Dog breeds / Small breeds

What a Scottish Terrier really costs

Scottish Terriers are small and cheap to feed, but they carry an 18–20-fold higher bladder cancer risk than other dogs, so a late-life oncology bill is a real possibility. Their wiry coat also needs either a hand-stripping specialist or a groomer clip every 6–8 weeks.

Size: Small, 18–22 lb
Life expectancy: 12 years
Grooming: High
Insurance risk: Above average
Puppy price: $1,500–$3,500
Food a day: About 590 calories

Where the money goes each year

A typical adult year for a Scottish Terrier with mainstream food, a groomer, no insurance, in an average-cost area. That's $110 less than the median breed.

Illness and injury (average)$690
Grooming$469
Dental cleanings$425
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$404
Checkups, vaccines and tests$330
Food$303
Toys, beds and everyday supplies$180
Treats and chews$61
License$20
Typical year$2,880

Most years land between $2,050 (budget food, home grooming, lower-cost area) and $3,980 (premium food, groomer, insurance, big city). Dogs over about 8 add about $180 a year for senior checkups.

The first year

Buying a puppy front-loads the bill: the price, gear, puppy shots and spay or neuter.

Bringing a puppy home

Breeder price$2,500
Crate, bed, leash, bowls and gear$400
Spay or neuter$490
Microchip$50
Puppy or basic obedience class$149
Upfront$3,590

Running costs in year one

Food$303
Treats and chews$61
Puppy vaccines and checkups$738
Heartworm, flea and tick prevention$404
Grooming$469
License$20
Illness and injury (average)$690
Year-one running costs$2,690

First-year total: $6,270. Adopting instead brings it to about $3,180.

Health costs to plan for

Purdue reports an 18–20-fold bladder cancer risk, and Embrace says Scotties make more costly hereditary claims than mixed breeds (liver shunt, pulmonic stenosis, CMO), so the breed sits above average for a small dog.

Condition	How it affects Scottish Terriers	Typical treatment	Cost
Bladder cancer (transitional cell carcinoma)	Purdue's veterinary school reports Scottish Terriers have an 18–20 times higher risk of TCC than other dogs, and exposure to herbicide-treated lawns raised risk up to seven-fold further. Source	Chemotherapy course (Lemonade's overall dog chemotherapy range); surgery, piroxicam and screening ultrasounds add to or replace this	$10,000–$30,000
Pulmonic stenosis	Embrace rates pulmonic stenosis a medium-risk condition in Scottish Terriers. Source	Diagnosis and treatment, up to balloon valvuloplasty by a cardiologist (Embrace's Scottie cost range)	$1,000–$7,000
Portosystemic (liver) shunt	Embrace rates portosystemic shunt a medium-risk condition in Scottish Terriers. Source	Diagnosis and surgical shunt attenuation (Embrace's Scottie cost range)	$2,000–$6,000
Craniomandibular osteopathy	OFA DNA testing found 0.2% of Scotties tested affected and 2.6% carriers (578 dogs); Embrace rates CMO a high-risk condition in the breed. Source	Diagnosis and months of pain medication until the dog outgrows it	$500–$2,000

The yearly estimate already includes an average allowance of $690 for illness and injury. A single surgery can cost several times that, which is the case for an emergency fund or insurance.

What drives the cost of a Scottish Terrier

AKC says a clipped Scottie coat can be kept on a 6–8 week groomer schedule; hand-stripping preserves the harsh coat but few pet groomers offer it.
Purdue found exposure to herbicide-treated lawns raised Scotties' TCC risk up to seven-fold; skipping lawn chemicals is a free risk reducer.
Purdue's research team has screened Scotties with periodic urinary ultrasounds; owners who opt for screening should budget for an ultrasound ($350–$1,000) each time.
Insure early: once bladder cancer is diagnosed it becomes a pre-existing condition, and chemotherapy courses can run $10,000–$30,000.
At 18–22 lb, food and preventives are small-dog priced.

Breeder or rescue

Reputable breeder: $1,500–$3,500
Rescue or shelter: $200–$500
Lifetime, from a breeder: $38,300
Lifetime, adopted: $35,200

Scottie asking prices on AKC Marketplace sampled in October 2026 ranged $995–$3,500, median about $2,000 (14 listings with a stated price). The Scottish Terrier Club of America maintains a breeder referral list and rescue contacts.

Adopting vs buying: the full cost comparison

Similar-size breeds by yearly cost

Miniature Schnauzer$2,730 a year
Maltipoo$2,780 a year
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel$2,780 a year
Miniature Poodle$2,800 a year
Bichon Frise$2,840 a year
West Highland White Terrier$2,880 a year
Compare all breeds

Common questions

How much does a Scottish Terrier puppy cost?

A Scottish Terrier puppy from a reputable US breeder typically costs $1,500–$3,500. Adopting one through a rescue usually costs $200–$500.

How much does a Scottish Terrier cost per year?

After the first year, a Scottish Terrier costs about $2,880 a year, or $240 a month, for food, vet care, preventives, grooming, supplies and average illness costs. Depending on food, grooming, insurance and where you live, a typical year ranges from about $2,050 to $3,980.

How much does a Scottish Terrier cost over its lifetime?

About $38,300 over a 12-year life when bought from a breeder, or $35,200 if adopted, in 2026 dollars.

Sources

Prices are averages from the sources above and the cost baselines on our methodology page, in 2026 US dollars. Your vet, groomer and city will differ. Updated October 14, 2026.