Adoption Policies
Selling a registered Scottish Terrier is a Responsibility to its breeder. Purchasing, providing for the care, training, and safety of a puppy are equal responsibilities for a new owner. Buyers should carefully select a breeder (See How to Select a Breeder). How one raises a Scottie, what one feeds a Scottie, how much attention and exercise one provides their scottie, and what kind of health care and immunization protection one provides is the future responsibility of the adopter. Doing the right thing for a Scottie puppy is, in reality, a protection of one's investment and helps to insure that your Scottie lad or lassie will have a long and happy life.
While we believe that everyone who truly loves the breed and has the right living conditions ought to own a Scotty, we don't believe everyone or every dog should be bred. To reduce pet over population and to minimize the perpetuation of breed faults, companion Scotties are sold on spay/ neuter contracts. Neutering dogs can reduce the risks of certain types of cancer. Bitches do not have to whelp a litter to be a loving. Scotties are loving by nature. They are devoted, willing to please but independent little dogs. Show potential Scotties are sold on contracts which delineate obligations for completing the Scottie's championship, breeding, and assistance. From whomever you acquire your Scottie, you should insist that all details be delineated in writing with a contract. To this end, McVan Scotties requires written contracts for the sale of companion and show potential Scotties. See a sample contract in Vandra's article section of the webpage.
Scottie puppies are doggie children, and children are human puppies. As with
a new baby, all can share in the joy of the new addition. With baby or puppy
raising, the child should not be placed 
beyond
its level of competence and reliability. We do not believe that a Scottie should
be purchased to "teach
a child responsibility." A scottie is a member of the family and is everyone's
responsibility. We also do not recommend buying a Scottish terrier as a surprise
present. From our experience, surprise doggies often turn into returned or
neglected Scotties.
Whenever possible we want to meet the people our Scotties will own. And we want them to meet us and the McVan clan.
Because McVan Scotties are well socialized in our home, they usually adapt quickly to new places and people. However, they still will need to be taught YOUR do's and don'ts and be house trained upon adoption. Scotties were bred to go to ground. Therefore, they like "caves" and covered enclosures. A crate is useful so your Scottie will have a "safe haven. Fenced yards are required; swimming pools are a BIG negative. Because of the disproportionate body to leg mass, Scotties do not swim well and drown easily. We are not fond of boats as we had one of our puppies who purportedly was in a life jacket drown.