| 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 has origins dating back to the 1800s in Scotland, and they were initially raised for the key reason of hunting foxes, badgers and other pests. A few of their more typical traits can include their lovable appearance, friendly nature and love for play - which in essence make the West Highland White Terrier a fitting preference 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 with the objective of hunting foxes, badgers and other pests. They are
thought 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 breed of 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, whereas the recommended 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 famous for their affectionate, happy and devoted spirit. They are typically friendly with strangers, which often makes them quite unsuitable as a guard dog. The West Highland White Terrier is also accepted to be fairly intelligent - ranking equal 47th in comparison with other dogs when considering their capability to be taught obedience instructions. They are also well-known 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 compatible with other smaller animals but may get along quite well with other dogs they're raised with. The West Highland White Terrier enjoys a small, well-fenced yard to give them space to roam around in, but they are quite suitable for apartment living if they are exercised on a regular basis. The West Highland White Terrier benefits from activities that include 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 prevent behavior problems such as excess barking, digging, chewing or stubbornness. The West Highland White Terrier could be the ideal dog breed for active owners or families with older children. They are suitable to anybody who is willing to do a fairly high amount of grooming and take time to give them firm but positive obedience training to establish leadership and avoid Small Dog Syndrome in addition to take them on walk daily walks and bestow a high quantity of companionship and attention.
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