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West Highland White Terrier

 
West Highland White Terrier

 
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West Highland White Terrier
 
 
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West Highland White Terriers, commonly known as Westies, are a breed
Dog breed

Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
 of dog
Dog

The dog is a domesticated subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties....
 known for their distinctive white coat. This breed is commonly recognised through its use as a mascot
Mascot

The term mascot ? defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck ? colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or Brand....
 for Black & White
Black & White (whisky)

Black & White is a blended whisky Scotch whisky whisky. It was first produced by the London-based whisky blender founded by James Buchanan . Originally known as House of Commons , its nickname- referring to the black and white labelling- was eventually adopted as the official brand instead....
 (a brand of Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky

Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland. In Britain, the term whisky is usually taken to mean Scotch unless otherwise specified. In List of countries where English is an official language, it is often referred to as "Scotch"....
), and on the packaging of Cesar brand dog food.

ie Terriers have bright, deep-set eyes which tend to be dark, with a "piercing" look. Their ears are generally small, pointed, and erect.

They typically weigh from 15 to 20 lbs for male dogs and 13 to 16 lbs for female dogs and their average height is 9 to 11 inches (28 cm) at the withers
Withers

The withers is the highest point on the back of a non-upright animal, on the ridge between its shoulder blades....
.






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Encyclopedia


West Highland White Terriers, commonly known as Westies, are a breed
Dog breed

Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
 of dog
Dog

The dog is a domesticated subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties....
 known for their distinctive white coat. This breed is commonly recognised through its use as a mascot
Mascot

The term mascot ? defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck ? colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or Brand....
 for Black & White
Black & White (whisky)

Black & White is a blended whisky Scotch whisky whisky. It was first produced by the London-based whisky blender founded by James Buchanan . Originally known as House of Commons , its nickname- referring to the black and white labelling- was eventually adopted as the official brand instead....
 (a brand of Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky

Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland. In Britain, the term whisky is usually taken to mean Scotch unless otherwise specified. In List of countries where English is an official language, it is often referred to as "Scotch"....
), and on the packaging of Cesar brand dog food.

Appearance

Westie Terriers have bright, deep-set eyes which tend to be dark, with a "piercing" look. Their ears are generally small, pointed, and erect.

They typically weigh from 15 to 20 lbs for male dogs and 13 to 16 lbs for female dogs and their average height is 9 to 11 inches (28 cm) at the withers
Withers

The withers is the highest point on the back of a non-upright animal, on the ridge between its shoulder blades....
. The Kennel Club has recommended that their tails, typically "carrot-shaped", should never be docked
Docking (animals)

Docking is the amputation of portions of an animal's tail or ears. While docking and bobbing are more commonly used to refer to removal of the tail, the term cropping is used in reference to the ears....
. The tail should be between 5-6 inches.

They also have deep chests, muscular limbs, a huge skull, a short and a closely fitted jaw with "scissors" bite (lower canines locked in front of upper canines, upper incisors locked over lower incisors). Their teeth generally appear quite large for the size of the dog. Westies have a very strong bone structure for their size.

They have a soft, dense undercoat
Down hair

Down hairs, also called the ground hairs, are the very fine, fluffy hairs closest to the skin on some mammals. The hairs are short and crimped, which makes them highly efficient for trapping air and insulating the animal....
 and a rough outer coat
Guard hair

Guard hairs are the longest, most coarse hairs in a mammal's coat, forming the topcoat . They taper to a point and protect the undercoat from the elements....
, about 2 inches long, that requires regular grooming. Some Westies have "wheaten tippings" on their backs, though for individuals put forward for conformation show
Conformation show

Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a Dog-show judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual Purebred for how well the dogs conform to the established Breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual Breed standard ....
ing this can be regarded as undesirable.

This breed is a non-shedding dog.

Their paws are slightly webbed and thickly padded.

Care

Westies are prone to allergies and dry skin issues, and bathing too frequently may aggravate these problems. Washing once a month or on a longer interval will generally not cause issues. However, frequent brushings are needed to keep the coat clean and oils evenly distributed throughout the coat. Washing with a detergent-free, baby-oriented, or another soft skin shampoo will help keep a Westie's skin hydrated. Weekly washing of the inside of the ears with cotton balls will prevent oil and wax build-up and ear infections.If water gets inside its ears you must extract it before infection. Groom at least every two months. Between grooming appointments, bathe and brush as needed.

Health

Like most other dogs, these terriers generally require 13 hours of sleep out of every 24. Westies will usually conform to the sleep patterns of their human companions, and take several naps during the day as well, to accrue their needed sleep.

West Highland White Terrier puppies may be affected by a disease known as craniomandibular osteopathy
Craniomandibular osteopathy

Craniomandibular osteopathy, also known as lion's jaw, is a developmental disease in dogs causing extensive bony changes in the mandible and skull....
, known colloquially as "Lion Jaw". The disease is an autosomal recessive condition such that for a puppy to be affected by the disease, both the parents must be carriers of the faulty gene
Gene

A gene is the basic unit of heredity in a living organism. All living things depend on genes. Genes hold the information to build and maintain their cell and pass genetic trait to offspring....
. With this disease, the only current way to identify carrier breeding stock is if an affected puppy is produced. Therefore, breeders may be unaware that breeding stock are carriers until an affected puppy is born.

