Mary Allen
The West Highland White Terrier, also known as the Westie for short, is a small but fearless dog that shows a surprising amount of self-confidence. He is robust and active, with a character that combines courage, and vigilance, but also a cheerful disposition and intelligence. In addition, the Westie is characterized by its endurance and smartness. He is very playful and makes an excellent family dog. The West Highland White Terrier makes a good city dog but does require adequate exercise.
#1 The West Highland White Terrier originally comes from Scotland, where it was bred as a hunting dog, along with the Cairn, Skye, Scotch and Dandie Dinmont terrier breeds.
The Westie's white coat should be brushed daily and trimmed regularly as this breed does not shed naturally. The dead undercoat is plucked out. You can contact a professional groomer for this, or you can take matters into your own hands. Especially in the beginning, it is important that you approach the trimming slowly and carefully. Allow your Westie to slowly get used to the procedure, which should be carried out every 6 to 11 weeks, while still a puppy.
#2 In the 19th century, terriers played a special role in hunting small game such as foxes and badgers.
#3 The passionate hunter Edward Donald Malcolm is considered to be the founder of the West Highland White Terrier breed.
He began by breeding an all-white breed of hunting dog that was easily recognizable when stalking and subsequently became known as the West Highland Terrier or West Highland White Terrier. He used Cairn, Scottish, and Dandie Dinmont Terriers for breeding.