We feel for you. We had to put down our beloved scottie, Kylie, earlier this year. She had an aggressive bladder cancer that ended up bleeding, literally killing her in less than 72 hours from the time we first saw evidence of the tumor. She was 12, and the best dog I've ever had. I've always been a terrier person, and after owning scotties, I won't own anything else. They are a small dog (20-30#) with a lion heart and great personality. They do have a mind of thier own, so you do have to assert yourself as the dominant one, or they will take over your home. Despite being long haired, you actually have to strip thier coat, so shedding is not really an issue, especially if you just brush them down once a month.
Here is a pic of our girl:
If you are interested, here is a link to more about the breed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Terrier
DT