The West Highland Terrier may see like a cuddly stuffed animal , but underneath that bloodless coat , he ’s generally more frump than many people are prepared to handle .
Meet the West Highland Terrier
The West Highland White Terrier is a sheer and energetic little dog that has absolutely no theme of his true size . In his mind , he is adequate to theGreat Dane , and double as handsome !
The breed was developed in Scotland and for the most part gained its characteristics due to the crusade of two key stock breeder : Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm and George Campbell , the 8th Duke of Argyll . These two gentlemen used the occasional white pups thrown by Scottish and Cairn Terriers as their main foot stock ; bringing in a few other terrier stock as needed to establish the desired qualities .
Appearance
The West Highland Terrier is solid white in color , bred to be well distinguished from prey in the field . He stand just about eleven inch grandiloquent at the withers , with twinge ear and tail curb alarm . Most specimen matter in between fifteen and twenty - two pounds . Westies , as they are nickname , channel double coats of hard hair on top and soft , compact fur underneath . Although they do shed , you ’ll find much less loose hair around the house from this stock than many others .
In fact , many veterinarians consider the West Highland Terrier to be almost hypo - allergenic . This may make the breed a fair companion for people who brook from balmy asthma and other allergies , but a medico ’s good word should be sought first before bringing one dwelling house .
Personality
The little Westie is a heavy character . He have it off his two - legged fellow and is loosely unforced to please them , as long as he thinks it ’s a honest idea . This is why this is not the breed for every home . A Westie is utterly capable of thinking for himself , and frankly , he may not always agree with what you see as the proper row of action .
The West Highland Terrier must be dealt with unwaveringly , but lovingly . He resents being bullied and will not respond to it volitionally . In fact , drive a Westie too far can ensue in the occasional nip ; so many experienced breeder advocate these dogs only be placed in homes with older children or no youngster at all .
To be fair , these pawl were breed for persistency , a feature that works to their vantage in the field as they plough underground in chase of small secret plan . This brings us to another degree : Westies like to dig . Although some love this pastime much more than others , it can become a trouble for possessor as their PET apprehend under fence to go have a romp on their own .
Training
Since Westies can not be coerced , you must train them with confirming reinforcement , and begin when they are very untried and far more compliant than they will be as adults .
Allobedience trainingmust be turned into a fun body process for these dogs , or else they cursorily become bored and unresponsive . Clicker trainingis another effective method of instruction that brings dogs prompt rewards for desirable behaviour .
On the bright side , even though mostterriersare notorious for marking their territory , a Westie usually house trains quite easily if he has been kick upstairs in a clean surround from puppyhood . Spaying or neuteringbetween four and six months of eld will also pre - empt this and other undesirable sexual behavior .
Grooming
The West Highland Terrier does not produce an abundance of coat oil , so he should n’t be bathed too ofttimes or his skin will become dry and miffed . A monthly bath , frequent brush and a teaspoon of gamey grade cod liver oil in his food once in a while should keep his hide and pelage in tip - top shape . to boot , you’re able to have your favourite trim every few months to keep him from getting too shaggy-haired .
If your dog is getting all the exercise he requires , his nail will broadly wear down on their own ; but inspect them every now and then and trim as needed . Ears should be swabbed out on a weekly groundwork to remove waxy build up .
Health
On average , West Highland Terriers live to be a honorable fifteen years old , but there are a few health concerns found in the breed .
These let in :
Think Carefully
The West Highland Terrier depend like an wanton client , but this is not the dog for an inexperienced or sedentary owner . A Westie has a mountain of energy and plenty of ideas how to use it , so you have to be on the ball to keep up with him .
Yes , he can be a wonderful cuddler , but when he ’s ready to run he ’ll go whether you need to come with him or not . Be very certain you want this much andiron before you take one on .
