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WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER |
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From the general
rough-coated terrier stock of Scotland, white whelps were selected to
form this breed. Colored pups were culled, just as the whites were given
away or destroyed when creating the purebred Cairn and Scottish Terrier.
Like all the other terriers, the Westie was used for vermin control.
These white dogs
were easy to distinguish from their surroundings and the wildlife. Thus,
white terriers have run the Scottish Highlands for over 300 years. Records
show that King James I, a Stuart who ruled England in the 1620s, requested
some game "little white earth dogges" out of Argyleshire—possibly
Westies.
Colonel Malcolm
of Polltalloch, Argyleshire, Scotland, accidentally shot and killed
his favorite terrier (a dark-colored one) on an 1860 hunting excursion,
and determined to have only white dogs from then on. The Malcolms may
have been the originators of the Highland Terrier—as game white terriers
were kept by this family since the 18th century or before. At that early
time, they were often called Polltalloch Terriers.
Others in
this shire also fostered the breed. The Duke of Argyll's estate at Dumbartonshire
(Scotland) was called Roseneath. In the 19th
century,
Westies became generally known as Roseneath Terriers, indicating the
Duke's patronage and interest. The breed was also known as the White
Scottish Terrier in the first organized dog shows in the late 1800s.
In 1904, they were first classified under the name of West Highland
White Terrier, Westies first charmed Westminster spectators in 1906.
The breed
has survived fads exaggerating certain breed points, such as the straight
short forelegs, and returned to the sensible structure of today. Its
shaggy white coat, small erect ears and black button nose give the
Highland Terrier a cute and cuddly image. But it is all terrier with
too much energy and spirit for much of that "cuddling nonsense"!
The Westie resembles
a Cairn more than the Scottie. Modern show dogs have taken on a clip
that accentuates the head. The hard-textured hair causes mud to just
fall off when dry. They clean up with a few strokes of the brush,
so keeping the coat white is not a major problem.
The breed
is hardy, devoted and happy-go-lucky, exhibiting typical terrier tendencies:
stur-diness, alarm barks, digging, cock-of-the-walk strutting and
one-upmanship with other dogs (especially males). But this dog is
not as volatile as some of the others in his group. In fact, the Westie
standard warns against excessive pugnacity. Inclement weather is no
deterrent to his energetic personality, and he makes a fine family
pet.
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