Australian Terrier vs Scottish Terrier

Compare the Australian Terrier to the Scottish Terrier. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Australian Terriers and Scottish Terriers.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both the Australian Terrier and the Scottish Terrier are good for new owners, but the Australian Terrier is a slightly better choice.
Children - Both breeds are child friendly, but the Scottish Terrier is the most friendly between the breeds.
Grooming - The Australian Terrier is easy to groom while the Scottish Terrier has moderate grooming needs.
Barking - Both the Australian Terrier and Scottish Terrier are very vocal and will bark/howl frequently.

Choose Another Breed to Compare

vs

Highlight Differences
Highlight Similarities

Australian Terrier vs Scottish Terrier

Breed Name	Australian Terrier	Scottish Terrier
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	Yes	No
Lifespan	11-14 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Height	9-11 in.	10-11 in.
Weight	12-16 lb	18-22 lb
Intelligence	High	Average
History
Origin Country	Australia	UK (Scotland)
Origin Year	1820 AD	55 BC
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Below Average	Very Good
Stranger Friendly	Good	Very Good
Personality
	Affectionate Loving Does Not Like Being Alone	Loving Stubborn Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	No	No
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	No
Large Yard	Yes	No
Temperature Tolerance ¹	50°F to 80°F	55°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Very Often	Very Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	Very High	Low
Exercise Required	High-Very High	Low
Top Running Speed	20 mph	11 mph
Strength	Low	Medium
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	High
Shedding	Low	Low
Dander	Low	Low
Drool Amount	None	Low

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Australian Terrier	Scottish Terrier
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	No
Independent	No	Yes
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	Yes	No
Average	No	Yes
Focused & Patient	No	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Very Low
Burrow/Digging	Below Average	Average
Chasing	Average	Average
Follow Commands	Average	Below Average
Fighting	Below Average	Below Average
Guarding	Below Average	Below Average
Herding	Below Average	Below Average
Hunting	Average	Average
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	High	High
Sledding	Very Low	Below Average
Watch	High	Below Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Australian Terrier	Scottish Terrier
Lifespan
Lifespan	11-14 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Craniomandibular Osteopathy	No	Yes
Patellar Luxation	No	Yes
Scottie Cramp	No	Yes
Von Willebrand's Disease	No	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Australian Terrier	Scottish Terrier
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	Yes
Coat Texture
Rough	Yes	Yes
Scruffy	No	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Medium	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black	Yes	Yes
Black & Red	Yes	No
Black & Tan	Yes	No
Blue & Tan	Yes	No
Red	Yes	No
Sandy	Yes	No
White	Yes	No
Black Brindle	No	Yes
Brindle	No	Yes
Red Brindle	No	Yes
Silver Brindle	No	Yes
Wheaten	No	Yes