Full of fun
The West Highland White Terrier (Westie) is one of the most popular terrier breeds in the UK. They are known for their lively character and cheerful, outgoing personality.
ORIGINS
Like many other breeds, there are various myths around the Westie’s origins. They are believed to have evolved around the 19th century. First registered with the Kennel Club in 1906, Westies are thought to have a mix of Cairn, Sealyham, Skye and Scottish Terriers – to name just a few.
Fredaricka West, of the West Highland White Terrier Club of England, says: “There were many similar terriers found on the west coast of Scotland, which were bred as hunting dogs – to work out vermin. However, it was soon discovered that the white terriers could be seen more clearly than their darker counterparts. Some terriers were accidently shot when working because they were mistaken for the vermin, but this wasn’t the case with the white dogs – and so the Westie evolved.”
SUITABILITY
So what environment does a Westie like? Says Fredaricka: “Happy in town or country, Westies are adaptable, robust little dogs that are suited to most environments – a garden isn’t essential, as long as they are exercised regularly. Exercise is very important.
“First and foremost a terrier, a Westie should not be mistaken for a lap dog – they do everything a terrier should do.”
As long as they are well bred and correctly socialised, Westies are great with people, kids and other dogs – however, as Fredaricka stresses, it is important to teach both dog and child boundaries, and never leave them unsupervised.
TEMPERAMENT
Says Fredaricka: “Westies are lovely little dogs; they’re a small dog that think they’re as big as a lion. They’re full of character and life, fun-loving and great to be around.
“To me, the breed is special as they have all the great qualities rolled into one: they’re a small, lively and happy breed with a huge, lovable personality.”
Useful contacts:
- West Highland White Terrier Club Miss B Wyllie (secretary), tel. 01563 538160.
- West Highland White Terrier Club of England Mrs F West (secretary), tel. 01977 791498.
- West Highland White Terrier Club of Wales Mrs J Ash (secretary), tel. 01460 281528.
- Midland Counties Scottish Terrier & West Highland White Terrier Club Mrs M Smewin (secretary), tel. 0121 520 9115.
- North of Ireland West Highland White Terrier Club Mrs M Johnston (secretary), tel. 02882 841618.
- Northern Cairn & West Highland White Terrier Club Mrs W Corri (secretary), tel. 01423 770531.
- Southern West Highland White Terrier Club Mrs M Smewin (secretary), tel. 0121 520 9115.
Breed file:
Size: small.
Height & weight: 28cm (11in), 7-8kg (15-17lb).
Lifespan: around 15 years.
Exercise: about one hour per day. Westies are said never to tire and they like lots of exercise, but don’t need to walk miles every day.
Training: as with all terriers, Westies can be strong-willed. However, they are highly intelligent dogs and understand a lot so are generally easy to train. As a working dog, bred to hunt vermin, Westies could give chase to rodents and small animals, so a good level of obedience is necessary.
Grooming: as a doublecoated breed, Westies should be brushed every day and will require attention at a grooming parlour every 12 weeks or so. Show dogs are hand-stripped. Bath a Westie with mild (dog or baby) shampoo to avoid aggravating his skin. Their white colour is maintained by rubbing chalk into the coat, and then brushing it out – but don’t do this often as it can cause skin and coat problems.
Colour: white.
Diet: a good-quality, nutritionally balanced diet is recommended – bones and raw food (BARF), complete dry food or tinned meat, depending on personal preference and what best suits your dog. Only give treats in moderation.
Health: some Westies are prone to skin diseases. Two other health issues affecting some dogs are craniomandibular osteopathy (CMO) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF; lung disease). Good breeders are working hard to eradicate the problems.
For the West Highland White Terrier breed standard and other information visit http://tiny.cc/yjcgq
Many thanks to Fredaricka West and the West Highland White Terrier Club of England for their help in producing this feature. All details correct at the time of going to press as far as we could ascertain.
