West Highland White Terrier

Westie

The West Highland White Terrier has a pleasant temperament and is the perfect companion for those who appreciate small dogs. The cute "Maggie" on the "Caesar" kibble, with her pretty face, makes everyone want to own a West Highland White Terrier. His so endearing look, reminiscent of the Maltese Bichon, reflects his temperament and excellent character. This sweet dog can easily become the companion for the whole family, no matter what the situation.

Height 23 to 30 cm
Weight 8 to 9 kg
Life expectancy 12 to 16 years
Home country United Kingdom (UK)

Index

Personality Appearance Price Breeders Health History

Quick Overview of the West Highland White Terrier

Temperament

  • Lively, proud and joyful
  • Brave and loving
  • Mischievous and independent
  • High adaptability

Appearance

  • Solidly built
  • Melancholy little air
  • Cute face
  • Small ears worn upright

Health

  • Rarely ill
  • Some skin diseases
  • Generally in excellent health
  • Long life expectancy

Temperament of the West Highland White Terrier

A very lively, proud, cheerful, courageous, mischievous, independent but very affectionate little dog, the West Highland White Terrier is very adaptable. From a hunting dog, he has become a trouble-free companion dog.

This very sociable dog is a poor guardian. He will greet everyone with the same joy. It's a full celebration for every newcomer, whether he's known or not. He is always looking for attention, and loves to show affection.

He loves everyone, children and adults alike. Whether they are big or small, all members of his family are equal, and even strangers can benefit from his overflowing affection.

Slightly prone to stubbornness, too much laxity can lead to disobedience. He will do as he pleases if he is not properly trained.

This cute little dog with a mischievous and melancholic look is an adorable life companion. Cheerful, lively, courageous, active, affectionate, but still independent, he needs a proper education to prevent him from becoming too stubborn.

Naturally kind and affectionate, he will still tend to do as he pleases if he is not educated at an early age. His education must be firm and determined, as he is very stubborn.

Thanks to his small size, he can be enjoyed by all types of owners. He can live anywhere.

west highland white terrier personnalité

Breed Appearance

west highland white terrier

Despite his very small size, the West Highland White Terrier is solidly built, and his rustic appearance reveals a well-developed ardour, cunning spirit and curiosity. His melancholic air gives him a very endearing appearance.

Height

Between 25 and 30 cm (9.84 to 11.81 inches) for the male
Between 23 and 28 cm (9.06 to 11.02 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 8 and 9 kg (17.64 to 19.84 pounds) for the male
Between 8 and 9 kg (17.64 to 19.84 pounds) for the female

Color

His dress is always white.

Hair

His double hair is without curl, and measures approximately 5 cm (2 inches). He has a dense, full and shorter undercoat.

Morphology

His head is slightly domed and uniform, giving the impression of a small globe. His medium sized eyes are as dark as possible.

His small ears are carried upright. His nose is black. His long tail is carried proudly and measures between 12.5 and 15 cm (5 and 6 inches) long.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 3, section 2 and is #85

Price and monthly budget

Price you can expect to pay for a West Highland White Terrier puppy: between 900 € / $ 0 / £0 and 1400 € / $ 0 / £0
These prices are indicative and may vary from breeder to breeder

West Highland White Terrier puppies near me

Health of the West Highland White Terrier

This rustic little dog is naturally very hardy. Despite his apparent fragility related to his small size, he is very solid and rarely sick.

Some skin diseases can sometimes bother him, but regular maintenance and constant grooming will prevent this kind of problem. He generally enjoys excellent health and longevity.

GROOMING

The hair of the "Westie" must be depilated and not trimmed. When the hair of his coat is trimmed, it becomes much more difficult to untangle. An old or sick dog prefers clipping rather than hair removal, but a young dog easily tolerates the stress of hair removal.

His coat should be brushed daily, especially between the legs, under the belly and on the back. Frequent washing is not recommended, 1 to 2 times a year is enough to prevent the shampoo from damaging the natural sebum needed to protect the skin.

Professional grooming 3 to 4 times a year is recommended in order to preserve the coat's health.

History of this breed

Of Scottish origin, the West Highland White Terrier is a pretty little dog that is widely used for his endearing personality. Even though the same types of dogs were listed in the 17th century, the official West Highland White Terrier breed is still fairly recent.

It was in the 19th century that Colonel Malcolm of Poltalloch created the all-white race as we know it today. During a hunting expedition, the colonel accidentally killed one of his dogs after confusing him with his prey.

The tragedy affected him deeply and he decided to create a breed whose coat would be totally white in order to avoid this kind of accident in the future. The grief over the loss of his dog led him to perfect the all-white coat.

The crossbreeding of Cairn Terrier dogs and Maltese Bichons gave a satisfactory result. The West Highland White Terrier has, at first glance, the lovely little face of the Maltese.

The breed was officially recognized by the English Kennel Club in 1906, and in 1908 the first subjects were registered in the genealogical book. Around 1927, a "Westie" won the Best in show award at the Crufts.

His popularity grew in the 80s, thanks to his presence in television commercials. He is, among others, used by the manufacturers of the whisky brand "Black and White", where the dog appears in their advertisements with a black Scottish Terrier.

He also became the very popular mascot of the "Caesar" dog food brand, where the very cute "Maggie" in the advertisement seems to love the food.

The West Highland White Terrier is the most popular Scottish Terrier in France today, with over 2,500 births a year. Used extensively for hunting in his early days, he is now increasingly appreciated as a companion dog.

www.wikipedia.com

Visual encyclopedia of dog breeds
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Last Updated: 21/10/2020

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