West Highland White Terrier
AKA:Poltalloch Terrier, Westie
Origin:Scotland
Size:Small
Ease of Training:Medium
Grooming:Medium/High
Shedding:Low
Exercise needed:Daily walks
Energy level:High
Protection:High,makes an effective watchdog
Good with Children:Yes, with gentle, older children
Health Clearances:OFA, CERF
Popularity:33/155
West Highland White Terrier Temperament
An adaptable, intelligent, and confident little dog, the West Highland White Terrier has become an enormously popular family pet over the years. These spirited creatures thrive on the affection, interaction, and companionship of their owners, and have bags of energy to burn up. This is not the right choice of pet for those with little time or inclination to be active, as they do need a fair amount of exercise, preferably interactive play and activity. The West Highland White Terrier is courageous, inquisitive, and loves to chase, which means that he must be supervised in a safe and secure area when he is not on a leash. These dogs can be a little arrogant, stubborn, and demanding, and are best suited to those with some experience of dog ownership and training. They are very intelligent, eager to please, and quick to learn, which makes training less of a challenge. They also have excellent problem solving skills.
The West Highland White Terrier will bark to raise an alarm, which makes him an effective watchdog. They love to dig, and many are a little too fond of the sound of their own bark, so be prepared for anything but a quiet life. The West Highland White Terrier can have a possessive streak when it comes to his food and belongings. He tends to try to dominant same sex dogs. He does not get along well with cats at all. Because of his high prey instinct, he will avidly chase and probably catch smaller running creatures and should not be trusted around them. The Westie tends to get along with visitors, and is fine around older, gentle children. Younger kids may be too boisterous and rough for his liking.
West Highland White Terrier Appearance
The West Highland White Terrier is a sweet, elegant looking dog, and is small, sturdy, and hardy. He has a very appealing expression, with his dark eyes and black button nose. The coat of the West Highland White Terrier is soft and dense underneath, with a wiry outer coat. The coloring of these dogs is solid white, hence the name. The West Highland White Terrier weighs in at around 14-18 pounds for females, and 15-20 pounds for males. The height of these dogs is around 10 inches for females and 11 inches for males.
West Highland White Terrier Grooming
The grooming requirements for the West Highland White Terrier can be fairly extensive. You will need to brush his coat around twice a week, and you may need to get the coat trimmed or clipped every few months. Show dogs will need to have the dead coat stripped every few months. The hair around the bottom needs to be kept trimmed for hygiene reasons, and monthly bathing is also recommended. When groomed properly the West Highland White Terrier is a low shedder, and may therefore suit those with allergies.
West Highland White Terrier Health Problems and Life Expectancy
The life expectancy of the West Highland White Terrier is around 11-14 years, and there are a number of health problems to look out for with this breed. This includes Legg-Perthes, cataracts, CMO, vWD, seizures, allergies, and luxating patella. The parents of the West Highland White Terrier puppy should have OFA and CERF certificates. They should also be screened for GDC and luxating patella.
West Highland White Terrier History
The West Highland White Terrier was bred in the Highlands of Scotland, and was used as a vermin hunter. Several of these dogs were pictured in the famous 'Breakfast Party' painting by Sir Edwin Landseer in the 1830s. The breed was registered with the AKC in 1908.
This Dog was created because of a tragic hunting accident, Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm accidentally shot his red Cairn Terrier by mistake, thinking it was a fox, thus he decided to breed an all white Cairn Terrier to prevent this accident from ever happening again, however another problem was apparent, the dogs dug themselves too deep underground, that they often got stuck and the only to get them out was if they barked loud enough to be heard, so the hunters had to take shovels and dig them out, because of this problem another feature was added to the breed, a strong sturdy tail to help pull them out of trouble.
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