West Highland White Terrier Puppies – Profile | Care

west highland white terrier puppies

West highland white terrier puppies or, “Westie” is among the short-legged terriers, operating 10 or 11 inches tall and 14 to 20 kilos in weight.

West highland white terrier puppies at a glance

Size:

Weight Range:
Male: 15-21 lbs.
Female: 15-21 lbs.

Height at Withers:
Male: 11 in.
Female: 10 in.

Features:
Upright ears (naturally)

Expectations:
Exercise Requirements: 20-40 minutes/day
Energy Level: Very energetic
Longevity Range: 12 -14
The tendency to Drool: Low Tendency to Snore: Low
The tendency to Bark: High
The tendency to Dig: High Social/Attention Needs: High

Bred For:
Fox, badger, vermin hunting

Coat:
Length: Short
Characteristics: Double coat, hard coat, straight
Colors: White
Overall Grooming Needs: High

Club Recognition:
AKC Classification: Terrier
UKC Classification: Terrier
Prevalence: Common

It’s possible you’ll acknowledge the West highland white terrier puppies, Westie from his long-running stint because the mascot for Cesar’s pet meals, however, he’s greater than only a cute face.

A real terrier, he’s a quick and intelligent hunter, plus his lighthearted nature makes for a pet who’s at all times sport for some enjoyable.

West highland white terrier puppies Overview

Few breeds “clear up” as stylishly because of the West Highland White Terrier, evidenced by the long-lasting picture of a well-coifed Westie sporting a wise, tartan-patterned rain slicker. He’s comfy within the metropolis, the suburbs, and the nation.

At their finest, Westies are energetic, people-oriented canine, beloved, and admired for his or her shiny white coats and glossy, shoe-button eyes.

Though the Westie could look cuddly, he’s too busy to hang around in your lap for very lengthy. Due to his excessive vitality ranges, he lives to dig, run, and pounce on small, furry creatures.

Some carnage is inevitable when dwelling with these terriers — searching is tough-wired in West highland white terrier puppies, Westie, and coaching can’t reverse the intuition.

Followers say that Westies are impartial dogs with numerous vitality; detractors could use phrases like “noisy” and “harmful.”

Both will be true, so it’s important to discover a breeder who strives to supply dogs with secure, glad temperaments.

These dogs want loads of train and playtime, in addition to correct coaching to eradicate nuisance barking and digging.

West highland white terrier puppies or Westies are properly suited to competing in American Kennel Club earth dog trials; in addition, they excel at agility, obedience, flyball, and different canine sports activities.

These actions stimulate his shiny thoughts and channel his boundless vitality, protecting him from excavating your backyard or driving neighbors loopy with incessant barking.

The West Highland White Terrier’s rough coat sheds, however, may be minimized with weekly brushing or combing and occasional journeys to the knowledgeable groomer.

Most pet Westies are saved clipped, however, the correct breed look requires hand-stripping, a tedious job that includes eradicating all the useless coats in small quantities with a particular device.

Westies like to be around folks, so they should dwell indoors, as family members — in any other case they’re more likely to flip into a noisy, harmful, and really sad canine.

They’re stocky little canine however fairly quick and agile.

West Highland white terriers are instantly identifiable by their dense, harsh white coats. These are pretty quick coats however powerful sufficient to push by way of brambles and harsh sufficient to shed grime simply. The coat must be clipped or hand stripped to work out the useless undercoat.

The white coloration helped their guardians to see them within the fields and distinguish them from the prey they had been searching for.

Regardless of the white coat coloration, this canine should not albinos. They need to have darkish pigment across the eyes, mouth, and nostrils.

The ears are prick and the tail reasonable in size and durable. The sturdy tail is used to haul the canine again out of underground burrows after they pursue their prey.

West highland white terrier puppies Historical past

The West Highland white terrier has quite a lot of names from its locations of origin within the British Isles.

Again so far as King James I within the early 1600s, the powerful little white canine had been identified and admired because of the canine of Argyleshire.

The breed had its sort established by Colonel Malcolm of Poltalloch within the 1800s and, in actual fact, the West Highland white terrier was referred to as the Poltalloch for some time after which the Roseneath terrier after Colonel Pollatoch’s farm.

It seems that the Scottish terrier, cairn terrier, and West Highland white terrier all got here from widespread inventory with totally different fanciers culling in totally different colors.

The white canine had been simpler to identify within the fields, and this was their huge benefit.

As with all of the terrier breeds, the West Highland was bred as a vermin hunter. Everything from rats to foxes was a truthful sport and that’s nonetheless true at this time.

Whereas most Westies get pleasure from favored standing as household pets, they nonetheless compete in earth canine trials and lots of nonetheless filter moles or mice of their backyards.

West highland white terrier puppies Persona

West highland white terrier puppies, or Westies are typical terriers. They’re sensible, impartial, and a bit cussed. Clearly they’re powerful, decided little canine to be prepared to go underground after a fox or badger.

This will make them of a handful to coach, and far persistence and firmness are so as. They’re vigorous and enjoyable canine, however, don’t at all times really feel the necessity for the human course.

The West Highland white terrier puppies, Westie are stuffed with life, spunk, and devotion. He additionally possesses a cussed streak — though he doesn’t usually search for a battle, he wouldn’t be caught useless strolling away from one, both. Westies are usually simple to coach, however solely after they really feel prefer it.

With correct, constant steerage, it’s attainable to show the Westie to not bark or dig excessively, which the breed is vulnerable to do when bored.

