What About The White West Highland Terrier?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
What is his behaviour? With the family? with kids? In an apartment?
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here is a site all about the Westie.http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/westhighland…
AKC Ranking: 31
Family: terrier
Area of Origin: Scotland
Date of Origin: 1800s
Original Function: fox, badger, and vermin hunting
Today’s Function: earthdog trials
Avg Size of male: Height: 11 Weight: 15-21
Avg Size of Female: Height: 10 Weight: 15-21
Other Name: Poltalloch terrier
History
The West Highland white terrier shares its roots with the other terriers of Scotland, proving itself on fox, badger and various vermin. At one time the Westie, Dandie Dinmont, Skye, Cairn and Scottish terriers were all considered one breed with considerable diversity. Selective breeding based on such qualities as coat type or color could have produced distinctive strains that would have been easily maintained in the relative isolation of the various islands in the country. The Westie first gained attention in 1907 as the Poltalloch terrier, named for the home of Col. E.D. Malcolm, who had been breeding the short-legged white terriers for the previous 60 years. The breed has gone under several different names, including Roseneath, Poltalloch, white Scottish, little Skye and Cairn. In fact, the AKC first registered it as the Roseneath terrier in 1908, but the name was changed to West Highland white terrier in 1909. Since that date it has made quite a name for itself, establishing itself as one of the most competitive terriers in the show ring and one of the most popular terriers in the home.
Temperament
The busy Westie is happy, curious and always in the thick of things. It is affectionate and demanding, one of the friendliest terriers. It is not friendly, however, toward small animals. It enjoys a daily romp in a safe area or a walk on lead, as well as playtime at home. It is independent and somewhat stubborn. It barks and digs.
Upkeep
The Westie enjoys the outdoors, but it can also function as an indoor dog if taken for regular exercise. It needs either a short to moderate walk on leash or a good game in the yard every day. It should sleep inside in all but the mildest climates. Its wire coat needs combing two or three times weekly, plus shaping every three months. Shaping for pets is by clipping, and for show dogs is by stripping. In some areas, it may be difficult to keep the coat white.
Health
• Major concerns: globoid cell leukodystrophy, Legg-Perthes, CMO
• Minor concerns: copper toxicosis, cataract, patellar luxation
• Occasionally seen: deafness
• Suggested tests: hip, knee
• Life span: 12 – 14 years
Form and Function
The Westie is compact and short-coupled. It must be small enough to fit between rocks in a narrow passageway that was the typical fox den in its area of origin. These passages were often so narrow that the dog could not turn around. Short legs aided in maneuverability in the cramped passages. It had to have formidable teeth and jaws in order to face a fox in closed quarters. The harsh double coat, especially the hard, straight outer coat, provided protection from the fox’s teeth, especially around the head, as well as from the elements. The tail needed to be sufficiently long to provide a handhold by which the dog could be pulled from shallow holes.
Related Dogs
American Staffordshire Terrier
Australian Terrier
Bedlington Terrier
Border Terrier
Bull Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Irish Terrier
Smooth Fox Terrier
Wire Fox Terrier
Description
This sturdy, hardy, compact little terrier has a two inch all white coat that is uncurled with a soft, dense undercoat. They have bright, dark, deep-set eyes with a penetrating gaze. The ears are small, pointed and erect, giving the animal an alert ready-for-anything look. The tail is carried jauntily, is about 5-6 inches (12½-15cm.) long and should not be docked. It has a deep chest and muscular limbs. The Westie has a short, closely fitted jaw with scissors bite, a pronounced stop, and slightly convex skull.
Temperament
West Highland White Terriers are described in the standard as being “possessed of no small amount of self-esteem with a varminty appearance.” This game and hardy little Terrier is easy to train. They are fairly friendly toward strangers and get along well with behaved children. Westies may snap when irritated, but are not as willful as many of the other Terrier breeds. They are lively and extremely self-assured toward other dogs. Westies usually do not pick fights with other dogs, although some males are combative with other males. They may chase a cat for fun, but usually will not hurt it. Robust, friendly, cocky and spunky. Westies just love companionship. Despite its size, they make a very good watchdog. These little dogs are easy to travel with. The Westie likes to dig and bark.
An interesting story involving a Westie: There was one case where a Westie would attack the mother in the family whenever she yelled at her teen-age daughter. This aggression has gotten progressively worse over the years, resulting in the mother’s complete inability to even scold her child. It tuned out that the daughter was rewarding the dog for his protection by soothing and calming him down after each attack or threat to her mother. Thus, the daughter was perceived as helping her mother by preventing further assaults when in fact she was helping herself by, in the dogs eyes, rewarding the dog for its behavior.
Height, Weight
Height: Dogs 10-12 inches (25-30cm.) Bitches 9-11 inches (23-28cm.)
Weight: Dogs 15-22 pounds (7-10kg.) Bitches 13-16 pounds (6-7kg.)
Health Problems
Most are fairly healthy. Some are prone to chronic skin problems, Perthe’s disease (hip problems), hernias, liver disease, and jawbone calcification.
