A Westie may need to have its training refreshed on occasion during its lifetime. It is a hardy breed, and can be stubborn, leading to issues with training. The Westie is highly social and is the most friendly and jolly of all the Scottish breeds of terriers. It is a loyal breed that bonds with its owner but is often on the move, requiring daily exercise (15–30 min though ideally, at least an hour). It is normally independent, assured, and self-confident, and can make a good watchdog. This makes regular training from a young age of particular importance. It will not typically tolerate rough handling, such as a child pulling on its ears or fur, and can frequently be both food- and toy-possessive. The temperament of the West Highland White Terrier can vary greatly, with some being friendly towards children, while others prefer solitude. Most Westies are pure white, although there are some light wheaten colour variations. As puppies develop into adults, their coarse outer coat is normally removed by either "hand-stripping", especially for dog-showing, or otherwise clipping. The fur fills out the face to give a rounded appearance. ![]() They have a soft, dense, thick undercoat and a rough outer coat, which can grow to about 2 inches (5.1 cm) long. Some sources suggest that due to their history as rodent catchers, their tails were bred to be thick so that a Westie trapped in a hole could be easily pulled out by the tail. Westies also have short and sturdy tails. In young puppies, the nose and footpads have pink markings, which slowly turn black as they age. The Westie's paws are slightly turned out to give it better grip than flat-footed breeds when it climbs on rocky surfaces. They also have a deep chest, muscular limbs, a black nose, and a short, closely fitted jaw with "scissors" bite (lower canines locked in front of upper canines, upper incisors locked over lower incisors). The body should be shorter than the height of the dog at the shoulder. Members of the breed typically weigh between 15 and 20 pounds (6.8 and 9.1 kg), and the average height is between 10–11 inches (25–28 cm) at the withers. Westies have dense, thick undercoat and a smooth outer coatĬommonly, Westies have bright, deep-set, almond-shaped eyes that are dark in colour. They are a very energetic and boisterous breed, needing regular exercise of around one hour per day. It can also be prone to skin disorders, with a breed-specific condition called hyperplastic dermatosis occurring. Several breed-specific and non-specific health problems appear in the breed, including a condition in young dogs nicknamed " westie jaw" which causes an overgrowth of bone in the jaw of the dog. It has been featured in television and film, including in Hamish Macbeth, and in advertising by companies such as Cesar dog food and the Scotch whisky Black & White. It has been in the top third of all breeds in the US since the 1960s. The breed remains very popular in the UK, with multiple wins at Cruft's. This breed of small white Scottish terriers was given its modern name for the first time in 1908, with recognition by major kennel clubs occurring around the same time. Other related breeds included George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll's Roseneath Terrier and Dr Americ Edwin Flaxman's Pittenweem Terriers. ![]() Edward Donald Malcolm, 16th Laird of Poltalloch, is credited with the creation of the modern breed from his Poltalloch Terrier, but did not want to be known as such. Cousin to the Cairn Terrier, the Westie was bred to hunt small rodents at places such as farms. The modern breed is descended from a number of breeding programmes of white terriers in Scotland before the 20th century. The Westie is an active breed, and is social with a high prey drive, as they were once used to hunt rodents. ![]() The breed is intelligent, quick to learn, and can be good with children, but does not always tolerate rough handling. ![]() It has a white double coat of fur which fills out the dog's face, giving it a rounded appearance. It is a medium-sized terrier, although with longer legs than other Scottish breeds of terrier. The West Highland White Terrier, commonly known as the Westie, is a breed of dog from Scotland with a distinctive white harsh coat with a somewhat soft white undercoat.
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