Terrier group · Scotland
West Highland White Terrier
Also called Westie, West Highlander, White Roseneath Terrier.
What makes them remarkable
The white coat had a working advantage: hunters could more easily tell the terrier apart from its quarry.
- Happy
- Loyal
- Entertaining
- Curious
- Self-Assured
- Size
- Small
- Weight
- 7 to 9 kg15 to 20 lb
- Lives
- 13 to 15 years
- Energy
- Moderate
- Trains
- Moderate
- Barks
- High
Training
Training a West Highland White Terrier
Terrier breeds. Impulse control and a rock-solid leave it. Short, high-value sessions; they bore fast.
Keep It Interesting
Start here
Westies are smart and get bored easily. Vary your training routines and keep sessions upbeat.
Manage Barking
Alert barkers by nature. Teach "quiet" early, and never pay for barking with attention.
Sensitive Under the Bravado
Sensitive under their confident exterior. Harsh corrections damage the relationship.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your West Highland White Terrier and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to go to ground after vermin. Fearless, quick, and not built to back down.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsModerate
- StrangersHigh
- CatsLow
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 45-60 minutes daily. Moderate walks and play sessions. Enjoys digging and exploring.
- Grooming
- Hand-stripping for show coat or regular clipping every 6-8 weeks. Daily brushing to prevent matting.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Double coat, Harsh outer coat, Soft undercoatWhite
- In a flat
- Can work, with enough exercise outside it.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Atopic Dermatitis
Moderate
Chronic skin allergies causing itching and irritation
Pulmonary Fibrosis
Severe
Westie Lung Disease, progressive scarring of lung tissue
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
Moderate
Hip joint deterioration in young dogs
Where they come from
History
Developed in Scotland in the 1800s from white Cairn Terriers that were selectively bred. The white colour was preferred because hunters could easily distinguish them from prey. Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm of Poltalloch is credited with developing the breed.
- Cesar · The Westie mascot of Cesar brand dog food, featured in advertising worldwide
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