west highland white terrier dog

History of origin

The history of the West Highlands goes back centuries. The first mention of small wire-haired terriers hunting in the mountains of Scotland dates back to the XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries. True, then these dogs could not yet boast of a snow-white coat, as they are now, but were of a wide variety of colors – from sand to brindle. Moreover, in past centuries, white dogs were culled because they often turned out to be sickly.

The Scots used the ancestors of modern West Highland White Terriers to hunt burrowing game: foxes, badgers, and dogs were also able to skillfully get otters out of stone crevices.

It was only in the XNUMXth century that they began to seriously improve the appearance of the breed, in particular, in breeding they began to focus not so much on working qualities as on the appearance of terriers. These dogs owe much of their current cute appearance to two Scottish breeders, George Campbell and Edward Malcolm. They set out to genetically fix the white color in terriers and gave the new breed the name Poltullah Terrier, after the name of the Duke Campbell’s estate.

Later, white terriers became so popular in their homeland that at the beginning of the XNUMXth century a West Highland White Terrier club was even organized – at that time the breed already had a modern name.

Today, these dogs are less and less bred for hunting and more and more often as family pets. In Our Country, the West Highlands or, as we affectionately call them, West Highlands also win more and more fans every year.

Breed description

A small dog that at first glance resembles a shaggy plush toy. Although the Westies look a bit like white Scotch Terriers, they are more square in shape, yet just as sturdy and strong. The head is large, the eyes are dark with a cheerful and intelligent expression. The ears are triangular, erect, the nose is black. The tail is not long and almost always fervently held up, but never thrown over the back.

The coat is thick, hard, with a moderate undercoat. She practically does not shed, but needs regular trimming and haircuts. The dog is given a peculiar silhouette, in which the head seems large and almost round, for which the neck is cut rather short, while the rest of the body is left about 5 cm long.

Only one color is allowed – snow-white, any spots or blackouts are considered a defect.

Photos

Character

Don’t be fooled by the toy appearance of the West Highland Outback Terrier, it’s a true hunter at heart. He is absolutely fearless and ready to fight with any opponent, even greatly exceeding his size.

Vestiks are very smart, but at the same time, in stubbornness they do not lag behind all their hunting counterparts. At the same time, they are so in need of the owner’s company that it is very difficult to endure separation even for one day. So, if you disappear all day at work, it is better to choose another breed.

White pranksters love to walk and, despite their small size, they are ready to run more than one kilometer a day. At the same time, when letting the dog off the leash, make sure that he does not run away somewhere and does not get lost, chasing the neighbor’s cat.

The West Highlands are very devoted and loving creatures, with all their heart attached to their family. They get along well with other animals, but it is better to introduce them to cats in childhood so that the dogs understand that they are not game, but friends.

Care and maintenance

The only difficulty in keeping a West Highland White Terrier is caring for their snow-white coat. As mentioned above, it must be trimmed and cut, as well as combed daily. The white color is not the most practical, so you will have to make sure that your restless friend does not get dirty on the street (for which it is better to put on a jacket in slush), and before the exhibition, his fur coat can even be bleached a little with chalk.

The indefatigable activity of the vests requires long walks, so you should only start them if you are ready to lead an active lifestyle with your pet.

Also, do not leave these terriers alone for a long time – out of resentment and / or boredom, they can find something to do alone, and you are unlikely to like it.

Education and training

A touching appearance does not at all make a couch dog out of a West Highland White Terrier. Although it is small, it is a hunter that requires proper education. However, the right for the dog to obey you must also be earned, because anyhow he will not obey anyone. Vestiki are generally not prone to subordination and obey only those who are truly respected. Therefore, you should not indulge his whims and follow the touching look of the button eyes. Be persistent and firm, but never rude. Get ready for the fact that the dog will not immediately obey you, but this does not mean that it is difficult for him to learn commands, the terrier does it simply out of principle. Get him interested, turn training into a game, and be sure to reward him for every correctly executed command.

Health and disease

The West Highlander cannot be called a sickly breed, but the white color leaves its mark, so allergies are a common thing for them. Once you become the proud owner of this terrier, be sure to consult your veterinarian regarding the dog’s diet.

As for the rest of the diseases, there are no breed-specific ones among them. Being natives of cold Scotland, Westies easily endure winter, so clothing is needed more for the sake of keeping their coat white, and not for warmth.

Otherwise, if you do all the vaccinations on time and do not overfeed your pet (the scourge of all the little family pets), he can live up to 15 years or more.

Word to the breeder

Elena Prorokova, breeder of the Magical Land kennel in Mokovo says:

The West Highland White Terrier is an independent and self-confident dog. They have the typical temperament of a hunter, they are very fond of toys, they especially like to chase balls. Adult terriers usually weigh between 6 and 9 kg and average height is 26 to 28 cm at the withers.

Elena and Anna Movchan from St. Petersburg, kennel “Iz Baltic foam” add:

– In the homeland of West Terriers – of course, the prince! He confidently holds 4th place in the top ten most popular breeds.

There is a beautiful definition of these dogs: “Vedi is a big dog in a small package. For him, no water is too cold and no hole is too deep!”

West loves society and is ready to accompany his master anywhere. He is bold, agile, his sonorous voice will always warn you about the arrival of a visitor. Dogs live for about 15 years, remain active, reckless and easy to train until old age. He has a great sense of self-respect – the quality that most inspires love for him.

Vestiki get along well with almost any pet. They find a common language with dogs of any breed – from the St. Petersburg orchid to the Newfoundland. The bigger the pack, the merrier! But West will never be the youngest in this pack – you need to be prepared for this.

West gets along well with children, but on the condition that the children are your own. Otherwise, the dog avoids communication with babies. But if the baby lives in your family, the dog will become his most faithful and reliable friend, protector, and tireless partners in games and pranks.

Lyubov Fomicheva from Moscow, owners of the “Magic shine” kennel shares:

– Vestiki are, first of all, self-sufficient dogs with high intelligence. Very curious and funny. Well oriented towards the owner. They need to be in close contact with humans. They love long walks. It requires constant regular trimming from a good specialist and special nutrition – the West is mostly allergic.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about keeping West Highland White Terriers with zoo engineer, veterinarian Anastasia Kalinina: