Westie Info - FAQ - Grooming - Traveling - Books “I saw the cutest little white dog…” If you’ve clicked to this link, a little white dog that you saw lounging in a magazine, doing tricks in a movie, or strutting down a street somewhere, has probably bewitched you. There is no doubt that their cute, confident personality is quite charming and drew many of us into the breed. There is a wealth of information already published in print and on the web about the Westie, so the purpose here is to give you a brief overview of that little white dog. The West Highland White Terrier is originally from the west highlands of Scotland and was bred to hunt vermin in the rocky terrain of that cold and windy climate. The hard white coat and compact, muscular body were bred into this breed to protect it from the environment and to enable it to do its job well. The same holds true for the serious teeth this small dog owns. With one quick snap of the jaw, this cute little white dog can dispatch a gopher, lizard or rat, and many a Westie owner has been gifted with such fine kills by proud little white dogs. Westies are spunky, active, intelligent dogs. They enjoy hanging out by the fire on a cold winter’s night, but would be just as happy to patrol the back yard’s perimeter in the damp and cold. Most texts on the Westie will say they are not lap dogs and while you will find a few who prefer to be with you on the couch, most will just as soon give you a smooch, endure a hug and take off to see who might be passing by out front. Like all companion dogs they will benefit from training classes, especially those that train handler and dog to work together. While some trainers will frown at the thought of training a Westie for competition, Westies enjoy the spirit of competition; they just may want to do it their way sometimes. On the negative side, they can be diggers and barkers and generally do better in a home with well-trained children over the age of 10 years. They play hard and can be too rough with smaller dogs. They are also very prey driven, so skateboarders, cyclists, running children and cats, rabbits, hamsters, and other small pets are not safe in their presence (remember those serious teeth mentioned earlier?). It’s wise to attend a few regional club events to see Westies “in action”. This way you will have a better understanding of what the AKC description means when it says “possessing no small about of self-esteem.” A Westie may be more dog than some families really want and it is important to find this out before bringing a wee-white one into your home. Dog shows are always a good place to look, but most regional clubs also put on more relaxed fun days. At these events, more people will have the time to chat with you about their Westies and you’ll see Westies in their Saturday play clothes as opposed to their dog show Sunday best. For more detailed information about the West Highland White Terrier, there are a number of valuable resources available to you. On
the Web: www.westiefoundation.org provides financial aid for medical research that will benefit the West Highland White Terrier. This site also contains information on current research and has a gift shop that allows you to donate AND get something in return. www.westiemed.com is an organization that provides financial assistance to Westies in need. There are some regions where rescue groups lack the funds to help Westies with severe problems that require extensive medical treatment. This is where WestieMed steps in. Their site also features dogs they have helped, a gift shop and information on Malassezia Dermatitis, one of the common issues that lands a Westie in Rescue. In print, you have a number of choices: Westies
Head to Tail by Ruth Faherty (Alpine Publications) The WHWTCC
encourages you to do your homework and to be patient in your
search for a West Highland White Terrier. Westies deserve the
best forever home available to them. When this doesn’t
happen, and there isn’t a breeder willing to take the
Westie back, our club affiliated Rescue group can assist with
re-homing the misplaced Westie. The decision to add a Westie
to your home is a major one, but one that all of us in the WHWTCC
feel is rewarding and worthwhile. |