West Highland White Terriers

West Highland White Terriers, most commonly known as "Westies", are small dogs. As the name suggests, they are white and they are terriers.






Westies are cute and loveable little dogs, but they are terriers. That means, among other things, that they have a higher tendency to be aggressive. There is one Westie in our neighborhood "Billy Barn", that is a very sweet little dog. He is one of the few dogs in the neighborhood that tolerates Spock's puppy exuberance, even wagging his tail when Spock approches.

Westies do not shed, at least not much, which is extremely beneficial for any house pet. The fur on a Westie, and many other terrier breeds as well, keeps growing, and needs to be trimmed periodically. You can either bring the dog to a groomer, or save money by investing in your own clippers.

If your Westie is a show dog, it will need to be "Stripped", meaning that the dead fur must be pulled out by hand. Even on a smaller dog like a Westie, this is time consuming, and for that reason, many groomers refuse to do it, or charge very high prices for it. Show Westie owners usually end up having to strip their dog themselves. Pet Westie owners usually just clip the coat down to make it easier to manage.

A Westie can be a fun little dog, but they can have behavioral problems and they need extra grooming work. Westies are active, and not sweet little lap dogs, but for the right owner, a Westie can be a delightful companion.