West Highland White Terrier - The Perfect "Personality" Dog!

Breed Overview

The West Highland White Terrier is a loyal and independent breed of dog that requires an attentive owner, a lot of exercise, and a good amount of patience. This small, sturdy breed is known for its intelligence and lively personality. The West Highland White Terrier is sometimes referred to as the “Westie” and has a long history of companionship with humans, tracing back to the 19th century. They got their name from their white coat, which is a result of an artificial breed selection process in the 1800s. With its spunky and confident attitude, this breed is well-suited to fit into a typical family home and has become immensely popular.

Care and Grooming

Westies need minimal grooming, as their coarse and wiry coat requires brushing only once or twice a week. Their teeth should be brushed regularly and their nails trimmed every two months, or more often if needed. This breed is very low shedding, but they will need to be trimmed twice a year and groomed every few years. They don’t require any professional grooming, however, many owners prefer to use the services of a professional groomers in order to maintain the breed’s distinctive look.

Training and Socialization

The West Highland White Terrier is an easy to train and socialize breed. They need consistent, positive reinforcement-based training as early as possible in order to achieve the best results. They can be pretty inquisitive and sometimes mischievous, but they learn quickly and respond well to praise and rewards. Good socialization must begin at a young age to help prevent fear and aggression towards people and other animals. Socialization will also help the Westie adapt to changes in its environment. Proper socialization is important for any breed of dog, but especially for the West Highland White Terrier.

Health and Wellness

The West Highland White Terrier is generally a healthy breed, and with regular check-ups it can live a long and happy life. However, they can be prone to certain genetic disorders such as luxating patella and hip dysplasia. Proper diet, exercise, and attention to medical needs help to prevent health issues.

Living Environment

The West Highland White Terrier is a good fit for any size home. Since they are active and need plenty of exercise, an apartment or small house will be fine as long as their owners are willing to provide adequate exercise. This breed is not ideal for those living in a hot climate, as their white coat is prone to overheating. They will need access to shade during the very warm days.

Temperament and Personality

The West Highland White Terrier is loyal, friendly, smart, and curious. They make great watchdogs and are very alert and able to learn quickly. They are independent and relatively low maintenance, which makes them a favorite of busy pet owners. They tend to be outgoing and enjoy being around people but some may be more aloof at first meeting. Westies can be barkers and can be difficult to house train, continuing to have accidents long after they were housebroken.

Common Challenges

The West Highland White Terrier can be stubborn and independent, which can make training and housebreaking more difficult with certain individuals. They are prone to separation anxiety if left alone for too long and should not be kept outside for extended periods of time. This breed is also prone to chasing cats and small animals, so supervision is needed when it is with other pets. Overall, Westies readily accept new people and environment and make for a great companion breed with an attentive master. They also adapt well to apartment life and love being around people. Regular exercise sessions will provide this energetic breed with the activity they crave and help them to stay calm and content in their living environment.