Dog
West Highland White Terrier Champions
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Pronunciation:
west hahy-luhnd ter-ee-er
Breed Description:
The West Highland White Terrier breed of dog is a small breed of dog that is robust and well built. This is not a delicate or fragile dog and while they are small, they have a surprising amount of energy and endurance. The breed should be slightly longer than tall and it is important that they ideal height is 11 inches for a male and 10 inches for a female. The breed should have a medium sized tail that is thick and strong and carried high. The coat of the West Highland White Terrier should consist of a double coat that has a soft, dense undercoat. The top coat should be no more than two inches in length and it should be course in texture. The hair on shoulders and neck should be shorter, but it should blend into the rest of the coat without a noticeable line. The legs and stomach should have longer hair that is softer than the rest of the coat. The hair on the head should give a shaggy appearance. The color of the West Highland White Terrier should be white with black eyes, nose and lips but a light yellow tipping is allowed on the coat.
Temperament:
The West Highland White Terrier breed of dog is a tenacious little dog that is known for being extremely brave and adventurous. Although they are usually very happy, this is a breed that won't back down from a challenge, even if that challenge is ten times the size of them. They are very confident and while they usually get along well with everyone, they are better suited to homes with older children since they can become snappish with energetic children. The breed does well in homes with other dogs but they are not recommended for homes with small pets and cats since they have a very high prey drive.
Height:
The average height of a West Highland White Terrier is between 9 to 12 inches.
Weight:
The average weight of a West Highland White Terrier is between 13 to 22 pounds.
Health Problems:
The West of Highland White Terrier breed of dog is considered to have an average health but there are a number of health problems that they can be at risk for such as Atopic Dermatitis, Hip Dysplasia, cataracts,Patellar Luxation, von Willebrand's Disease, Cleft Palate, Craniomandibular Osteopathy, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease.
Living Conditions:
The West Highland White Terrier breed of dog is versatile when it comes to living conditions and they can live in both apartments and homes with yards. They should not live outdoors and do best when they are inside with their family as a companion dog.
Exercise:
The West Highland White Terrier breed of dog is an active breed that requires between 20 to 30 minutes of exercise each day. Generally, two good walks will meet their needs but it is also important to give them an opportunity for off leash exercise as well. In addition, the small size of the breed makes them easy to exercise and many can get their exercise needs simply by playing a game of fetch in the house.
Life Expectancy:
12 to 15 years
Grooming:
The West Highland White Terrier breed of dog is an easy breed to groom and they don't require much daily work. In general, the dog will need to be brushed once or twice a week to keep it free of dirt and dead hair. In addition, to keep the coat white, it is recommended that you wipe them down several times a week with a damp cloth. Ears should be cleaned on a weekly basis and the hair inside the ears and around the feet should be trimmed regularly to keep them tidy. The coat will need to be hand stripped every few months to remove dead hair.
Origin:
The West Highland White Terrier breed of dog was developed in Scotland and is believed to have been developed in the mid-1700's. In fact, the West Highland White Terrier can attribute its development as we know it today, to the Malcolm family who created a line of show dogs that are found in many pedigrees today. However, despite knowing this, the actual origins and development of the breed is unknown. It is unclear which breeds went into the development of the West Highland White Terrier but we do know that the breed shares the same history as the Dandie Dinmont, Skye Terrier, Scottish Terrier and the Cain Terrier. We also know that the West Highland White Terrier was used for hunting vermin and they were brave and tenacious enough to hunt otter and fox. In addition, the West Highland White Terrier can be traced to dogs used by James I of Argylishire in the 17th Century and the breed has been known by several names including the Poltalloch Terrier and the Roseneath Terrier. The breed itself was imported into the United States by the early 1900's. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
