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West Highland White Terriers, commonly known as Westies, are a breed of dog known for their spirited personality and brilliant white coat. They are friendly, good with children, and thrive on lots of attention. Like most terriers, they have plenty of attitude (some might say "spirit") for a dog their size. This breed is commonly recognized because it is used as a mascot for Black & White (a brand of Scotch whisky) and for Cesar brand dog food.
Appearance: They have bright, dark brown to black,
deep-set eyes with a penetrating gaze. The ears are small,
pointed and erect, giving the animal an alert
ready-for-anything look.
They typically weigh about 15 to 22 lbs (7.5–10 kg) and
their average height is 11 in. (28 cm) at the withers. Their
tails, typically naturally "carrot-shaped", should
never be docked and are held upright. The tail should be
between 5-6 inches. They also have deep chests, muscular
limbs, a short, closely fitted jaw with scissors bite, and
slightly convex skull.
They have a soft, dense undercoat and a rough outer coat,
about 2 in. long, that requires regular grooming. Some Westies
have "brandy stains" on their backs and/or feet, but
this is undesirable in show/breeding specimens. The natural
coat is of medium length and somewhat shaggy like that of a
Cairn Terrier. Many enthusiasts prefer the "teddy bear
cut" where their face looks like a really cute teddy
bear, but the rest of the fur is cut short.
Their paws are slightly webbed, which one can notice by
trying to pass their finger between the dog's toes.
Temperament: This breed, descended from working
terriers, has a lot of energy, tenacity, and aggression
towards its prey, which was originally the rabbit and other,
smaller animals such as squirrels. This history has endowed
the Westie with a bold temperament that leads many to call
them "big dogs in a little body." Because of their
strong prey drive and the resulting tendency to run off at the
sight of any small animal that catches their fancy, Westies
must be kept on a leash at all times while out-of-doors.
They need regular exercise, and because of their small size
they make good apartment pets. However, diligent training
should be provided for the dog. They are always alert and
consider themselves guard dogs, although their size prevents
them from providing any real intimidation. They are
independent thinkers with no small amount of self-esteem, and
must be trained firmly from an early age. If not raised with
other cats and dogs from an early age, they may be aggressive
towards such animals later in life.
Like all dogs, the Westie responds better to love and
gentleness than to cruelty. As with most terriers, harsh
training methods are often met only with stubbornness.
Care: Westies are prone to have issues with dry skin
and bathing too frequently may aggravate these problems.
Washing once a month or on a longer interval will generally
not cause issues. However, frequent brushings are needed to
keep the coat clean and oils evenly distributed throughout the
coat. Washing with a detergent-free, baby-oriented, or another
soft skin shampoo will help keep a Westie's skin hydrated.
Weekly washing of the inside of the ears will prevent oil and
wax build-up.
Westies are active dogs that need moderate excersise. A
daily brisk walk is ideal but they will be OK if a day is
missed once in a while.
Health: Many of these dogs have skin allergies, and
as a result they can be troubled by skin and fur disorders.
Flea bites can trigger a skin disease which can result in the
dog losing fur from the affected area of its body. If the
undercoat falls out because of disease then the dog will need
a dog coat to keep it warm. Like most other dogs, these
terriers generally require 13 hours of sleep out of every 24.
Westies will usually conform to the sleep patterns of their
human companions, and take several naps during the day as
well, to accrue their needed sleep.
History: Westies are descended from Cairn Terriers,
who occasionally whelped white puppies naturally, and Scottish
Terriers; who also occasionally produced white offspring.
White offspring from other British Terriers such as the
Bedlington Terrier and Dandie Dinmont Terrier were
occasionally introduced to the bloodline for desired
characteristics, but this practice generally stopped in the
1850s.
Some sources credit Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm and his
kin of Poltalloch, in the Argyll region of Western Scotland as
an originator of this breed in the 1800s. Other sources credit
the 8th Duke of Argyll (Chieftan of Clan Campbell) as an
originator of the breed. However, there may have been some
cooperation between the two gentlemen. It may have taken as
long as a hundred years of selective breeding to produce all
the desired qualities. Their white coat made them highly
visible when hunting on the Scottish moors and easily
distinguished them from their game. They also possess slightly
below average intelligence and a sturdy frame.
Originally the breed was known as Poltalloch Terriers
(after the name of Malcolm's home), although they were also
known as Roseneath Terriers (after the name of Argyll's home),
White Roseneath Terriers, and at the end of the 19th century,
briefly as a white variety of the Scottish Terrier.
Famous Westies:
Doggy, pet of the fictional Souphanousinphone family on
King of the Hill
Happy Camden, a Westie mix from the TV drama 7th Heaven
McDuff, main character in a series of illustrated
children's books by author Rosemary Wells
Towser, from a UK animated children's TV series
Wee Jock, faithful companion of fictional Highland
policeman Hamish Macbeth
Cesar, poster boy and mascot for Cesar brand dog food
Punch, companion dog of actress Géneviève Tobin
Scotty appears in several episodes of The Oblongs,
becoming narcoleptic in one episode.
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