ALL the Terriers of Scotland stand on very short legs, being needed for tackling foxes amid the tumbled masses of rocks in which they find refuge. The Scottish Terrier, still frequently called the Aberdeen, was one of the first to receive the attention of scientific breeders, who have succeeded in producing a very attractive little fellow. He is powerfully built for a Terrier of compact formation.
The shortness of the coat makes him appear somewhat higher on the leg than is actually the case. The Scottish Terrier head is long, with punishing jaws. Small eyes of a dark brown or hazel colour. Ears small and erect, pointed at the tips. The neck is short, thick and muscular, but set strongly into the sloping shoulder. Chest comparatively broad, and deep in proportion. The Scottish Terrier body of moderate length and rather Hat-sided. Legs short and very heavy in bone; the front ones being straight and set well under the body. They should not turn out at the elbows. In the back legs the hocks should be bent and the thighs very muscular; feet strong and small.
The tail is never docked. The Scottish Terrier coat is rather short, being about 2 inches long, very hard and wiry in texture aid dense all over the body. About 18 lb. is the preferable weight for dogs. Colours, steel or iron-grey, black-brindle, brown-brindle, grey-brindle, black, sandy or wheaten. They ire excellent house dogs and thoroughly good sportsmen in every respect.
Scottish Terrier History First American President
American’s also became infatuated with Scottish Terriers. The first American president to be owned by a Scottish Terrier was Franklin D. Roosevelt. Throughout his life, he and members of his family were owned by numerous Scottish terriers. The first one was Duffy which was bought by the Roosevelt’s on their honeymoon in Scotland. As with many of us, the couple fell in love with the breed. Upon winning the presidency, FDR moved into the White House where Meggtie, the current Scottish lassie of the family began her reign. A stubborn as her owner, she purportedly once bite a senator. Despite a cover-up, the news came to light but Meggie was granted a “presidential pardon.”
His most famous Scottish Terrier was a male named Murray of Fala Hill (Fala). Given to him by his cousin, Margaret Suckley. Fala went everywhere with Roosevelt and provided great solace as he wrestled with his position of responsibility as president and continued his battle against the ravages of polio. Fala kept a constant watch over national and international affairs. Untrimmed, Fala was there for FDRs famous fireside chats that populated the radio during the 1930s.
One of the most trying times for Roosevelt was the beginning of World War II. Following the surprise attack on the United States by the Japanese on December 7, 1941, America was drawn fully into the war. During the weeks that followed, FDR met and conferred with numerous world leaders. In late December, Churchill and the Soviet Ambassador Litvinov met with Roosevelt in Washington to confirm the new alliance against the Axis powers..
On January 1, 1942, these representatives along with Soong of China signed the Declaration of the United Nations "to defend life, liberty, independence, and religious freedom, and to preserve human rights and justice in their own lands as well as in other lands." More than three years later when the name of the new international organization was being discussed in San Francisco, the name "United Nations" was selected as a tribute to Roosevelt.
In 1944, Fala was with the President on a sea trip to the Aleutian Islands. Rumors were launched that Fala was accidentally left on one of the Islands and had to be rescued at taxpayer expense. In the heat of a presidential election coming up, the Republicans accused him of spending millions of taxpayers' dollars in sending a destroyer back for him. The President answered the attack in his famous Fala speech while talking to the Teamsters Union:
These Republican leaders have not been content with attacks on me, or my wife, or on my sons. No, not content with that, they now include my SCottish Terrier Puppy, Fala. Well, of course, I don't resent attacks, and my family doesn't resent attacks, but Fala does resent them. You know, Fala is Scotch, and being a Scottie, as soon as he learned that the Republican fiction writers in Congress had concocted a story that I had left him behind on the Aleutian Islands and had sent a destroyer back to find him at a cost to the taxpayers of two or three, or eight or twenty million dollars his Scotch soul was furious.
He has not been the same dog since. I am accustomed to hearing malicious falsehoods about myself such as that old, worm-eaten chestnut that I have represented myself as indispensable. But I think I have a right to resent, to object to libelous statements about my Scottish Terrier dog.“
There was another incident on a sea trip aboard the ship Tuscalosa in the West Indies. It was a hot day. The sailors were trying to cool off. They were lying on the deck stretched out in a row. Their bare feet were lined up. Fala caused quite a commotion by moving quickly along the row licking and tickling their feet. Despite Roosevelt’s protectionist attitude towards Fala, the Scottish Terrier Puppies still gained notoriety such that to this day he is one of the most famous Scottish Terrier in history. Books have been written about the Scottish Terrier Puppies. He even had his own editorial cartoon series entitled “Mr. Fala of the White House.”
Fala outlived his master. In April of 1945, President Roosevelt died in Warm Springs, Georgia. Fala attended the funeral and went to live with Mrs. Roosevelt at Val-Kill. Fals lived seven more years but was never quite the same. Worried about him, Eleanor brought his grandson, Tamas McFala to live at Val-Kill, too, and be Fala's playmate. At 12 years of age, Fala crossing the rainbow bridge on April 5, 1952. The Scottish Terrier Puppies was buried in the Rose Garden next to the sun dial and near his beloved master.
Scottish Terrier Video
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