West Highland White Terrier
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| West Highland White Terrier | ||||||||||||
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| Country of origin | ||||||||||||
| United Kingdom | ||||||||||||
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| Breed standards (external links) | ||||||||||||
| FCI (http://www.dogdomain.com/FCI/fcistandards/fci-085.htm), AKC (http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/westie.cfm),
ANKC (http://www.ankc.aust.com/westhigh.html), KC(UK) (http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/discoverdogs/terrier/t1068.htm), NZKC (http://www.nzkc.org.nz/br288.html) |
West Highland White Terriers are a breed of dog known for their spirited personality and brilliant white coat; their devotees often call them simply Westies. 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 a brand of Scotch whisky.
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Appearance
They typically weigh about 15 to 22 pounds (7,5–10 kg) and their average height is 11 inches (28 cm) at the shoulder. Their tails, short naturally, should never be docked and are held upright. They have a soft undercoat and a rough outer coat, about 2" long, that requires regular grooming.
Temperament
This breed, descended from working terriers, has a lot of energy, tenacity, and aggression towards its prey, which was originally the fox and other, smaller animals such as squirrels. They need regular exercise, although their size make them good apartment pets. Many of these dogs have skin allergies, and their personality is more excitable than even some other terriers. They are alert and consider themselves guard dogs, although their size prevents them from providing any real intimidation. They are independent thinkers and must be trained firmly from an early age. If not raised with other cats and dogs from an early age, they may be agressive 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.
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 were occasionally introduced to the bloodline for desired characteristics, but this practice generally stopped in the 1850s. Some sources credit Colonel Malcolm and his kin of Poltalloch, in the Argyll region of Western Scotland as the originator of this breed in the 1800s. Other sources credit the Duke of Argyll (Chieftan of Clan Campbell) as the originator of the breed. 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 keen intelligence and a sturdy frame. Originally the breed was known as Poltalloch Terriers, although they were also known as Roseneath Terriers, White Roseneath Terriers, and at the end of the 19th century, briefly as a white variety of the Scottish Terrier.
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