Breed library

West Highland White Terrier

Also known as Poltallock Terrier, Westie.

West Highland White Terrier photograph.
West Highland White Terrier Krakow.jpg - Christopher Walker from Krakow, Poland; crop by Pharaoh Hound. CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:West_Highland_White_Terrier_Krakow.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0. License: CC BY 2.0.

Breed overview

The West Highland White Terrier (commonly shortened to Westie) is a Scottish dog breed with a distinctive white harsh coat and somewhat soft white undercoat. It is a medium-sized terrier but has longer legs than other Scottish terriers. It has a white double coat of fur which fills out its face, giving it a rounded appearance. The Westie is intelligent and quick to learn. Having been bred to hunt small rodents on farms, it is an energetic and boisterous breed with a high prey drive and thus needs regular exercise of around one hour per day. The modern breed is descended from a number of pre-20th century breeding programmes of white terriers in Scotland. Edward Donald Malcolm, 16th Laird of Poltalloch, is credited with the creation of the modern breed from his Poltalloch Terrier, but did not want to be known as such.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: ScotlandBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • Scottish white terriers were recorded as early as during the reign of James VI of Scotland, who reigned between 1567 and 1625.
  • Sandy- and brindle-coloured dogs were seen as hardier than those of other colours, and white dogs were seen as being weak.
  • At various times during the breed's existence, it has been considered a white offshoot of both the Scottish Terrier and the Cairn Terrier breeds.
  • Reports of a ship from the Spanish Armada being wrecked on the island of Skye in 1588 indicated the ship carried white Spanish dogs, whose descendants were kept distinct from other breeds by Clan Donald, including the families of the Chiefs.
  • George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll, chief of Clan Campbell, bred a breed of white Scottish terriers known as the "Roseneath Terrier".

Size and appearance

Westies commonly have bright, deep-set, almond-shaped eyes that are dark in colour. Their ears are pointed and erect. Westies typically weigh between 15 and 20 lb with an average height between 10 - 11 in at the withers. The body should be shorter than the height of the dog at the shoulder. Their paws are slightly turned out to give them better grip than flat-footed breeds when they climb on rocky surfaces. Young puppies have pink markings on the nose and footpads that slowly turn black as they age. Westies also have short and sturdy tails.

  • Body mass reference: 6.8 - 9.1 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 6.8 - 9.1 kg. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: 25 - 28 cmAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 25 - 28 cm. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: 28 cmBreed reference height.
  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat length: long
  • Height category: short
  • Weight category: small

Personality and behavior

The temperament of Westies can vary greatly, with some being friendly towards children and others preferring solitude. They will not typically tolerate rough handling, such as a child pulling on their ears or fur, and can frequently be both food- and toy-possessive. This makes regular training from a young age particularly important. Westies can make good watchdogs and are normally independent, self-assured, and confident. They are loyal and bond with their owner but are often on the move, requiring a minimum of one hour of daily exercise. Westies are highly social and are the most friendly of all the Scottish terriers. A hardy breed, Westies can be stubborn and cause issues with training, potentially requiring their training to be refreshed on occasion during their lifetime. Having a typical terrier prey drive, they tend to be highly interested in toys, especially chasing balls. They retain the instincts of an "earthdog" such as being inquisitive and investigative, as well as natural instincts to bark and dig holes.

  • Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 2.10 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 2.58 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 1.04 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.83 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Energy (C-BARQ mean): 2.04 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 2.29 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.73 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.91 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.27 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.71 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.69 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.53 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 1.03 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.
  • Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.35 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population West Highland White Terrier.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat layers: double
  • Coat length: long

Health and lifespan

A 2015 French study found a life expectancy of 12.93 years, while a 2024 British study found a life expectancy of 13.4 years (averaging 12.7 years for purebreeds and 12 years for crossbreeds).

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

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Breed history

Scottish white terriers were recorded as early as during the reign of James VI of Scotland, who reigned between 1567 and 1625. The king ordered that a dozen of these white terriers be procured from Argyll to be presented to the Kingdom of France as a gift. Sandy- and brindle-coloured dogs were seen as hardier than those of other colours, and white dogs were seen as being weak. At various times during the breed's existence, it has been considered a white offshoot of both the Scottish Terrier and the Cairn Terrier breeds. Reports of a ship from the Spanish Armada being wrecked on the island of Skye in 1588 indicated the ship carried white Spanish dogs, whose descendants were kept distinct from other breeds by Clan Donald, including the families of the Chiefs. Other families on Skye preserved both white and sandy-coloured dogs.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. West Highland White Terrier - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, West Highland White Terrier, revision 1368893358. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=West_Highland_White_Terrier&action=history
  2. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  3. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  4. File:West Highland White Terrier Krakow.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 2.0. West Highland White Terrier Krakow.jpg - Christopher Walker from Krakow, Poland; crop by Pharaoh Hound. CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:West_Highland_White_Terrier_Krakow.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.