Scottish Terrier

Essential tools: #15 and #30 clipper blades, carding knife, fine and coarse stripping knives, and thinning shears.

Strip a dirty coat for better texture and reduced breakage.

Create a level topline by removing extra hair at the back and leaving length in areas with dips.

Card out the undercoat to ensure the jacket lies flat and achieves the breed’s profile.

Hand-strip outer coat to maintain wiry texture; card undercoat to remove fluff.

Maintain a short, dense coat for a flat-laying jacket that enhances the dog’s profile.

Keep the carrot tail thick at the base and tapering at the tip, avoiding a skinny look.

Short, straight hocks and compact rear create a balanced, powerful silhouette.

Strip the head for a flat top skull, leaving small tufts on the ears to make them appear higher and smaller.

Keep cheeks tight, allowing the head to appear narrow yet strong.

Define the chest and shoulder transition with tight stripping to prevent a boxy look.

Maintain a visible prosternum to keep the shoulders from appearing too far forward.

Keep legs as columns, avoiding a “flare” shape, and maintain hair length down to the nails.

Trim around feet for a compact look without affecting the leg’s natural cylindrical shape.

Shape feet naturally, creating cat-like, compact feet without removing past the pasterns.

Keep the skirt neat by pulling rather than trimming, preserving a natural look.

Use thinning shears sparingly to create smooth transitions between clipped and stripped areas, avoiding sharp lines.

For a polished look, blend seams where clipped areas meet stripped sections.