A natural consequence
in all breeds of breeding for excessive length of head is the elimination of the stop. The
face gets flatter and flatter with every small addition to length. To insist on a proper
stop is therefore a hindrance to overdoing length of head. The stop need not, in fact
should not, be too deep.
W. L. McCandlish |
| The "stop" is a depression or step down in
the topline of the head, situated almost centrally between the eyes, at the junction of
the frontal bones of the skull with those of the upper jaw and nose in front. The "slight but distinct" stop is a small, but critical aspect of a
correct Scottish Terrier head. Breeders selecting for excessive length of head to
the exclusion of all else often overlook the stop, resulting in a gradual flattening of
the head. The stop is crucial because it allows the eyes to be set deeply under the brow,
where they can be protected in a fight. British author Dorothy Caspersz correctly asserts
that the absence of a stop results in a "foreign" expression. The inner corner
of the eye should mark the location of the stop and the longitudinal center of the head
from nose to occiput.
Careful trimming of eyebrows can sometimes give the impression of a
stop when there is none. If a Scottie has a correct stop, you will see a slight but
distinct drop from the level of the topline of the skull to the top line of the muzzle
when the dog is viewed in profile.
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The skull should be
moderately broad, allowing brain space, but entirely devoid of any prominence at the
cheek-bones or above the brows. It should have a clean-cut, chiseled appearance from
whatever angle it is viewed.
Dorothy Caspersz |
| The Scottish Terrier is not supposed to have a narrow
skull. Rather, the width of the skull should be just slightly narrower than the length of
the skull. For an 8 1/4 inch length of head, this would make the ideal skull about 3 3/4
inches wide. (See the Breeder's Guide). The
head gives the impression of being narrow because of its length. A skull of
the proper width may look too coarse if the head is too short. The dog pictured below has
the correct ratio of skull width to head length. 
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Next Page
Chapter 2
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