General Description
(Westie)The big eyed West Highland White Terrier is a small dog covered in fluffy, white fur. The hair on their bodies is close to the skin while the hair on their legs and under their bellies is loose and thick. One of their most distinguishing characteristics is their shaggy manes which frame their small but always alert faces. Their short, fur-covered muzzles end in a tiny black nose. Their tiny ears stand straight up on their head, and their large, dark-colored eyes stand out against the whiteness of the rest of the dog. At the end of their compact bodies is a 5 to 6 inch tail that, like its ears, sticks straight up as if it is constantly at attention. Despite its small size, the dog should be muscular and have a deep chest since they were originally designed for running after small vermin.
Character
The West Highland White Terrier is a friendly breed. They are outgoing with strangers and other dogs. They will play well with children as long, as those children are not overly rambunctious. Westies need moderate exercise but are generally good companion dogs. They are lively in the house, but they do bark frequently as is the case with many small breeds. If allowed, they will dig which can cause problems for owners who value their gardens and landscaping. As with many hunting dogs and terriers, the West Highland White Terrier can be slightly stubborn and difficult to train.
Size
9-12 inches
Weight
13-22 pounds
General Health
West Highland White Terrier run the risk of acquiring a number of health problems such as cataracts, copper toxicosis, craniomandibular osteopathy, deafness, enzyme deficiency, inguinal hernia, and Legg-Perthes disease. Despite this seemingly long list of health issues, the West Highland White Terrier is generally healthy and can live to be over 15 years of age.
History
West Highland White Terriers arose after a breeder of Cairn Terriers in Scotland started finding all-white pups in his litter. He decided to begin specifically breeding for white Cairn Terriers and eventually developed this breed. The modern West Highland White Terrier’s loyal and self-confident personality developed over time thanks to selective breeding. Although the dog was originally used to hunt and kill vermin, such as rats, today it is mostly used for companionship.
Maintenance
Grooming West Highland White Terriers is relatively simple. They need to be brushed once a week which should keep them from needing a bath very often. They need the hair around their ears and eyes trimmed regularly. They should also have their coat stripped twice a year. Like any dog, they need some exercise. However, many West Highland White Terriers release their energy by just playing in the house.
Ideal Environment
West Highland White Terriers can live in small apartments or large houses. They are good for families with well-behaved children and other animals. The breed can live in almost every climate without problem. The breed makes especially good companions for the elderly since most of their exercise is obtained simply from playing in the house. If children are around the dog, they need to be supervised so they do not harass the dog. The breed can become angered and will snap.
West Highland White Terriers are protective of their families and love to travel with them.
Dog Training!
If you're having problems training your dog or getting control, you should read
our review of DogProblems.com.
Adam will do whatever it takes to help you whip your dog
into shape. I've used them to help with my Great Dane as well as help friends
train their dogs. It's the first place I go to help answer users Questions. Many
training issues are too extensive to answer in this forum, which is why I refer
a lot of the load to his site.
|
Find your new West Highland White Terrier
Puppies For Sale
Richlands, NC
We have dedicated our breeding program to produce quality and dedicated family members. All of our adult dogs stay in the...
Find a Breeder
Rijeka, AK
we breed only the TOP exemple of this race!
Rescue a Dog
Be the First to take out an Ad!
Ask a QuestionWest Highland White Terrier Q&A
How bad are they to shed.
They dont seem to shed much at all. At least not as much as most dogs ive owned in the past.
i have one! they ONLY shed when they have lose hair and they rub on a surface
westies have hair not fur!
I brush my dogs and keep them well groomed. They may not shed, but when I brush them, a lot of hair does come off. Just keep them trimmed. They look cute that way and are much happier. NOTE: If you keep them groomed short, please don't leave them outside for long periods in direct sun as they will burn, and they can get skin cancer. They are meant to be outside to run off their energy but they are indoor dogs. I love Westies and will never again be without one.
we are thinking of getting a westie puppy but live in an apartment and are worried if left alone will it bark alot??obviously we will be training it but does anybody know if they are still prone to barking?
Yes they will bark, and if it's a puppy it will also chew the heck out of wooden surfaces such as chairs, skirting boards and even low window sills. It's a counsel of perfection I know but no puppy should be left alone for long periods. Like the article says, Westies love to travel with their families. Ours doesn't even mind waiting in the car for up to 45 minutes as long as he is brought along. (Not in hot weather of course.)
you shoud get him ( or her) a big crate and put food,water and a blanket for it to lay on(poop on too so make sure you dont use it anymore! :p
Crate your puppy when you are gone. Buy a KONG and stuff it with the liver paste. When I was getting ready for work got the kong ready the westie went in the kennel before it was even filled. She only got the KONG in her crate.
