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HISTORY of the WESTIE
The West Highland White Terrier is most commonly referred to as the "Westie".
This member of the Terrier Group has its origins in the highlands of Scotland. It also shares its genetic pool with
some other classic Scottish breeds, for example, the Cairn, the Scottish, Skye, the Sealyham and the Dandy Dinmont Terriers.
It should be noted that these breeds were developed by people who had special ideas about what they expected from their dogs.
The dogs were never kept as pets alone. They were working dogs, in the case of the terriers, their job was to keep vermin
under control in the villages, mills, coal mines, farms and homes of their owners. Another job they had was to be hunters
of fox, rabbit, otters and badgers, as well as other ground dwelling animals. Hunting was a sport for the wealthy, and
a necessity for the less well off. The terriers of Scotland derived their names from the areas, or the estates, where
they had their origin. To test a terrier's "gameness", a young terrier would be dropped into a barrel
with a badger, and if it killed the badger, the terrier would be bred. If it did not kill, but was killed by the badger
instead, it didn't matter. This was probably one of the first examples of man's experimenting with selective
breeding.
The terrier is
a dog that loves to dig, that's how he gets the animal that is being hunted to come out of his hole. Sometimes the
terrier would go right down the hole after the animal, barking loudly and persistently, to tell the hunter where he was. A
Westie is a zestful digger, so if you have a beautiful flower, or vegetable, garden, you may want to fence it off from this
ground terror.
The story of the development of the West Highland White Terrier, is said to
be from the estate of Colonel E.D. Malcolm, of Poltallock, Argyllshire, Scotland. He was using one of his favorite Cairn
Terriers in a fox, or rabbit, hunt. The Cairn Terrier is a wheaten, or brown, color, and this was effective as camouflage.
Unfortunately, Colonel Malcolm accidentally shot and killed his Cairn Terrier instead of the fox. In his remorse for
this accident, the Colonel vowed to breed only for the white color so that such an accident could not happen again.
It is documented that up to this time, any all-white colored terriers were destroyed as being undesirable. The Colonel
changed that outlook, and developed the Westie to become a distinct breed.
The Westie was seen in competition for the first time, at the London Crufts
show in 1907. In 1908 the American Kennel Club recognized the West Highland White Terrier as a distinct breed.
The West Highland White Terrier Club of America was founded in 1909.
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The West Highland White Terrier, referred to as the "Westie", is a member of the Terrier
Group. It is all white in color, although there are some who still have a little wheaten color as a throwback to the
other Terriers that share its gene pool. If you are going to be showing your Westie in conformation, this wheaten color is
considered a fault. It is double coated, that is, it has a coarse, about 2 inches long, hair as a top coat, and a soft, dense
coat next to its skin. There is black pigmentation on the Westie's lips, eye-rims, the pads of its feet, nails and
skin. The Westie's eye's are dark in color. The dog is approximately 11 inches high at the withers, the
female is about an inch shorter. The average life span of this breed is about 14 years.
If you are considering this breed as a pet, be aware that this dog is not
a rinse and go, wash and wear type of dog. Grooming can be quite challenging, and this is especially the case when showing
in conformation. The properly groomed Westie is a beautiful dog to look at, but to get it that beautiful is a meticulous,
time consuming job. This is probably the number one reason so many are abandoned at dog pounds, or end up having to
be rescued. The Westie you see at dog shows has been groomed by a person who has hand plucked the undercoat and has
used special grooming tools to get the dog in what is known as "show coat". For the Westie that is to be kept
as a family pet, you will need to dedicate approximately an hour a day to brush and comb your dog, and about once per month
take the dog to a grooming shop for bathing and clipping. During your daily grooming periods, you will also need to
check nails, ears and teeth. This may seem to be a lot of time to devote to a house pet, but if you have a love of these
dogs, it can be a time of bonding and it can be fun as well, and not just another chore. Please keep this in mind when
making a decision. A dog is more than just a compliment to your home's decor.
As to the personality of the West Highland White Terrier, please remember
he is a terrier. The Westie has a hunter's heart, and loves to chase small, ground dwelling, tunneling
prey. So that hour you spent grooming him, the money you spent this morning on a groomer, the dog just came
home covered in dirt, and has wet, matted hair, and is very pleased with himself. He won't understand why you just
screamed and fainted. On the "up" side, the Westie is a gay, alert and courageous dog. He is friendly,
and very people oriented. He loves to please people, so he does respond to training well. One point to make here,
is that the Westie takes correction very hard, and he won't be bullied into compliance. He can demonstrate a certain
amount of willful stubbornness, but it is balanced with the sense to please his owner. The West Highland White Terrier
is a dynamic, self reliant canine, and is a terrific family pet. The new owner of a Westie must remember however, that
this is a small dog, and is not tolerant of small children who poke, pull or prod him.
The West Highland White Terrier is a compact, strong little dog. He
has muscular legs and deep ribs. Altogether a very sturdy dog, certainly not a powder puff.
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