This cocky man loves folks, however, he’s not a lap canine. He’s a bit stressed and likes to be on the transfer, so be ready to dwell with an impartial thinker who will be noisy and harmful if his pure terrier instincts aren’t channeled successfully by way of coaching and train.

General health allowing, hold him busy with canine sports activities — agility, flyball, obedience, and rally — and test his pure terrier potential in earth dog trials.

Westies are too quick to climb onto kitchen counters, however, they are not above leaping onto chairs to achieve a desk laden with meals.

Westies are sexually mature at six to 12 months, so begin coaching your pet early. Even at eight weeks outdated, a Westie is able to absorb all the things you train him.

If attainable, get him into pet kindergarten class by the point he’s 12 weeks outdated, and socialize, socialize, socialize.

Nevertheless, bear in mind that many pet coaching courses require sure vaccines (like kennel cough) to be updated, and lots of veterinarians advocate restricted publicity to different canine and public locations till pet vaccines (together with rabies, distemper, and parvovirus) have been accomplished.

In lieu of formal coaching, you may start coaching your pet at the house and socializing him amongst family and buddies till pet vaccines are accomplished.

The right Westie doesn’t spring totally fashioned from the whelping field — he’s a product of his background and breeding.

So search for a pet whose dad and mom have good personalities, and who has been properly socialized from early puppyhood.

Once more, displaying the terrier temperament, Westies should not at all times good with different dogs that they haven’t been raised with and will be harmful to different small home pets similar to bunnies. As befits their heritage, they tend to be nuisance barkers and critical diggers.

Residing With

Terriers basically are simple dogs to maintain, bred to exist on scraps and their very own searching abilities.

An excessive amount of indulging in wealthy treats can result in a really heavy canine. These are hardy little dog, typically dwelling properly into their teen years.

All Westies must be socialized early and constantly, particularly to different dogs and to different pets. These are canine nonetheless near their roots of searching and do finest with loads of train.

Left to their very own gadgets, they’ll excavate your yard and bark whereas doing so. Westies are alert and can alarm bark to defend their houses and households.

Terriers basically ought to begin coaching as quickly as attainable and with artistic and constructive strategies, backed up by an agency hand.

West highland white terrier puppies do properly at many canine sports activities together with obedience, agility, and earth canine trials.

They get pleasure from the human firms, however, you should socialize them to kids and demand they settle for dealing with and grooming.

Grooming will be so simple as having the canine clipped a few occasions a year or as time-consuming as hand stripping a present canine’s coat.

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West highland white terrier puppies Health

Westies are vulnerable to a number of health issues. A number of shall be mentioned right here.

Based on a 2007 survey carried out by the West Highland White Terrier Membership of America (WHWTCA), the next situations generally have an effect on Westies:

atopic dermatitis (inhalant allergic reactions affecting the pores and skin), luxating patellae (knee caps that come out of regular place), aggression, Legg-Calvé-Perthes illness (an illness involving the hip joint), dry eye, Addison’s illness, white shaker canine syndrome, pulmonary fibrosis, juvenile cataracts, and craniomandibular osteopathy (an illness that causes bony deformity of the jaw in puppies.

There are presently no screening exams for a few of these situations, together with craniomandibular osteopathy; allergic reactions, and different critical pores and skin situations.

Legg-Calve-Perthes illness; and copper hepatopathy, a defect of the liver that enables elevated ranges of copper to construct up within the system.

Westies may develop idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or Westie lung illness. This situation is believed to be genetic, however, its true trigger is unknown.

In affected canine, the air sacs and connective tissues of the lungs change into infected and scarred, which causes critical, progressive respiration issues.

Westies with white shaker canine syndrome are inclined to develop indicators between six months and three years of age.

Canines with this situation can start trembling uncontrollably, particularly after they attempt to transfer or rise up. In some circumstances, long-run treatment is required.

Westies are additionally at elevated threat of growing transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder.

Not all of those situations are detectable in a rising pet, and it may be onerous to foretell whether or not an animal shall be free of those maladies, which is why you should discover a respected breeder who’s dedicated to breeding the healthiest animals attainable.

They need to have the ability to produce impartial certification that the dad and mom of the canine (and grandparents, and so forth.) have been screened for genetic defects and deemed wholesome for breeding. That’s the place health registries are available.

Grooming

West highland white terrier puppies, Westie has a double coat with a tender, furry undercoat and a stiffer outer coat.

The powerful texture of the outer coat doesn’t retain grime, protecting the canine clear and defending the undercoat. It’s essential to comb or brush all through to the undercoat to stop mats.

Normally, the undercoat doesn’t develop in till the Westie is a minimum of a year outdated; in some circumstances, it will probably even take as much as 5 years.

It’s simple to maintain the Westie white: When he’s a pet, brush his coat as soon as every week, utilizing a pin brush or comb. Adults require every day brushing.

The Westie solely sheds a tiny bit, however, his coat should be reduced. Some folks select to make use of electrical clippers themselves to economize and additional bond with their Westie, whereas others want the providers of the knowledgeable groomers. If the value is a priority, grooming tools will be bought for the price of a number of skilled visits.

Relying on the Westie, a clipper can both make the coat softer or wavy; a hand-stripped Westie has a wirier coat.

Stripping is a time-consuming course wherein useless hairs are plucked by hand, away sometimes solely accomplished by homeowners of present canine.

{Most professional} groomers aren’t prepared to spend a lot of time doing it. Should you’d wish to learn to strip a Westie’s coat, ask your breeder.

The remaining is fundamental care: Trim his nails as wanted, often each week or two. And brush his tooth every day with a vet-approved pet toothpaste for total health and recent breath.

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