Unlike other breeds
of dogs, the West Highland Terrier is pretty standard as far as colors and types
are concerned. One can not find several types of Westies because according to
their breed standard at the American Kennel Club, AKC, they have specific height,
weight and other limitations to be considered as part of this breed.
The
West Highland Terrier is only white; it doesn’t come in a multitude of colors.
History has it that originally they were red colored West Highland White Terriers
too, but once an owner shot its West Highland Terrier mistaking it for a fox and
vowed never to breed a red one again.
Breed Standard of the West Highland
Terrier Breeder
The size of West Highland Terrier also does not vary greatly.
Ideally, it should be 11 inches at the withers for males and ten inches for females.
The head should be round and the eyes should be a dark brown color. A type of
West Highland Terrier that has light colored eyes or falls way above or below
the height and weight guidelines will not qualify as being part of the real pure
breed and can not get registered as such.
The ears should be sharp and erect
and the skull should ideally be longer than the muzzle. It should have six incisor
teeth. The size of the neck should not be disproportional to the size of the body.
The tail should be short, shaped like a carrot, as straight as possible and never
curled. The shoulders also should be proportionate and the legs should be short
but muscular. The fore feet should be bigger than the hind feet and should be
thickly padded. The thighs should be muscular and should look parallel.
The
West Highland Terrier must have a double coat. The outer coat should have straight
hard white hair; any silky or fluffy hair would be considered a fault according
to the AKC breeding standard of this type of dog. The walk of the dog should not
be stiff and its temperament should be friendly yet alert.
With so many
specific restrictions and limitations, it is hard to find many types of West Highland
White Terriers. Therefore you do not need to get confused with many different
types of colors, heights, weights or sizes. Even its personality is usually the
same. Therefore, the Westie is not a big surprise, if the dog’s temperament matches
your lifestyle and disposition; then go ahead and plan to bring one home soon.
Chances are you’re going to love every minute of it.
Attention: To discover how
YOU can have the Happiest, Healthiest and Best Behaved West Highland Terrier,
get a copy of this West Highland Terrier Guide
NOW!
