Home   |   Dogs   |   Cats   |   Forum   |   Pet Directory   |   Contact  |  Add Us

    Dogs > West Highland White Terrier  
West Highland White Terrier
Size: Small
Group: Terrier
Life-span: 10-14 years
Exercise: Medium
Grooming: High
Origin: UK

Search for Westie puppies for sale >>

Search for West Highland Terrier breeders in the UK >>

Search for West Highland Terrier stud dogs >>

Search for adult West Highland Terriers for sale >>

View our members West Highland Terrier photos >>

Find a Westie breed club >>

Find West Highland Terrier books for sale online >> 

 

 

West Highland White Terriers are a breed of dog known for their small size and white coat; their fans often call them simply Westies. They are friendly, good with children, and thrive on lots of attention. Like most terriers, they have plenty of attitude (some might say "spirit") for a dog their size. This breed is commonly recognized because it is used as a mascot for a Scotch whiskey.

Westies are essentially either white Cairn Terriers, who occasionally whelped white puppies naturally, or white Scottish Terriers; references vary. In Argyll (or Poltalloch) in Scotland in the 1800s, for perhaps as long as a century, a Colonel Malcolm and his family bred these white dogs to develop a new breed. The white coat made them highly visible when hunting on the Scottish moors and easily distinguished them from their game. Originally the breed was known as Poltalloch Terriers, although they were also known as Roseneath Terriers, White Roseneath Terriers, and at the end of the 19th century, briefly as a white variety of the Scottish Terrier.

This breed, descended from working terriers, has a lot of energy, tenacity, and aggression towards its prey, which was originally the fox and other, smaller animals. It needs regular exercise, although its size makes it a good apartment pet. Many of these dogs have skin allergies, and its personality is more excitable than even some other terriers. They are alert and consider themselves guard dogs, although their size prevents them from providing any real intimidation. They are independent thinkers and must be trained firmly from an early age.

They weigh about 15 to 22 pounds (7,5-10 kg) and their average height is 11 inches (28 cm). Their tails, short naturally, are never docked and are held upright. They have a soft undercoat and a harsher outer coat, about 2" long, that requires regular grooming.

From CanineConcepts.co.uk

Buying your first West Highland White Terrier puppy? Click here to read our new buyers guide to buying a puppy.

 

Search for breed by name:      A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z


Search for a dog breed by size:     SMALL DOGS      MEDIUM DOGS     LARGE DOGS     EXTRA-LARGE


Search for a dog breed by group:    HOUND     WORKING     TERRIER     GUNDOG     PASTORAL     UTILITY     TOY


 

 

Home   |   Dogs & Puppies   |   Cats & Kittens   |   Chat Forum   |   Pet Directory   |   Contact

 

dog breeders uk  dog breeders  dog breeders  puppies for sale

© BreedersOnline 2005

 West Highland White Terrier puppies for sale in, West Highland White Terrier breeders, West Highland White Terrier dogs for sale, West Highland White Terrier puppy