This is the first in a series of articles I propose to pen about the fauna (and flora) of Scotland. (A few photos will be added in here shortly.)

All dogs which were developed and bred in Scotland were working dogs. Casual pets were not selected for; animals had to pull their weight. The types of working dogs can be divided into three, depending on function.

Dogs who protected or herded livestock (cattle or sheep) :

Bearded Collie: aka Mountain Scotch Collie, Old Welsh Grey Sheepdog, Highland Collie, Loch Collie, or the Hairy Moued Collie (or, Beardie). These are not related to the rough collie (or smooth collie); apparently the word "collie" may relate to an early gaelic term for "useful". Collie might also refer to a type of sheep once prevalent in Scotland, the "colley". They are a herding breed, dating back to the 1600's, although breeding records are spotty. Some of the ancestors to this breed may have been imported by Roman or Angle invaders, or perhaps by Polish traders, as there are dogs in regions these people would have passed through that resemble the Beardie. Today, there are two strains of the Beardie: a black or grey type with white markings known as the Border, or a smaller variant with brown or fawn coloration, and white markings, known as the Highland.

Border Collie: So called because they were common in the borderlands between Scotland and England. They are also great for tracking, and are agile in the mountains. They've been around since the 1700's. They are very intelliegent and love to work. They are short to medium in height.

Rough Collie and Smooth Collie: The Rough Collie is so-called because this dog's coat is longer than that of the Smooth Collie, but the two types of collies are related. Lassie of TV fame was a Rough Collie. These dogs are medium to large in size. Queen Victoria is known to have taken an interest in Smooth Collies.

Shetland Sheepdog: Also known as the Sheltie, this dog looks like a smaller version of the Rough collie, but it isn't. It may well have similar ancestors. It hails from the Shetland Islands, where the need for a larger dog in this harsh environment was not as strong. Shelties were allowed to manage herds of animals and flocks of birds while the human inhabitants were away for most of the year. They handle rocky terrain very well.

Dogs who protected the grain from rodents and other vermin:

Cairn Terrier: A famous example of a Cairn Terrier is Toto, from the Wizard of Oz. This animal comes from the western Highlands, and has strong watchdog tendencies.

Dandie Dinmont Terrier: These terriers come from the borderlands between Scotland and England, and are related to the Skye Terrier.

Scottish Terrier: Also known as Aberdeen Terriers, these dogs are probably the oldest of the terriers, and are heavily primed to chase down small animals and vermin.

Skye Terrier: These dogs came into being in the 1700's, and were reared on the Isle of Skye, of course. Queen Victoria possibly owned some of these. They are a potent watch dog (which means they bark a lot).

West Highland White Terrier: This one is essentially just a white Cairn Terrier on its own contemporary breeding program.

Hunting Dogs:

Gordon Setter: This dog was bred to be a bird dog. The fourth Duke of Gordon established the breed in the late 1700's. The animal makes a good watch or guard dog as well, and is high energy. They are black with tan markings and are medium to large.

Golden Retriever: This dog was also bred to be a bird dog; and, as the name implies, to retrieve downed birds to bring back to the hunter. It was most likely an animal bred and developed more in England than in Scotland, although it proved useful in either country.

Scottish Deerhound: This dog was developed to help hunt game, such as deer. These otherwise-mellow dogs have strong hunting instincts, and they are large, but not stocky. The Deerhound may have arrived in Scotland over 3000 years ago with Phoenician traders. They were maintained in the Highlands, and are capable of high jumps over fences on those gangly legs of theirs.

A Resource: Scottish Dogs