West Highland White Terrier

West Highland White Terrier
Other names	Poltalloch Terrier Roseneath Terrier White Roseneath Terrier
Common nicknames	Westie Westy
Origin	Scotland
Traits Height 25–28 cm (9.8–11.0 in) Weight 6.8–9.1 kg (15–20 lb) Coat Double Colour White Litter size 3 to 5
Kennel club standards The Kennel Club standard Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The West Highland White Terrier (commonly shortened to Westie) is a breed of dog from Scotland with a distinctive white harsh coat and somewhat soft white undercoat. It is a medium-sized terrier, though with longer legs than other Scottish terriers. It has a white double coat of fur which fills out the dog's face, giving it a rounded appearance.

The Westie is intelligent, quick to learn, and can be good with children, but does not always tolerate rough handling. It is an energetic, boisterous, and social breed with a high prey drive, having been bred to hunt small rodents at places such as farms, and needs regular exercise of around one hour per day.^[1] The modern breed is descended from a number of pre-20th century breeding programmes of white terriers in Scotland. Edward Donald Malcolm, 16th Laird of Poltalloch, is credited with the creation of the modern breed from his Poltalloch Terrier but did not want to be known as such.

A cousin of the Cairn Terrier, other related breeds included the Roseneath Terrier (bred by George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll) and Pittenweem Terriers (bred by Dr Americ Edwin Flaxman). The Westie was given its modern name for the first time in 1908, with recognition by major kennel clubs occurring around the same time. The breed remains very popular in the United Kingdom, with multiple wins at Cruft's, and has been in the top third of all breeds in the United States since the 1960s. Several breed-specific and non-specific health problems appear in the breed, including a condition in young dogs nicknamed "Westie jaw", which causes an overgrowth of bone in the jaw of the dog. It can also be prone to skin disorders, with a breed-specific condition called hyperplastic dermatosis occurring.