Description
Commonly called the Westie, the West Highland White Terrier is a small, sturdy breed with an enthusiastic and entertaining personality. They are famously white dogs with a double coat that has a straight, harder outer coat and a soft, dense undercoat. Westie puppies are smart, confident, and always willing to play. These qualities have helped the Westie charm its way into the most popular terrier breed for the last three hundred years. Beneath the plush-toy exterior, is a true working terrier of courage. Bred to hunt rats and other underground creatures, Westies are undeniably strong and tough. With their keen intelligence and alertness, these dogs are unafraid and independent. This self reliance makes for strong minded dog that may pose a challenge in training, but, thanks to their faithfulness and intelligence, Westies will train nicely with time and patience. Adding West Highland White Terrier puppies to your family means gaining a lively, entertaining friend for life. Discover more about our West Highland White Terrier puppies for sale below!
Disposition
West Highland White Terrier puppies are so confident they almost seem like they know they are the best thing around. These dogs are full of joy and a desire to play, which makes for a very entertaining pet. They are known to take well to guests and be great with kids. This makes West Highland White Terrier puppies wonderful additions to a family. They are also adaptable as well as incredibly affectionate. These dogs will show their love for you. Engage with your Westie and he will surely cock his head to the side and look at you quizzically. This expressive dog has a strong personality, and to say it is a “big dog in a little dog’s body” doesn’t even do it justice. However, they are not pushy or temperamental. They are simply interested in what is in it for them. Show your Westie what you want is in their best interest, and you will have a loyal companion eager to follow your plan.
The West Highland White Terrier is very trainable, friendly toward strangers, and gets along with kids. It is lively and confident toward other dogs as well as being robust, friendly, and spirited. West Highland White Terriers like to dig and bark as a result of their hunting instincts. They are game terriers, with keen alertness, a strong will, and independence.
Training
The West Highland White Terrier was originally bred to work alone. While this independence makes for a dog that is not sensitive, it will require patience and firm training to properly train. These no-nonsense dogs need very little pampering, just rules to follow. A Westie will respond best to consistent lessons that are kept upbeat and interesting. Be sure to socialize your Westie at an early age to teach them how to behave with other pets and people. Reward them when they are quiet to keep them from excessive barking. These friendly dogs will be eager to please you as well as the crowd. West Highland Terrier puppies love to play and romp around. They love to go for walks and explore and need routine exercise. Their prey drive means they will love to have the freedom to run around and explore (in a fenced in area) and will do best when they have plenty of opportunities to test their agility. Westie’s excel in a variety of canine sports and activities, including obedience, rally, and agility.
Grooming
To keep West Highland White Terrier puppies looking their best, regular grooming is a must. They are moderate shedders and will need to visit a groomer routinely to keep a clean look. Most Westie owners have their puppy groomed every 4-6 weeks. If you are interested in showing your West Highland Terrier, stripping (or plucking) the old, dead hair is the traditional way of taking care of the terrier coat. Daily brushing and combing are important. Because the Westie has a hard coat, bathing too often can do more harm than good so only bathe them when they are dirty.
The Westie coat is about two inches long, white in color, hard, with a robust, soft undercoat. They should be neatly presented, the longer coat on the back and sides, trimmed and blended into the shorter neck and shoulder coat. Considerable hair is left around the head to act as a frame for the adorable Westie expression.
Clubs, Registries & Associations
(Based on breed recognition. See store for details on a particular puppy.)
- American Canine Association Inc.
- The American Canine Registry
- American Kennel Club
- American Pet Registry, Inc.
- Continental Kennel Club
- Dog Registry of America, Inc.
- North American Purebred Registry, Inc.
- National Kennel Club
- United Kennel Club
Additional Information
Group: Terrier
Average Weight: 13-22 lbs.
Personality Traits: Friendly, lively, robust
Country of Origin: Scotland
Coat: Short
Check out the West Highland White Terrier puppies for sale we currently have in our stores. If there are none here, please contact us and we’ll be in touch with you shortly. Our staff is extremely knowledgeable and can answer any questions you might have about our puppies.