Yes, they bark alot. We got ours a shock collar and it works really good. He's only been shocked twice, and he knows. They have a personally of their own. Their awesome dogs.
All the answers here are great, as I've tried all of these. I never, ever ever leave the dogs out of the crate when gone. NEVER. I never keep them trapped inside the house either. I come home, they go out. We have a fenced yard on an acre and they tear it up. Westies ARE NOT LAP DOGS. They are earth dogs that love to dig, bark and are territorial and hunters. They are high energy dogs that need time to run it off. If you can't give that to them please don't choose a Westie. They are too wonderful a breed to be miserable, for they do become depressed and have all kinds of issues if not happy.
someone said they are not lap dogs..Someone should tell my westie that. he loves to sit in my lap. and will do so as soon as there is room he goes for it. WONDERFUL dogs.. Need to keep them brushed to advoid the shedding problems..
Crate train them while at 9 weeks old- when they start barking, do not indulge on it. Eventually they will learn that barking doesn't bring any response from you. It's not impossible to train Westies not to bark. It can be done. My Westy never barks. I was able to stop it's barking by simply not responding to their bark. It'll take awhile but Westies are smart.
I think it depends. My westie just turned one year old. i have a small yard but walk him about a half mile a day and play fetch w/ him for 30 minutes per day. i try to keep to that routine, but occasionally do more, but I never do less. when outside working I will keep him on a long leash so he can follow me or check out things on his own. He is never allowed off his leash, even when fetching the ball (I just let the leash go and stay close enough to him to catch it if he tries to chase rabbits, etc.) I used to have a cairn (she lived 14 yrs) and always loved these terriers for their adaptability.
I have a Westie. She is now 3 months. I opted not to indulge her barking. When she did, I ignored her or I gave her a shut-up cue. My sister just left and said she's the quietest dog she's ever spent time with.
You need to be consistent, and decide from the beginning what you'll allow. She'll bark a little when playing, and when another dog is ignoring her and she wants them to play. Me when I'm getting he meal ready - thats it, for the rest - shes practically silent.
what do you do when you are allergic to the dog's hair?
Westies have a coarser fur which rarely if ever causes an allergic reaction. In two and half years our Westie has never caused one in a wide range of friends including one with severe nut allergy and asthma.
Well mine sheds. Every two days I'm vacumming the wood floors for the white fur dust bunnies in the corners and under the tables, but he's worth it!
I was very allergic to a cat we loved and my brother is allergic to their family dog. Solutions: first level of defense is to avoid hair or dander contacting sensitive areas like under arm, face by keeping your distance, washing after handling, even using a face mask. Limit the pet's access to areas where you will sleep, etc. Use a drop cloth for couches, etc. that you can clean easily. Get rid of rugs that you can't easily clean. Medication for severe cases.
Take allegra or something, but my brother has bad allergies and is not affected badly when he doesn't take his medicine. Westies are hypoallergenic.
I have a 5 month old westie and her ears have not gone fully up yet, does anyone know when the ears become erect?
My Westie is 8 yrs old. His ears did not really stand up till he was about 10-12mo. The right ear stood up a good two months before the left did. Be patient they will.
Also, make sure the fur on the ears (especially the top) isn't too long that it weighs them down. If left like this the ears will bend over permanently.
View more West Highland White Terrier Questions and Answers.
Upload a PhotoWest Highland White Terrier Photos
View more West Highland White Terrier Photos.
Write a ReviewWest Highland White Terrier Reviews
Review
we got are one year old westie brewster to initially keep are boxer dog maddie, company they love each other and are so funny and mischevious together.loves to curl up with maddie on the sofa and loves being outside.very protective over their owners and they bark at anything.
Pros: loving, playfull,great companion
Cons: think they are the size of a horse and have the the strength of a tiger, ha ha little dog syndrome
West Highland White Terrier
Westies are smart and playful. They will become part of the family, whether invited to be or not. When you earn the love and loyalty of a Westie, you feel privilidged.
Pros: This is a VERY intelligent breed. While able to learn tricks, they are quite clever and can figure things out. Hypo-allergenic. They use eyebrows, ears, eyes, tails, mouths and body posture to express themselves.
Cons: When they pass on, be prepared to bury part of your heart with them.
Westies
I love my Westie!! He is 8 years old now and still very playful. He is definitely a squirrel dog; he adores them. When we ask him where the squirrel is, he instantly goes to a tree and looks up. He gets food aggressive.
Pros: Adorable, sleep quite a lot, intelligent
Cons: Aggression problems
West Highland White Terrier Information
