West Highland White Terrier

I myself am the happy owner of this cute little Westie, and though I'm no dog breed specialist, I have fully researched about it.

Westies, as they are usually known, are a breed created in the Scottish highlands during the 19th  century, probably based on other Scottish breeds, such as the Cairn and Scottish terriers, whenever they held white offspring. This breed is so closely related to Cairn terriers that only in 1917 the American Kennel Club decreed that Cairn Terriers with Westies among its ancestors (up to 3 generations) could no longer be registered.[3]

Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm and the 8th Duke of Argyll both share the credit for originating this breed in the early 1800s. Though some sources credit either one or the other, the truth might be that they were collaborators and came up with this breed together. Their main purpose was to distinguish their dogs from the game being hunt as brown dogs were usually shot by hunters when mistaken for foxes, while a white dog could never be mistaken.[1]

I didn't happen to chose a Westie, but rather was given one, so in the beginning I didn't really knew the traits of this breed. They are excellent companions and would walk the world with you. They also love children and old people alike. Mine, for one, cannot see children playing without racing to them in order to play with them. But if you are looking for a dog to spend the whole day in your lap, follow you around the home and ask constantly for affection, that's not a Westie!

Westies are hunt dogs! they are independent. They love playing and running, but they also enjoy playing alone, or just exploring new places. Sometimes you will feel as they just don't care for you, but that's not true: they're hunting for you! If they ever catch a pray or find something interesting (like a lost toy), they will bring it back to you. If they see something moving, small animals, lizards, insects, then you've just lost them. They won't listen to you until they've hunted down their prey, or lost it for good. Mine went up a tree, four meters high (around 12 feet), when chasing a lizard. When she was done, she didn't bother do climb down: she jumped for me to catch her. Yes, they are fearless sometimes!

They are also watch dogs. I once was woken during the night by my dog. Se was barking, not loud, just loud enough so I could wake up. When I was up, she took me to the back of my apartment, trying to show me something. As I couldn't see anything, I just sent her back to sleep and did the same. Next morning the neighbors told me what happened: Some thief had stolen several car stereos in the parking lot behind my place. She saw it and as a good watch dog, warned me of the danger.

The breed standard states their appearance: White (of course), with very dark eyes af an almost black or true black tone, black nails and foot pads, short pointy ears and a strong compact body. Their coat is long and gives them this "lion mane" look when properly cut. They are heavy for they small size, weighting 7 to 10kg (15 to 20 pounds), but as I said, they have a compact body, and they are strong.[2]

Space and exercise are essential for them. Westies like to run, and hunt. If your intent is keeping one in your apartment, make sure to walk with him, or even take him to parks where he can run loose for sometime. They can stand being locked in an apartment for most of the day if they know that, whenever you come back home, you'll take them for a walk. They can stand one or two days without going for a walk, but breaking they're walk routine will make them really miserable, so if you can't walk them, make sure you play a lot with them indoors, catching balls or such. They are small, so even in small places, they will have plenty of room to exercise if you play with them.

An they are smart. Oh yes! Training a Westie is an easy task as long as he trust you. You can try to train it him yourself, or hire some professional to do so. But beware: always use love as a reward, and never use violence. Make sure the professional is not using violent methods, or methods best suited for larger breeds. Though it's hard to hurt them (yes, strong), they will get to fear being trained if violence is used, and they will hardly learn. And in order not to stress him too much, training sessions should be at most every 2 days. Never daily.

All in all, I love those little dogs. They can be friendly while still being independent. They can be obedient, smart and good company. They cherish children, and take care of everyone in the house, while still being friendly to non-aggressive strangers. They are easy going, even with other dog breeds. And brave, very brave.