West Highland White Terrier

History

Originating in Scotland, Westies were bred to hunt foxes, otters and vermin. They share their ancestry with many of the other true Scottish Terriers and became formally recognised as West Highland White Terrier’s in 1904

Appearance

Westie’s are compact, stocky little dogs with shaggy white coats. They have little button noses and small, erect ears.

They look very sweet, but strong and have a happy, proud air when they are trotting around the park!

Temperament

Westies are confident little dogs, totally local to their family but they make good protection dogs as they are extremely alert and brave.
Westies are affectionate dogs but can withstand plenty of rough play, so make good companions and play mates for children.

They can be quite dominant with other dogs so care should be taken with socializing them with others. They will chase cats if not socialized with them at an early age.

My Westie did not want me to leave her. She was very attached to me and later in life would not even eat if I left her with my parents while traveled, so my husband and I would try to take her with us wherever we went.

Grooming

Westies require a minimal amount of grooming – perhaps once a week, but will require their coats to be stripped by a professional 2-3 times per year.

Exercise

They require a moderate amount of exercise and will appreciate long, off lead runs, especially chasing a ball around the park! Care should be taken with proper recall training when Westies are young, to ensure that they come back properly when called.

Health Problems

Westies are hardy dogs and are unlikely to suffer from many ailments. Some do suffer from occasional skin problems, and deafness is a possibility. Mine went blind with cataracts. She was always very healthy up until her death at age 16.

If you have a Westie there's a newsletter that you can sign up for that is just for Westie owners. You can sign up here: Mad About Westies