Description
This sturdy, hardy, compact little terrier has a two inch all white coat that is uncurled with a soft, dense undercoat. They have bright, dark, deep-set eyes with a penetrating gaze. The ears are small, pointed and erect, giving the animal an alert ready-for-anything look. The tail is carried jauntily, is about 5-6 inches (12½-15cm.) long and should not be docked. It has a deep chest and muscular limbs. The Westie has a short, closely fitted jaw with scissors bite, a pronounced stop, and slightly convex skull.
The Westie is happy in any type of living situation and will do well in the country or in the city. He needs to live inside with his family, however, not outside. He makes an excellent apartment resident if properly exercised and trained not to bark. He's happy to stay at home while you're at work, and--with proper stimulation and safety precautions--he's fine on his own during your workday. To top it all off, he's also an easy traveler, whether on long vacations or short errands.
Temperament
West Highland White Terriers are described in the standard as being "possessed of no small amount of self-esteem with a varminty appearance." This game and hardy little Terrier is easy to train. They are fairly friendly toward strangers and get along well with behavedchildren. Westies may snap when irritated, but are not as willful as many of the other Terrier breeds. They are lively and extremely self-assured toward other dogs. Westies usually do not pick fights with other dogs, although some males are combative with other males. They may chase a cat for fun, but usually will not hurt it. Robust, friendly, cocky and spunky. Westies just love companionship. Despite its size, they make a very good watchdog. These little dogs are easy to travel with. The Westie likes to dig and bark.
An interesting story involving a Westie: There was one case where a Westie would attack the mother in the family whenever she yelled at her teen-age daughter. This aggression has gotten progressively worse over the years, resulting in the mother's complete inability to even scold her child. It tuned out that the daughter was rewarding the dog for his protection by soothing and calming him down after each attack or threat to her mother. Thus, the daughter was perceived as helping her mother by preventing further assaults when in fact she was helping herself by, in the dogs eyes, rewarding the dog for its behavior.
The West Highland White Terrier can be trained easily. He's intelligent and a quick learner, and training will amuse him as long as it remains positive and consistent. In fact, using positive reinforcement laced with consistency is the only way to train a Westie. Clicker training is an excellent training method for him. You're wasting your time using harsh corrections, since his "what's in it for me" attitude is likely to kick in, causing him to shut down and ignore the commands
Height, Weight
Height: Dogs 10-12 inches (25-30cm.) Bitches 9-11 inches (23-28cm.)
Weight: Dogs 15-22 pounds (7-10kg.) Bitches 13-16 pounds (6-7kg.)
Health Problems
Most are fairly healthy. Some are prone to chronic skin problems, Perthe's disease (hip problems), hernias, liver disease, and jawbone calcification.
Living Conditions
West Highland White Terriers are suitable for people in towns and cities as well as in the country. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard.
Exercise
These little dogs, need a daily walk. Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs who do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off lead, such as a large fenced in yard.
Life Expectancy
About 15 or more years.
Grooming
The harsh, straight, short-haired double coat is fairly easy to groom and sheds little to no hair. Simply brush regularly with a stiff bristle brush. Brushing should keep the coat clean, so bathe only when necessary. Trim around the ears and eyes with blunt-nosed scissors. The whole coat should be trimmed about every four months and stripped twice a year.
Origin
In the middle of the nineteenth century, it happened that the breeder of the Cairn Terrier in the country of Argyll, Scotland got some white pups in his litters. Those pups were selected and bred to obtain the West Highland White Terrier, which is simply a white Cairn. Westies were originally bred for controlling the population of rats, fox, otter and other vermin. This charming terrier is now mostly a companion dog.
Group
Terrier, AKC Terrier
