West Highland White Terrier Dog Breed

Please consider adopting a dog, cat or any other pet from the numerous rescue sites available on the Internet.  I mention only two, for you to consider, for the animal you wish to join your family.  By selecting a pet from a humane shelter or one of the rescue sites, you give them a second chance at love.  You will be so very happy and the pet will be too.  This information is to help you get the correct pet for your desires and needs and also let you know the characteristics of the breed so there will be a win/win situation for you and the dog.  “RED” stands for rescue every dog and can be found at:  http://www.rescueeverydog.org another trusted site is:  http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com  There are hundreds of places to adopt pets that need homes, these are only 2.

A special thank you to dogbreedinfo center, The American Kennel Club and Wikipedia for helping me with info about the West Highland Terrier. I have never personally owned this breed dog as a pet.

Photo courtesy Wikipedia.com

West Highland Terrier dog breed is such a popular canine for numerous reasons which you will soon discover.  The West Highland terrier is nicknamed Westie, giving us an idea they are noble and lively.  Oh, they are alert and ready for  just about anything.  They originated from Scotland, bred to control the vermin population, however very quickly becoming a companion and beloved pet.  They are also eye catchers in dog shows, with proper instructions and skill by pet owners.

The small dog temperament quickly will take over unless a strong, firm, persistent yet gentleness is offered in early puppy hood by a wise pet owner.  Westies learn well due to the high  degree of intelligence they own.  You won’t have a Westie with aggressive traits even though they are self assured around other dogs.  Chasing cats for a past time might be seen, but there is only a robust, spunky ball of fur having fun.  They might be little in size, but they are great watch dogs.  A Westie likes children;  from toddlers to teens. Their playfulness and friendliness add to the wonderful traits they possess.  Some caution should be mentioned about the Westie around other, larger dogs, if the Westie feels intruded upon, it might nip only for a position as pack leader.

Weight ranges from 13 to 22 pounds with height around 9 to 12 inches tall.  Having a sturdy, hardy compact body, the life span is more than 15 years.

Grooming for the West Highland White Terrier is quite easy to care for by trimming around the ears and eyes with blunt scissors as needed.  The entire coat needs trimming every 4 months and stripped twice a year. 

Physical characteristics engulf the eyes with excitement, to no end.  The Westie has small pointed ears that stand up at all times.  The bright, dark colored, deep set eyes draw the attention of owners and strangers alike because of that penetrating gaze.  Tails for these dogs is a 5 or 6 inch relatively tight haired appendage carried gaily.  Rarely are the tails docked.

Westies are simply a white Carin, so their coats are white.

Photo courtesy Wikipedia.com

The West Highland White terrier does not shed, so with scheduled grooming , they do well with children and adults with allergic reactions to dog dander.  Daily play will not substitute for a walk with the Westie since behavior problems might occur without a regular jaunt every day.  They like a lot of attention.