by Court Moss

Created on: August 14, 2008   Last Updated: November 17, 2011

The West Highland White Terrier

West Highland White Terriers, or Westies, are descendants from Cairn Terriers and Scottish Terriers, who sometimes gave birth to all white puppies. Other terries that also had white offspring such as the Bedlington Terrier and the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, were introduced into the bloodline. However this practice ceased in the 1850s.

In the 1800s, Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm of Scotland is credited as an originator of the Westie. Other sources claim that the 8th Duke of Argyll was also an originator of the breed. In the end it took as long as a hundred years to selectively breed the dogs to gain all of the desired qualities. The white coat was important because it made them extremely visible as they were hunting. This in return made them distinguished from their game.

However, the Westie was first given the name Poltalloch Terrier because of Colon Malcolm's home. And it was also called the Roseneath Terrier because of Argyll's home. At the end of the 19th century it was considered a white variety of the Scottish Terrier. Westie's were known and bred for hunting purposes. Their prey were often squirrels, rabbits, mice, foxes, and badgers. On a more interesting note, the females were often the keenest of hunters.

Westie's are an intricate part of Scotland along with the Scottish, Cairn, Skye, and Dandie Dimont Terriers. And they all descend from the same roots. Each of them played an important part as hunters of small game. And in 1907 the Westie was given it's official name. It was at the still popular Crufts dog show in England. The Westie received its name because of it's rugged character. In 1909 The West Highland White Terrier Club of America was founded. And in 1908 it was acknowledged by the American Kennel Club.

Breed Info

The Westie is small in size and large in attitude. It is a well balanced hardy looking dog with no low self esteem. It always remains to show great showmanship with its strongly built frame and deep chest. Everything about the breed exudes strength and large amounts of activity.

The semi-long coat is always white in color and is slightly hard to the touch with a soft undercoat. Most showmanship individuals keep the hair around the face to frame that typical Westie expression. However, their coat is seldom seen to perfection. The West Highland White Terrier is in fact all terrier. It has the typical spunk of the group and it also has a clear sense of determination and devotion.

Their bright deep-set eyes tend to be dark and have a piercing look to them. And their ears are generally small, pointed, and erect. A typical weight of a Westie is from 15 to 20 pounds and an average height of 11 inches. Their tails should be between 5-6 inches long, carrot shaped, and should never be docked.

When the Westie is outdoors it shows it's true potential. They are very sporty with great speed with a cunning attitude. They are also very intelligent breeds. Since they were once used for hunting they may still show signs of this. So don't be surprised of you find some 'treasures' in your backyard that the dog has dug up. They make a great family pet because of their sincere devotion and faithfulness to their family.

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