Living Conditions
West Highland White Terriers are suitable for people in towns and cities as well as in the country. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard.
Exercise
These little dogs, need a daily walk. Play will take care of a lot of their exercise needs, however, as with all breeds, play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs who do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe open area off lead, such as a large fenced in yard.
Life Expectancy
About 15 or more years.
Grooming
The harsh, straight, short-haired double coat is fairly easy to groom and sheds little to no hair. Simply brush regularly with a stiff bristle brush. Brushing should keep the coat clean, so bathe only when necessary. Trim around the ears and eyes with blunt-nosed scissors. The whole coat should be trimmed about every four months and stripped twice a year.
Origin
In the middle of the nineteenth century, it happened that the breeder of the Cairn Terrier in the country of Argyll, Scotland got some white pups in his litters. Those pups were selected and bred to obtain the West Highland White Terrier, which is simply a white Cairn. Westies were originally bred for controlling the population of rats, fox, otter and other vermin. This charming terrier is now mostly a companion dog.
Group
Terrier, AKC Terrier
It’s a terrier and terriers can be snippy. That is a general statement but the terrier breeds were mostly developed to go after vermin. They were developed and bred to kill small critters. While I have seen many make wonderful pets in families with children, I think the children should be a little older so they know how to treat a dog. A terrier is not prone to take any hitting, poking, pinching or other types of mistreatment that a small child might inflict, it will protect itself. The “Westie” is a good size for an apartment.
i think my westie is great with kids he love them
the West Highland White Terrier, or Westie for short, is an enormously appealing dog. Full of life, intelligent, courageous and with a great spirit of fun, the Westie makes an ideal playmate and an untiring companion.
With a height of 11 inches (28 cm) and a weight of about 17 to 22 pounds (8-10 kg), the West Highland Terrier should be classed as a small dog. Yet he doesn’t exhibit the character traits so common to other small dogs. Westies are not delicate or prone to disease; on the contrary they are robust little creatures that like stimulation and exercise. Friendly, even-tempered without being boring, self-confident, courageous, plucky and quick to learn. They greet people with serene geniality, do not bark without cause but report unusual noises, and are always ready to protect their people.
Despite their size Westies don’t like to be carried or lugged about. They want to keep all four feet on the ground- and in motion. The Westie is not a lap dog.
Westies are easy to train, they catch on quickly. Like all terriers, they are stubborn. They quickly find out who is boss and if you don’t start as you intend to continue, your Westie will do whatever he likes. They have a passionate love of hunting. Caution is necessary or the hunting instinct can be triggered and your Westie will go dashing off.
Westies are not aggressive . They are not inclined to let themselves be intimidated, but react fearlessly and boldly, even where large dogs are concerned.
The Westies’s coat needs little grooming. The Westie has a double coat, consisting of a soft undercoat and a more wiry top coat that is extremely resistant to dirt. Westies don’t shed hair.
Obviously Westies found their start in Scotland. It was their job to hunt the smaller predators such as foxes, otters and badgers.
English sources tell us that the men who used the dark-coated ancestors of the present-day Westie, the cairn terrier, for hunting in the nineteenth century had an aversion to white dogs and killed the light-coloured newborns in each letter. Allegedly they were not equal to the hunt. Then one day, legend says that a hunter killed one of his dark-coated dogs by mistake. Deeply grieved he vowed to raise only light coloured dogs.
General Appearance : The Westie is a small, robust terrier. It is strongly built, deep in chest and back ribs, with straight back, powerful hindquarters and muscular legs.
Temperament : Happy, alert, courageous , self-reliant, friendly .
Movement : Free, straight with strong drive from the powerful muscles of the hindquarters.
Skull : The skull should be slightly domed, the head densely covered with fur. The length of the head from the occipital bone to the eyes should only slightly exceed the distance from the eyes to the nose.
Nose : Black and fairly large. It must not protrude and give the face a pointed look.
Eyes : Medium in size, widely set apart, and as dark in colour as possible. They look out sharply and intelligently from under heavy eyebrows.
Ears : Small, erect, terminating in a sharp point, and carried self-confidently. They are set neither too far apart nor too closely together.
Front Legs : Short, straight, muscular, thickly covered with short hard hair.
Body : Compact , level back, loins broad and strong.
Hindquarters : Powerful, muscular, and broad in the upper part. The legs are short, muscular and sinewy. The thighs should be very muscular and not set wide apart. The hocks are well bent and drawn close under the body .
Feet : The forefeet are larger than the hind ones, they are covered with short bristly hair, and they are round, strong and thickly padded. The bottom of the pads and all the nails should be black.
Tail : Never docked. 5 to 6 inches (13-15 cm) long, covered with wiry hair, and as straight as possible. It should not be curled over at the back.
Coat : The outer coat consists of straight firm hair about 2 inches in length. The undercoat is furlike, short, soft and thick.
Colour : Pure white.
Height at withers : about 11 inches (28 cm)
cute dogs love to have one
small dogs in my opinion tend to be nippy with kids when the kids play to rough.
i have a peek a poo and hes not a kid dog
call a vet or check the breed on the internet