West Highland White Terrier

The West Highland Terrier comes from Scotland and the Hebrides. Westies, as they are commonly refered too, are small dogs, but with no small amount of self esteem. They are a cheeky, lively & fearless terrier and is now one of the best known and most loved of all the terriers. Although they are a great family dog, they were bred for digging out foxes and for otter hunting. Westies have great character and a happy disposition which has won the heart of many breeders and owners.

However, 100 years ago, these little white dogs were regarded as highly undesirable when they appeared in litters of Cairn Terriers, and they were drowned at birth.

One Scottish family took the oppsite view. The Malcolm family of Poltalloch, felt that white dogs were more easily seen when they were working on the moors. They concentrated on breeding a white strain of the Cairn Terrier. For some time the dog was called the Poltalloch Terrier.

The name West Highland White only came into general use after 1904 when the dog began being exhibited in the show ring. Ironically, the rejects of Cairne breeders became a breed in their own right before the Cairne Terrier itself was officially recognised.

A westies height should be about 11in (28 cm).