat with a silky sheen and the accepted breed colours are as follows:

• Dark grey
• Grey
• Grey and tan
• Grey blue
• Light brown
• Silver
• Wheaten

Scottish Terrier appearance

The Scottish Terrier is also a small, short-legged dog that boasts having tremendous furnishings around their faces and muzzles as well as lots of feathering on their legs. They stand at anything from 25 to 28 cm at the withers which means they are ever so slightly shorter than their Cesky counterparts. They weigh around the same as the Cesky only females tend to be a little lighter than their male counterparts.

They are well balanced, feisty looking dogs and they have large paws which is why they are such ""diggers"". They have lots of furnishing around their muzzles and delightfully bushy eyebrows. They have dense double, close-lying coats with a harsher top coat and a much denser and softer undercoat. Their accepted breed colours include the following:

• Black
• Wheaten - any shade is acceptable
• Brindle - any shade is acceptable

Cesky Terrier temperament

Calm, placid, sometimes aloof but always good natured, the Cesky thrives on being around the people they love although they can be a little wary of strangers. With this said, rarely would a Cesky show any sort of aggression towards people they don't already know, preferring to keep their distance until they do. Because they form such strong ties with their owners they are better suited to households where one person stays at home when everyone else is out. The reason being that if a Cesky is left to their own devices for too long, they run the risk of develop a condition known as separation anxiety which can result in dogs becoming destructive around the house.

The Cesky is an intelligent terrier and one that needs to be given lots of mental stimulation to be truly well-rounded characters. They have a high prey drive which is why it's so important for these terriers to be taught the ""recall"" command from a young age. They also need to be taught the boundaries and ground rules from the word go so that they understand their place in the pack and what their owners expect of them.

Scottish Terrier temperament

Loyal, ultra-intelligent, feisty and affectionate, the Scottish Terrier forms strong bonds with their families and thrive on being around the people they love although the strongest tie is usually to the person who takes the most care of them. There's nothing these small dogs enjoy more than to be involved in everything that goes on in the household.

They are known to be a little reserved at times and are independent characters by nature which is a trait that's deeply embedded in their psyche. They can be stubborn when the mood takes them which is something that needs to be gently curbed when dogs are still young. Although friendly, Scotties can be wary around people they don't know and will keep their distance until they get to know someone, but rarely would they show any sort of aggression towards a stranger.

They are known to be expert ""diggers"" which is something else that needs to be gently curbed when dogs are still young and before it turns into a real problem. One endearing trait of the Scottie is their sensitivity to an owner's mood and feelings which is one of the reasons why they make such wonderful companions and family pets.

Cesky Terrier shedding

The Cesky is a low to moderate shedder with dogs shedding steadily throughout the year only more during the spring and the autumn when their new summer and winter coats start to grow through.

Scottish Terrier shedding

Scotties too are classed as being low to moderate shedders. They shed steadily throughout the year much like their Cesky counterparts and again this tends to be more in the spring and the autumn.

Cesky Terrier training

Being so intelligent, the Cesky is easy to train and because they love to please, training one of these small dogs tends to be a real pleasure. With this said, they can be a little stubborn when the mood takes them which means they need to be handled with a firm, yet gentle hand. The key to successfully training a Cesky is to always be fair and consistent so that dogs understand what an owner expects of them.

Scottish Terrier training

Scotties are fast learners and being so intelligent they pick things up quickly, but this means they also learn bad habits just as fast. Their education has to begin early so that young dogs understand the rules and boundaries that owners set for them. Scotties benefit from being given interesting, but shorter training sessions which help a dog remain more focused on what is being asked of them.

Cesky Terrier exercise

The Cesky Terrier is quite a high energy dog which means they need at least 60 minutes daily exercise which has to be combined with lots of mental stimulation. They also benefit from being given as much off the lead time as possible so they can really express themselves.

Scottish Terrier exercise

Scotties too are high energy terriers and being so intelligent, they need a ton of mental stimulation and daily exercise for them to be truly happy, well-rounded characters. As such a Scottie needs a minimum of 60 minutes daily exercise with as much off the lead time as possible, but only in safe and secure areas where dogs cannot get themselves into trouble.

Cesky Terrier children and pets

Ceskies thrive in a home environment surrounded by children of all ages and as such they make wonderful family pets. They also get on with the family cat although it would be a mistake to trust a Cesky Terrier around smaller animals and pets they don't already know thanks to their high prey drive.

Scottish Terrier children and pets

The Scottish Terrier has a reputation for being reliable and trustworthy around children, but they are better suited to families with older kids rather than toddlers. They are known to be territorial by nature which means care should be taken when they are around dogs they don't already know and will stand their ground if ever they feel threatened. They usually get on well with a family cat, but care should be taken when they meet smaller animals and pets because they too boast having a high prey drive.

Cesky Terrier health

More information is needed about the Cesky Terrier to really know about any health concerns the breed might suffer from and with so few puppies being registered with the Kennel Club every year, more time is needed to establish what issues affect the breed the most. The conditions that seem to affect the breed the most includes the following:

• Scottie Cramp
• Eye disorders - Tests available
• Back and joint issues
• Obesity

Scottish Terrier health

The Scottie is known to suffer from a few more hereditary health issues which are as follows:

• Cancer
• von Willebrand disease (vWD)
• Craniomandibular osteopathy (CMO)
• Patellar luxation
• Cerebellar abiotrophy
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Scottie Cramp

Cesky Terrier life expectancy

The average life span of a Cesky Terrier is between 9 and 15 years when properly cared for and fed an appropriate good quality diet to suit their ages.

Scottish Terrier life expectancy

The average life span of a Scottish Terrier is between 13 and 14 years when properly cared for and fed an appropriate good quality diet to suit their ages.

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