Our breed portrait is all about a miniature Scottish furry friend: the West Highland White Terrier.
In contrast to the mostly gray Scottish sky, the Westie, as he is affectionately known, presents himself as a dog with a particularly sunny disposition.
What else is waiting for you with him, we will tell you in the following lines.
West Highland White Terrier Wanted Poster
Size Male: 25 to 30 cm, Female: 23 to 28 cmWeightMale: 7 to 10 kg, female: 6 to 7 kgColorsWhiteLife expectancy12 to 16 yearsOriginGreat Britain/Scotlandcharacter/temperamentFriendly, Cheerful, Alert, Independent, Active, Lively, Courageous, Brave, Fearless, PlayfulFCI groupGroup 3: Terriers, Section 2: Short Legged Terriers
Look
The West Highland White Terrier has a long, compact and well-proportioned body supported by very short legs.
The cheeky rascal boldly carries the short, pointed tail in the air.
In addition to the fur, the face or head of the Westie is its trademark.
Finished with cute erect ears, the head is long and slightly angular in shape.
The dark eyes of the mini Scots always look attentively and watchfully out of the face of the world.
The mischievous impression is reinforced by the bushy eyebrows and the goatee and whiskers.
Height Weight
The small Westie males reach a shoulder height of 25 to 30 centimeters, bitches have a stick size of 23 to 28 centimeters.
Males weigh between 7 and 10 kilograms and females between 6 and 7 kilograms.
Coat, coat texture & coat colors
You probably already know what the colors of the West Highland White Terrier’s coat are all about.
That’s right, when it comes to colors, the mini Scot is limited to a bright white.
This in turn colors a long, harsh top coat that is padded by a furry, dense and soft undercoat.
Fun fact number 1
There are actually West Highland White Terriers that are black – we don’t know why that is. But we know that this is a very rare freak of nature.
The only splashes of color on this dog are the large, oval eyes and nose – because nature has chosen the colors dark brown and black here.
History & Origin of the West Highland White Terrier
The West Highland White Terrier is one small Scottish breed of dog whose roots are in the Highlands lay.
It was bred to protect farms from rats, martens and otters and, if necessary, to follow these animals into their hiding places – hence the short legs.
In the 1990s, the previously relatively unknown Westie became a fashion and show dog.
The international umbrella organization FCI officially recognized the breed in 1954.
Nature & Character of the West Highland White Terrier
The little Westie has an extremely sunny disposition with a friendly and happy temperament.
In fact, almost nothing can spoil the little rascal’s mood – not even the typical Scottish weather.
The otherwise gentle and loving brat reacts a little indignantly when he encounters strange dogs. These tend to be further down the list of favorites.
Of course, this looks completely different with his favorite person, with whom he not only shows his playful side, but also his sensitive and affectionate side.
As a human-related dog, the Westie does not appreciate being left alone for long – breed-typical independence or not.
If staying alone is not trained with the puppy, the fearless and intrepid four-legged friend can quickly become an unfortunate heap of misery.
By the way, you shouldn’t just practice leaving the puppy alone. Furness should also be established as part of the daily routine when the dog is young.
attitude & upbringing
Are you curious how well The Westie’s character, temperament and size affect its bearing and upbringing affect? Then just keep reading. 😊
Upbringing
The West Highland White Terrier brings some characteristics to the upbringing that make it fairly uncomplicated as a result.
The little Scot likes to work with his people and presents himself here as very friendly and quick to understand.
Nevertheless, neither dog newbies nor dog-experienced should underestimate the still existing hunting instinct, which can come to the fore from time to time.
If the Westie notices that you sometimes let fives be straight in his upbringing, you should be careful.
He will quickly recognize mistakes, remember them and use them to his advantage.
attitude
The West Highland Terrier feels comfortable in an apartment as long as he doesn’t have to climb thousands of steps every day before he can reach them.
He just has pretty short legs, which can make climbing the stairs a bit exhausting.
However, this does not mean that the Westie is not a very lively dog that likes and needs a lot of action.
Regardless of whether it is an apartment or a house with a garden: 1 hour of walking and mental work are a must for the dog – more than 1 hour is also welcome, by the way.
Because if the West Highland White Terrier is bored, he will show some behavioral problems such as barking. And that, in turn, can cause you problems.
Health & Care
Tough little Scotsman or stricken with breed-typical diseases?
Whether the West Highland Terrier health problems and what kind of care he needsthe following lines tell you.
Life expectancy
A happy and healthy West Highland White Terrier can look forward to a life expectancy of 12 to 16 years.
Health
Unfortunately, the Westie has gone through a career as a fashion dog, which in turn has left its mark on health and genetics.
Accordingly, there are predispositions for the following hereditary diseases and the resulting problems:
So that the cute Westie always jumps around happily and doesn’t become a burden to viruses, bacteria, parasites, etc., please note the following important things:
Grooming & General Grooming
The Westie’s coat is extremely demanding to care for. Because it needs to be brushed every day so it doesn’t get matted.
In addition, the top coat has the property of not falling out on its own. Only brushing can ensure that loose hairs disappear from the coat.
Since the top coat is also quite long, it should be trimmed at intervals of several months.
Please don’t be alarmed if your Westie is brown after a walk in the rain.
This is also due to the fur, which gets a brownish touch when wet.
Not only the fur wants to be noticed by you – the ears, eyes, teeth (mouth), paws (claws) and the Westie bottom will thank you if you check them regularly.
Is the West Highland White Terrier right for me?
Before you contact your Westie breeder for a puppy, please clarify the question first «Is the West Highland White Terrier right for me?»
So that you can quickly find the right answer for both of you, we have put together some useful statements for you.
- You are looking for an active and lively companion for shared experiences.
- You are aware that you take responsibility for a dog.
- You are looking for a friendly and mischievous family or single dog.
- Are you looking for a beginner dog that is easy to train?
Fun facts about the West Highland White Terrier
We close our breed portrait of the cuddly Westie with further fascinating fun facts away.
You want a West Highland White Terrier puppy from a reputable breeder? Then you can count on acquisition costs of a good 1,000 €.
The West Highland White Terrier became world famous overnight in the 1990s through dog food advertising – namely for the Cesar brand.
Along with a Scottish Terrier, the Westie has been the personal mascot of Scottish Black & White whiskey for well over a century.
Due to its origins, the Westie can tolerate rain, cold and wind very well – and skids a lot when the sun shines.
The West Highland White Terrier is one of 4 short-legged Scottish Terrier breeds. The other 3 are the Scottish Terrier, the Cairn Terrier and the Skye Terrier.
With this last fun fact, we hand over the storytelling to you – and we would be happy if you share further helpful tips & information with us in the comments. 😊