How to Identify a West Highland White Terrier

The West Highland White Terrier is an alert and self-reliant breed that is very friendly. It is a hardy dog that is easy to train. It makes a great family companion, as it is good with children. West Highland Whites need an owner with strong leadership qualities, as this self-assured breed will attempt to take over the family. It also makes a good watchdog. Here;s what you should watch out for when identifying one.

Instructions

1. Look at the general appearance of the dog. The West Highland White Terrier is a rather small dog: Males are 11 inches and females are 10 inches when measured at the withers. Though this is a small and compact dog, it has a decent amount of substance, but should not be coarse. It is a boxy-looking breed--the body as measured from the shoulders to the root of the tail is a bit shorter than the height of the animal.

2. Make sure the head has a round appearance when viewed from the front, and is in proportion to the rest of the body. The West Highland White Terrier has a piercing, inquisitive expression. The dark brown eyes sit rather wide apart, and are medium-sized and almond-shaped. The eyes have an intelligent look to them, and are set under heavy eyebrows. The small ears sit wide apart on the skull and are carried straight up. Skin pigmentation should be black. The blunt muzzle is a bit shorter than the skull. The black nose is fully pigmented.

3. Check that the neck and body are proportionate. The muscular neck should blend in to the well-angulated shoulders. The neck length is proportionate to the dog, and should not be too long or short. The compact body has good substance, and should not be coarse or overly fine. The deep chest extends to the elbows. It is wide, but not wide enough to give it a poofed-out appearance like some of the terrier breeds. The muscular front legs are well-boned and covered with short, hard hair. The front feet are bigger than the rear feet; they are catlike and protected by strong, thick pads. The rear is also well-angulated, with muscular thighs and legs. The rear feet, smaller than the front feet, are round and protected by thick pads. The short tail is carried up, but not over the back. It should not be docked.

4. Pet the hard coat. It is a double coat, and the outer coat has straight hair that is about 2 inches long. It is shorter on the neck and shoulders. The coat color is white. It may have wheat-colored highlights, but, as its name indicates, should not have a lot of wheaten.

Tips & Warnings

• The West Highland White Terrier is also called a "Westie."