West Highland White Terrier
Terrier Group
Height at Shoulders
Females ~10 in, Males ~11 in
Weight
15-20 lbs
Life Expectancy
13-15 yrs
History
The West Highland White Terrier originated in Scotland during the 1700's. The Malcolm Clan bred small white terriers on their estate to exterminate rats. It is believed that the West Highland White Terrier's ancestors were non-white terriers from Argyll, bought by King James VI sometime in the late 1500's or early 1600's. It was Edward Malcolm,16th Laird of Poltalloch, who bred the dogs to be white because of a story he heard about a red-colored terrier being mistaken for a fox and shot while on a hunt.
Breed Characteristics
While not all West Highland White Terriers share the exact same personality and temperament, there are certain generalizations that can be made about the breed. In addition to genetics, a dog’s environment, training, socialization, and many other factors all contribute to their personality and behavior.
Intelligence
Affection Towards Family
Friendliness Towards Strangers
Friendliness Towards Other Dogs
Exercise Needs
★★★★☆
★★★★★
★★★☆☆
★★★★★
★★★☆☆
Energy Level
Sensitivity
Noise Level
Prey Drive
Shedding
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
★★★★☆
★★☆☆☆
Intelligence
★★★★☆
Affection Towards Family
★★★★★
Friendliness Towards Strangers
★★★☆☆
Friendliness Towards Other Dogs
★★★★★
Exercise Needs
★★★☆☆
Energy Level
★★★★☆
Sensitivity
★★★★☆
Noise Level
★★★★☆
Prey Drive
★★★★☆
Shedding
★★☆☆☆
Common Traits
Lively, fun, and happy
Typical terriers that are a bit stubborn and love to dig, chase animals, and bark
Social and love spending time with people
Adaptable and don't mind being home all day as long as they're exercised and have a way to entertain themselves
Very intelligent and respond best to fun (non-repetitive), firm, and consistent training
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