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The sharp contrast of sparkling dark eyes and button nose, against crisp white fur and sharply pricked ears gives the West Highland White Terrier or ‘Westie’ an attractive appearance. With a compact body, fox-like head and hard, shaggy double coat, the Westie is unmistakable for any other breed.
The West Highland White Terrier breed can suffer from:
- Patellar luxation
- Legg-Perthes disease
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye) which is a painful condition where the tear gland stops working properly.
- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis which is a type of lung disease.
- Craniomandibular osteopathy which is a disease that affects young dogs and causes abnormal bone growth, particularly in the jaw bones.
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
None but there are several recommended schemes that the Kennel Club recommends which can be found here.
Courageous, cheeky, jaunty and affectionate, loyal to their families and friends, the Westie is understandably an appealing little dog. Perfectly capable of being trained to a high level with the right encouragement, they still retain that working terrier nature, willing to take on foe many times their size. Not afraid to be confrontational, the Westie is a good watch dog, alerting the whole household loudly to anything they believe constitutes ‘trouble’.
| Family-friendly: | 4/5 |
| Exercise needs: | 4/5 |
| Easy to train: | 4/5 |
| Tolerates being alone: | 2/5 |
| Likes other pets: | 5/5 |
| Energy level: | 4/5 |
| Grooming needs: | 3/5 |
| Shedding: | 4/5 |
Like many of the Scottish terriers, the Westie was bred to work, hunting otter, fox and other vermin. Unlike any others however they are always white in colour for a unique and tragic reason. Back in the 1600s, Col. Malcolm if Poltalloch was out hunting when he mistook his beloved dark coloured terrier for a fox, shooting and killing him. After that he vowed only to have white dogs to ensure that could never happen again.
First called the Poltalloch Terrier, the breed only appeared in the show-ring under the name of West Highland White Terrier in 1904 and has gone on to be one of the best-loved of all the terrier breeds.
The Westie can make a great family dog for first time owners, but you will need some realistic expectations of dog behaviour – this is a terrier, and whilst they’re pretty easy going for a terrier, they still have that spark! If you’re home much of the time, have the time to walk and train, and have children old enough to respect the Westie’s space and behave appropriately, then perhaps the Westie is the dog for you.
Westies need walks – an hour of exercise per day, but more if you have the time. This is a playful and energetic little dog so providing a variety of walking routes, games, training and puzzle solving exercise is essential.
Small and compact, the Westie is not difficult to house. A secure garden is essential as they are capable of jumping many times their own height, squeezing through small spaces and digging enthusiastically under an obstacle. Suited to town or countryside, but training will be needed to teach a Westie not to alert bark to every noise or moving object.
Small dogs have a fast metabolism, meaning they burn energy at a high rate, although their small stomachs mean that they must eat little and often. Small-breed foods are specifically designed with appropriate levels of key nutrients and smaller kibble sizes to suit smaller mouths. This also encourages chewing and improves digestion.
When a West Highland White Terrier gets dirty it’s best to let the mud dry on them and brush it off when dry. The coat needs to be hand plucked two or three times a year by a professional groomer. A weekly groom is all that is needed to get rid of the loose hairs. Daily checks of paws and ears after exercise and wiping the face after meals will keep a Westie clean and pleasant to live with.
The Westie will enjoy training as long as you set them up to believe it was all their own idea. They will work hard for food rewards and toys they can chase, tug and rag about. Early work on recall, and socialisation to children, cats and livestock is important. An intelligent and versatile dog, if you enjoy training there is no reason the Westie cannot compete well in a variety of dog sports and competitions.
A great companion for older children who can respect a dog’s need for space and take part in training and exercise. Small breeds are not ideal for very young children who find it very difficult to differentiate between ‘toy’ and ‘real live animal’ and terriers are unlikely to suffer such treatment without reaction.
While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.
