West Highland Terrier
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| Other names | Poltalloch Terrier Roseneath Terrier White Roseneath Terrier |
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| Common nicknames | Westie (or Westy) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traits | |||
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| Weight | 6.8–9.1 kg (15–20 lb) | ||
| Height | 25–28 cm (9.8–11.0 in) | ||
| Coat | Double | ||
| Color | White | ||
| Litter size | Three to five | ||
| Life span | 12 to 17 years | ||
| Classification / standards | |||
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| FCI | Group 3, Section 2 Small Terriers #085 | standard | |
| AKC | Terrier | standard | |
| ANKC | Group 2 (terriers) | standard | |
| CKC | Group 4 – terriers | standard | |
| KC (UK) | Terrier | standard | |
| NZKC | Terrier | standard | |
| UKC | Terriers | standard | |
The West Highland White Terrier, commonly known as the Westie is a breed of dog from Scotland with a distinctive white harsh coat with a somewhat soft white undercoat. The modern breed is descended from a number of breeding programs of white terriers in Scotland before the 20th century. Edward Donald Malcolm, 16th Laird of Poltalloch, is credited with the creation of the modern breed from his Poltalloch Terrier, but did not want to be known as such.
Other related breeds included George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll's Roseneath Terrier and Dr. Americ Edwin Flaxman's Pittenweem Terriers. This breed of small white Scottish terriers was given its modern name for the first time in 1908, with recognition by major kennel clubs occurring around the same time.
The breed remains very popular in the UK, with multiple winner at Cruft's, and is in the top third of all breeds in the US since the 1960s. It has been featured in television and film, including in Hamish Macbeth and in advertising by companies such as Cesar dog food and Scottish whisky Black & White. It is a medium-sized terrier, although with longer legs than other Scottish breeds of terrier. It has a white double coat of fur which fills out the dog's face, giving it a rounded appearance. The breed can be good with children, but does not always tolerate rough handling. The Westie is an active and intelligent breed, and is social with a high prey drive, as they were once used to hunt rodents.
Several breed-specific and nonspecific health issues appear in the breed, including a condition in young dogs nicknamed "westie jaw" which causes an overgrowth of bone in the jaw of the dog. It can also be prone to skin disorders, with a breed-specific condition called hyperplastic dermatosis occurring. They are very energetic and need plenty of exercise. Cousin to the Cairn Terrier, the Westie was bred to hunt small rodents at places such as farms.
Commonly, Westies have bright, deep-set, almond-shaped eyes that are dark in colour. Their ears are pointed and erect. Members of the breed typically weigh between 15 and 20 pounds (6.8 and 9.1 kg), and the average height is between 10–11 inches (25–28 cm) at the withers. The body should be shorter than the height of the dog at the shoulder.
They also have a deep chest, muscular limbs, a black nose, and a short, closely fitted jaw with "scissors" bite (lower canines locked in front of upper canines, upper incisors locked over lower incisors). The Westie's paws are slightly turned out to give it better grip than flat-footed breeds when it climbs on rocky surfaces. In young puppies, the nose and footpads have pink markings, which slowly turn black as they age.
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Wikipedia