CATXDOG

West Highland White Terrier / Westie / Poltalloch Terriers / White Roseneath Terriers

Appearance: West Highland White Terriers are a breed of dog known also by the name Westies. Westies are small, but balanced hardy looking terrier. Strongly built with straight back and muscular legs, it is quite a handsome dog. They have a soft, dense undercoat and a rough outer coat , about 2 in. long, that requires regular grooming. Some Westies have "brandy stains" on their backs and/or feet. The natural coat is of medium length and somewhat shaggy like that of a Cairn Terrier . Many enthusiasts prefer the "teddy bear cut" where their face looks like a really cute teddy bear, but the rest of the fur is cut short. Their paws are slightly webbed, which one can notice by trying to pass their finger between the dog's toes.

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 and Dandie Dinmont Terrier were occasionally introduced to the bloodline for desired characteristics, but this practice generally stopped in the 1850s. The breed was listed officially as the West Highland White Terrier in 1907 at the Crufts dog show in England. Some sources credit Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm and his kin of Poltalloch , in the Argyll region of Western Scotland as an originator of this breed in the 1800s , although he took none of the credit unto himself. Story goes that he had kept a pack of light colored working terriers for hunting. At one occasion reddish dog of his, emerging from cover, was mistakenly shot for a fox, then he decided that he would breed only white dogs so they could always be identified in the field.

Temperament: Some people call them "big dogs in a little body" with the reason. They are bold dogs, full of energy and tenacity. While outdoors it is recommended to keep them on a leash. They consider themselves very self-reliant and are full of confidence. Because of their alertness sometimes they act as if they are guard dogs, but their size doesn't make them a real threat. They are friendly toward people and devoted to their families, and are very good pets for people living in apartments. If they live with cats or other dogs from early age they will not be aggressive toward other cats or dogs. They are also very stubborn, so don't expect to train them with force and cruelty. They respond better to kindness and gentleness.