Craniomandibular osteopathy is a non-neoplastic proliferative disease of the ventral mandibular ramus, occipital base of the skull and tympanic bullae, characterised by excessive bone deposition in these areas. In most incidences, the defect is bilateral, although this is not always the case. The disease varies in severity, the region(s) affected and the individual pain threshold of the affected puppy. Definitive diagnosis is achieved by radiographic examination.

Craniomandibular osteopathy is extremely painful to the puppy. Affected puppies will most likely display signs of pain or discomfort, such as yelping, when their head is touched and when chewing or eating. The puppy may be lethargic and be reluctant to eat as a result.

The condition usually manifests when the puppy is around 3-6 months of age, and regresses spontaneously around 12 months of age. Treatment of the disease is concerned with managing the symptoms and providing appropriate analgesia to improve quality of life and enable the puppy to eat until the disease resolves spontaneously. Corticosteroids are the usual therapeutic agents used to manage the disease. The exact treatment protocol depends on the severity, localisation and pain sensitivity of the affected puppy. In extreme cases, euthanasia
Euthanasia

Euthanasia refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many different forms of euthanasia can be distinguished, including euthanasia and human euthanasia, and within the latter, voluntary and involuntary euthanasia....
 may be required.

History


They are known to be bred in Scotland
Westhighlandwhiteterrier
Westies are descended from Cairn Terrier
Cairn Terrier

The Cairn Terrier is one of the oldest terrier List of dog breeds, originating in the Scotland Scottish Highlands and recognized as one of Scotland's earliest working dogs, used for hunting burrowing prey among the cairns....
s, who occasionally whelped white puppies naturally, and Scottish Terrier
Scottish Terrier

The Scottish Terrier , popularly called the Scottie, is a dog breed of dog best known for its distinctive profile and typical terrier personality....
s, who also occasionally produced white offspring. White offspring from other terriers such as the Bedlington Terrier
Bedlington Terrier

The Bedlington Terrier is a breed of terrier named after the mining town of Bedlington, Northumberland in North East England....
 and Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Dandie Dinmont Terrier

Disambiguation: "Dandie Dinmont" is also a character in Guy Mannering, a novel by Walter Scott A Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a small dog breed of dog in the terrier family....
 were occasionally introduced to the bloodline for desired characteristics, but this practice generally stopped in the 1850s.

Some sources also credit Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm and his kin of Poltalloch in the Argyll
Argyll

Argyll, archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient D?l Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western seaboard between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath....
 region of western Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 as an originator of this breed in the 1800s. Other sources credit the 8th Duke of Argyll (Chieftain of Clan Campbell
Clan Campbell

Clan Campbell is historically one of the largest, most powerful and most successful of the Scottish Highlands Scottish clans....
) as an originator of the breed. However, there may have been some cooperation between the two gentlemen. It may have taken as long as a hundred years of selective breeding to produce all the desired qualities. Their white coat made them highly visible when hunting on the Scottish moor
Moorland

File:Pennine scenery.jpgMoorland or moor is a type of Habitat found in upland areas, characterised by low growing vegetation on acidic soils....
s and easily distinguished them from their game. This was an extremely important factor because hunters sometimes mistook brown dogs for foxes and shot them. They also possess a sturdy frame.

Originally the breed was known as the Poltalloch Terrier (after the name of Malcolm's home). They were also known as the Roseneath Terrier (after the name of Argyll's home; see Rosneath
Rosneath

Rosneath is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It sits on the western shore of the Gare Loch near to the tip of the Rosneath peninsula which projects south to the Firth of Clyde between the Gare Loch and Loch Long to the west, and about 2 miles from the village of Kilcreggan which is sited on the southern end of the peninsula, on the s...
), White Roseneath Terrier, and at the end of the 19th century, briefly as a white variety of the Scottish Terrier.

Westies are bred for hunting. Their prey is usually small animals such as rabbits, squirrels and mice, but they were also used to hunt foxes and badgers. Young females are known as the keenest hunters. Ideally, a prospective owner should buy two males for company, as males often get lonely.

Print
  • Pet Owner's Guide to the West Highland White Terrier, Sheila Cleland (Ringpress Books Ltd 1995), ISBN 1860540155.
  • A New Owner's Guide to West Highland White Terriers, Dawn Martin (TFH Publications 1996), ISBN 0793827655.
  • Guide to Owning a West Highland White Terrier, Martin Wallace (TFH Publications 1996), ISBN 0793818656.
  • The West Highland White Terrier: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet, Seymour N. Weiss (Howell Book House Inc 1996), ISBN 0876054947.
  • West Highland White Terrier, Penelope Ruggles-Smythe (Interpret Publishing 1999), ISBN 1902389123.
  • West Highland White Terrier: An Owner's Guide, Robert Killick (Collins
    William Collins (publisher)

    William Collins was a Scotland schoolmaster and publisher.Collins was born near Glasgow in 1789. In 1819 he set up a publishing business, initially selling Religion books....
     2003), ISBN 000717831X.


Internet


External links