What do you mean I'm out of fashion? Heather and I have the best outfits![/caption]This morning, I came across an article on PawNation: "12 Out of Fashion Dog Breeds." Somehow, I knew our beloved breed would get a mention. Sure enough (and much to my disappointment), No. 3 of the 12 was the Scottish Terrier. While our Scotties do get a nod as "one of the most iconic breeds in the history of dogs" in this article, I had to wonder: does a Scottie really belong on this list? And have we, as Scottie Moms and Dads, become (dare I say it?) old-school?
Ok, let's review what we know. There can be no denying our beloved breed is slipping the ranks of the American Kennel Club popularity list. (See my last post on this topic - "Top 10 Reasons to Love Scotties" - for specific rankings.) However, just because a Scottie dog is not a common household pet does not mean the breed has gone "out of fashion." You don't often see items of Prada, Versace, Gucci or Fendi being carried around by just anyone and yet, no one would dare say any of these are out of style. In fact, that's what makes these brands all the more appealing to the public: the fact that they are so elite, few people possess items designed by them.
While I can't say Scotties would lose value if they did become common place and nearly every household had one (in fact, I feel many lives would be greatly enriched if they were), I can say that something may be lost. I think it is safe to say that Scottie owners now are fierce: fiercely loyal, fiercely independent, fiercely loving and even protective. These qualities are reciprocated in the Scottie breed itself. If Scottish Terriers were to become common place, I do fear for our beloved breed's well-being as the general public has proven to be very fickle in its love for furry friends. Take a look at our friends the Chihuahuas, made famous by the likes of Paris Hilton, Taco Bell and reality shows. Still a relatively popular pup today and yet, look how many can be found at shelters or worse. We already have a significant number of Scotties in rescues and looking for homes. Can you imagine how that number would grow?
In the above-mentioned article, the author writes, "check out 12 breeds that are currently 'out of fashion,' but surely deserve a comeback." I argue this: the Scottie hasn't gone anywhere and won't be for a very long time. The Scottish Terrier is a timeless classic, not today's trend-of-the-moment. They may be rare, as are their owners, but they are all the more precious because of it. And while we Scottie Moms and Dads have a little work to do in modernizing the overall perception of our beloved breed (especially when it comes to producing and promoting items that adequately portray our iconic breed and ditching the kitchy ones!), the Scottish Terrier itself is very much in fashion...don't believe me? Obviously, you haven't met my Heather or Mr. K...!
There aren't very many of us Scotties in Arizona. We see a new one about once every three years. Never confuse fashion with substance. But maybe I'm wrong-I still can't understand tattoos on a female. To me it screams that the woman who gets one isn't happy with her looks and thinks she's ugly. She has to call attention away from her natural looks. However, tattoos on women are fashionable. What happens to that woman in 10 years when tattoos are "sooooo dated"?
ReplyDeleteIt's probably a good thing...if a breed gets too popular they often fall into the hands of bad owners.
ReplyDeleteOK, Mr. K you look so handsome! Well done, Scottie Mom! Our mission at Modern Scottie Dog was to not only show how sweet and loyal the Scottie is, what a great family pet they are, but also how popular the Scottie still is in product designs for some of the high fashion and home decor brands like Coach, J Crew, C Wonder, Radley, My Flat in London and many more. Funny, just don't get the disconnect. Scottie Moms and Dads who use social media are helping to promote Scottie ownership through postings on Facebook and blogs like yours for rescue Scotties and wonderful photos of Scotties around the world posted on Instagram. It's easier now than ever before to find and friend Scottie Moms and Dads and that will make it easier to find a Scottie for someone who never thought they could. I think the STSA is the org that is old school. Just take a look at their website. They could do much more to promote how wonderful a Scottie is for a pet and companion and less on the breed as a show dog. They should put a blogroll on their home page with blogs like ScottieMom, The Scottie Chronicles, Modern Scottie Dog, Scampering Scotties, Campbell's and so many more wonderful sites that write about and feature Scotties.
ReplyDeleteRemember, it takes a special person to be owned by a Scottie. I have seen many rescue sites that require scottie experience and I agree. Scotties are not out of fashion, they are in a different league.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fashion accessory, I'm a cuddly companion!
ReplyDeleteI think I have met 2 or 3 Scottie owners during my time in a vet clinic. Those owners were such wonderful people!
ReplyDeleteWhile we have met a handful of other Scotties in our area, they still seem to be quite rare. And even in rescue, there seem to be less of them than many other breeds. In fact, PetFinder has 135 Scotties or Scottie mixes listed nationally and most of them seem to be mixes. I think this reflects very highly on Scottie owners and breeders- owners are in it for the long haul and breeders are working hard to place Scotties with families who can handle them.
ReplyDeleteBut I definitely think the phrase "out of fashion" was misused in this piece! While Scottish Terrier ownership may be down, a Scottish Terrier is always high fashion!
[...] out of fashion. Being a devoted “Scottie Mom,” she took issue with this statement and posted some photographic evidence to support her argument. Check it [...]
ReplyDeleteHow can the best dog breed on the planet be "out of fashion"? I will never be the same after becoming a "scottie mom". I think the breed must be a well kept secret because I rarely see one. As a kid, my next door neighbors owned one. I fell in love with this dog! They have a killer combination of beauty and brains!
ReplyDeleteMy scotties may be the only ones in the neighborhood but everyone knows them. The neighbors all greet them on their walks. I love their iconic features and they decorate my house. When I moved in to my new house my cousin asked me "have you out grown the dogs yet?" I was hurt and continued to decorate with my antique scottie collectables. I love it and feel comfortable here. The dogs I'm sure don't care.
ReplyDeleteTo date the Scottie has the most "saves" on the leaderboard for Monopoly's poll save-the-token contest. So turns out the Scottie dog is THE most popular game piece! (keep voting until Feb 5 ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe have collected scottie collectables for 30 yrs....... I find it odd when folks ask me why I don't sell them off. I enjoy each one and the memories they bring to mind..Just love my scotts !!!
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