Scottish Dog Breeds
A dog, or ‘cù’ as a Scotsman would say, is a man’s best friend. Scottish breeders understood this early on, with over a dozen native Scottish dog breeds winning hearts worldwide. Some of the most popular breeds on AKC’s list, the Golden Retriever, and several types of Collies, come from this country.
All the breeds originating in Scotland are working dogs, belonging to either the terrier, hunting dog, or herding dog group. They are like the Scottish terrain with its rugged highlands and rolling lowlands — hard-working, loyal, and affectionate. They all have super-high energy levels that keep them going all day long.
List of Dog Breeds from Scotland
Large Dogs
- Bearded Collie
- Golden Retriever
- Gordon Setter
- Rough Collie
- Scottish Deerhound
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Smooth Collie
- Border Collie (Anglo-Scottish border)
Small Dogs
- Border Terrier
- Cairn Terrier
- Dandie Dinmont Terrier
- Scottish Terrier
- Skye Terrier
- West Highland White Terrier
- Sporting Lucas Terrier
There was one more breed native to this land, the Paisley Terrier, but it is now extinct. It was similar to the Sky Terrier in appearance and is a direct ancestor of the Yorkshire Terrier that was later developed in England.
FAQs
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier, Skye Terrier, and Bearded Collie are considered some of the rarest breeds from Scotland.