Fun Westie Facts That You Need To Know

Cute dogs Westies that look like little pretty toys belong to the hunting breed. They appeared in Scotland more than 100 years ago. Hunters used the dogs to search for small animals living in burrows. Despite its compact size, the dog is very active and efficient. Besides, Westie has become popular due to the peaceful nature and cheerful character.

History of origin

At the beginning of the XIX century hunting for fox and badger was very popular in Scotland. People begin to use West Highland Terriers for driving the animal out of the burrow. The author of the breed is considered Colonel Edward Malcolm who made a significant contribution to its development.

At first, representatives of the breed had different colors of hair. Dogs with white hair were rejected because they were considered very painful. But one day the Scottish colonel Edward Malcolm, who bred West Highland Terriers, confused his beloved red terrier with a fox while hunting. Subsequently, Malcolm decided to breed only snow-white dogs in order to avoid such a tragedy. Westie with white hair was an ideal dog for hunting, because hunters in a hurry could not confuse their assistants with potential prey.

The breed was officially registered in 1904 by the English Cannel Club. A special class was established for the breed of these dogs at exhibitions. A year after registration, two clubs of admirers of West Highland Terriers appeared in England and Scotland. The popularity of dogs grew, so soon another club was organized in Northern Ireland, which eventually took a leading place in breeding. All three clubs tried to create a stable heredity. As a result, it turned out to achieve high results and the quality of the breed.

One of the outstanding breeders of West Highland Terriers lost a lot of the dogs from her kennel during the war. It happened because she had nothing to feed the animals. She had to euthanize several dogs a day, as they were very hungry. She gave almost all the food she could get to the dogs, saving on herself. But still she managed to save several Westies. They subsequently gave offspring, from which 58 champions grew up.

Appearance features

West Highland Terrier is a small dog with a harmonious physique. The average height of male animals is 28-30 cm. The height of female dogs is up to 26 cm. The weight of mail animals does not exceed 10 kg, female dogs are smaller – they weigh 6-7 kg. They are similar in appearance with Bichon Frise. But Westies are stronger and more active.

Accepted hair standards of Westies:

• the hair must be long, rigid, with a sharp;
• on the back and near the tail dog's coat should be shorter than in other places;
• the hair on the paws and muzzle should curl;
• the undercoat should be soft;
• the hair should fall from the dog's belly;
• the eyebrows and beard should be thick.

Hunting dogs could always get hit by bullets while hunting. White dog's coat was should be easily distinguished by the hunter from the animal prey. The white color has often saved the dog's life.

Currently, Westies should also be grateful to snow-white color, which nature gave them. Dogs look like soft toys. The breed is so popular due to its attractive appearance.

Life expectancy

West Highland Terriers are considered long-lived dogs. Their life expectancy is 12-15 years. Good care can prolong their life up to 18-20 years.

Westie is the breed that is easy to train. At the same time, they are very stubborn, so it is necessary to train dogs from puppy age.

Interesting facts about the breed

Curious facts were collected during the existence of West Highland Terriers:

1. The author of the breed is the Scotsman Edward Donald Malcom. In 1907, he announced the existence of a white dog. In his opinion it was an ideal companion for hunting animals living in burrows.
2. The first representatives of the breed had a cream-colored coat.
3. Westie has a great advantage among hunting dogs due to its snow-white color. In the process of hunting, it is easy to distinguish the dog from wild game. So if it falls under the bullets of the owner, it is only through its own fault.
4. Due to their attractive appearance and fervent nature, dogs of the breed are the favorites of famous people. West Highland Terriers lived in the families of Roman Abramovich, Michael Schumacher, Dieter Bohlen, Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johansson, Alfred Hitchcock, Frank Sinatra, Rob Schneider. Also their owners were Stanislav Govorukhin, Peter Marchenko, Leonid Yarmolnik, Paris Hilton, Oleg Popov, Alexander Adabashyan, Inna Churikova.
5. Snow–white color, attentive black eyes, cute nose and funny paws make Westie look like a fluffy teddy bear toy. In fact, the dog, if it is necessary, will fearlessly stand up for the owner, showing himself as a real defender.
6. The representative of the breed became a movie star and won large audience of fans. Westie played the role of the dog Obelix in a French film.
7. The cost of puppies of this breed can reach $3,000.
8. The process of full-fledged overgrowth of hair ends when the dog is three years old. Puppies have a rather sparse coat. Proper grooming helps to improve the appearance of a pet.
9. West Highland Terriers are fond of digging in the ground. If they are left alone in the garden, in a short period of time they will look like devils, and the garden is like a plowed field.

West Highland Terriers practically does not shed. Dog owners do not need to clean their clothes from white hair. Besides, Westies do not have the characteristic smell of a dog, so when you come to a house where they live, you can find out about their existence only by seeing or hearing them.

Westie – heroes of books

West Highland Terriers Sugar and Pepper are the naughtiest of all the pets of Neil and Emily, who are the main characters of the work of J. Dale is a Sweet Couple. They're always in trouble. The small dogs match their carefree owners who went on a journey, leaving their pets in the care of the Parkers. To the horror of the latter, Sugar and Pepper disappeared from the dog shelter. The reader will find out if it will be possible to find the dogs before their owners return.

Westies become the heroes of the book True Stories of Miracles and Hope, dedicated to the Battersea Shelter in London. West Highland Terriers Dusik and Pusik appear in the collection of short stories by J. Herriot And they are all creatures of nature.

Character traits

The representatives of the breed are considered the most affectionate and jealous towards the owner. Westie treats its owner with great devotion and love. But at the same time it is too jealous. The idea of having another pet in the house where West Highland Terriers lives is likely to be a failure. The dog likes to fight, and the size of the opponent is not important to it at all.

The dogs are very cheerful. They are always full of strength and energy. They will cheer up and make anyone move, and this is one of their main advantages.

West Highland Terriers do not get bored themselves and will not let it the owner. They will do everything to make him pay attention to them and stir up. When a person gets a dog of the breed, he should be ready for an active pastime.

The cost of a puppy depends on the popularity of the kennel in which it is bought. But, if there is a desire to buy a puppy with a pedigree, but there is no opportunity to spend a huge amount of money on it, you can pay attention to kennels located in small towns. There you can buy a puppy at an affordable price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What breed of dog does the beautiful blonde from Friends have?

The actress from the series about friends Jennifer Aniston - westie.