West Highland White Terrier

The Westie is the most recent Scottish Terrier, although dogs of the same type were documented as early as the 17th century under the name white doggies. Its two ancestors are, certainly, the Cairn Terrier, and more hypothetically the Maltese Bichon, a survivor of the wreck of the Spanish Armada in the 16th century on the Isle of Skye. It is a dramatic story that led to the creation of the Westie. One day, in the 19th century, in Argyll, Colonel Malcolm of Poltalloch went hunting with his Cairns and accidentally shot his best dog of russet color, which he had mistaken for a fox. Deeply affected by this tragedy, he decided from that day forward to breed only white Cairns so that no such confusion would occur again. With patient selective work on his fawn Cairns, he obtained dogs of very light sand color, which were the first Westies. The color was perfected later. The Westie was officially recognized in 1906 by the English Kennel Club. With the recognition of the Cairn Terrier in 1912, the two breeds, which were at the time only two varieties, could be crossed. These crossings were prohibited in 1924 and the Westie, which was then only a "white Cairn," acquired its own characteristics to move toward a more sophisticated model, while the Cairn remained in the original type. Now with more than 2,500 annual births, the Westie is the most popular Scottish Terrier in France, notably thanks to the advertisements of the César dog pâté brand, of which the Westie is the mascot.

This breed belongs to the Terrier family. The Westie has not denied its hunting origins, hence its curiosity. A ruthless hunter, it is a great athlete and an ideal companion for joggers. It adapts equally well to a house or an apartment. Long outings in nature, or sports such as agility, do it the most good. At home, it is a very affectionate dog, playful and very cunning. It has a great need for companionship. It is very close to its master. It is not at all a guard dog but still wants to do its job by barking when a strange noise occurs. It is fundamentally sociable and friendly to all humans, including strangers. It can be very calm when its master asks and very active. It is very affectionate and loves children; it is always ready for a walk and to play. The Westie can surprise with how quickly it understands commands.

It is recommended to strip the Westie, but grooming professionals each have a different opinion. Stripping is painless as it consists of removing dead hair. It is recommended for show dogs. The Westie cannot be clipped. Clipping would result in soft and difficult-to-manage hair with daily brushing, and the coat would be full of frizz; detangling is easier and also removes dead hair. Daily: thoroughly detangle the hair under the belly, on the back, on the paws and between the hind paws, in the opposite direction of growth. Do not wash it too often (depending on its activity), and use appropriate shampoo for your Westie. To keep it white, you can give it a sort of dry shampoo with calcium carbonate: sprinkle, work in, and brush the hair or use talc (which will protect it from skin infections).