Name : West Highland Terrier Origin : Great Britain Size : 30cm (12in) Weight : 10kg (22lbs) Life Span : 15 years Group : Terrier
- The West Highland Terrier is a small dog that originated in the UK.
- They are popular and lovable dogs who are commonly known as Westies.
- It is usually white in colour with bright, almond shaped eyes and perky ears.
- They are active, friendly, intelligent and lively dogs who loves going on walks.
- They are quite loud and bark often at anything suspicious or new.
- They are also extremely curious and love chasing after smaller animals!
- They have two coats and hence need regular brushing and grooming.
- They adapt well to apartment living as they do not require too much space.
- Being alert, they are good watch dogs but being non-aggressive they aren’t good guards.
- The West Highland Terrier was originally bred to catch rats in farms.
- They are unsuitable for homes with small kids since they don’t like rough handling.
- These dogs are also possessive about their toys and love playing with balls.
- The West Highland Terrier can live for about 12 – 15 years approximately.
- They need repeated and consistent training but are loyal and devoted to their owners
- Average litter size of the West Highland Terrier is between 2 – 5 puppies.
- They are prone to dry skin and hence must not be bathed often.
- They are also prone to some genetic disorders such as hernias and “lion jaws”.