| By :
Brent McCoy
The West Highland White Terrier (nicknamed the "Westie" and once called the "Poltalloch Terrier" and "Roseneath Terrier" for houses they were bred in) is one of the most poplar terrier breeds that features deep eyes, pointed ears and a distinctive rough, white coat. The breed first appeared in the 1800s in Scotland, and they were initially used for the primary function of hunting foxes, badgers and other pests. Just a few of their more unique characteristics typically include their lovable appearance, friendly nature and love for play - which in essence make the West Highland White Terrier a popular breed of dog for a companion for active, fun loving owners or families with more considerate children. The West Highland White Terrier is known to have come from Scotland in the 1800s and was bred for the function of hunting foxes, badgers and other pests. They are
alleged to be a white offshoot of the Scottish Terrier and Cairn Terrier and resulted from a number of breeding programs including Edward Donald Malcolm's "Poltalloch Terrier", George Campbell's "Roseneath Terrier" and Dr. Americ Edwin Flaxman's "Pittenweem Terrier". West Highland White Terriers are classed as a small-sized dog. The recommended standard size for the West Highland White Terrier male is 11 inches tall from paw to shoulder and a weight of 15-20 pounds, while the suggested size for female West Highland White Terriers is 10 inches tall from paw to shoulder with a weight of 13-18 pounds. The West Highland White Terrier is well-known for their affectionate, happy and devoted spirit. They are characteristically friendly with people they don't know, which can make them quite unsuitable as a guard dog. The West Highland White Terrier is also demonstrated to be fairly intelligent - ranking equal 47th compared to other dogs based on their capacity to be trained obedience directives. They are additionally renowned to be good with older or more gentle kids - making them somewhat suitable as a family pet. The West Highland White Terrier is not very well-matched with other smaller animals but may get along quite well with other dogs they're raised with. The West Highland White Terrier can be kept happy with a small, well-fenced yard to give them space to roam around in, but they are quite suitable for life in an apartment so long as they are given daily exercise. The West Highland White Terrier gets pleasure from activities like fetching a ball or running around in a safe area such as a backyard. They possess a high degree of energy but only require moderate daily walks to avert behavior problems such as excess barking, digging, chewing or stubbornness. The West Highland White Terrier can be the right breed of dog for active owners or families with older children. They are well-suited for anyone who is keen to execute a fairly high level of grooming and allocate time to provide them with firm but positive obedience training to establish leadership and avoid Small Dog Syndrome in addition to take them for walk walks each day and give a high sum of companionship and devotion.
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