Post by charmingnancy on Feb 9, 2009 18:52:49 GMT -5
West Highland White Terrier
Group: 4 - Terriers
Origin: Scotland
Purpose: Hunting small animals
Description:
The hardy West Highland White Terrier, more commonly known as the "Westie," is known for its friendly, strong-willed personality and a remarkably bright white coat. Said to be "all terrier," this breed possesses a large amount of spunk, determination and devotion stuffed into a compact little body.
Westies are bred for hunting. Their prey is usually small animals such as rabbits, squirrels and mice, but they were also used to hunt foxes and badgers.
Appearance- Breed Standards:
Coat and Colour:
Coat, very important, and seldom seen to perfection, must be doublecoated. The outer coat consists of straight, hard hair, at least 2 inches (5 cm) long on the body of mature dogs, with proper blending of the shorter coat on neck and shoulders.
Colour and Pigmentation: Coat must be white, as defined by the breed’s name. Nose must be black. Black pigmentation is most desirable on lips, eye rims, pads of feet, nails and skin.
Head: Skull should be fairly broad, being in proportion to the powerful jaw, not too long, slightly domed, and gradually tapering to the eyes. There should be a defined stop, eyebrows heavy. Muzzle should be slightly shorter than the skull, powerful, and gradually tapering to the nose, which should be large. The jaws should be level and powerful, the teeth well set and large for the size of the dog. There shall be six incisor teeth between the canines of both lower and upper jaws. A tight scissors bite with upper incisors slightly overlapping the lower incisors or level mouth are equally acceptable. Eyes widely set apart, medium in size, dark in colour, slightly sunk in the head, sharp and intelligent. Looking from under heavy eyebrows, they give a piercing look. Ears small, carried tightly erect, set wide apart and terminating in a sharp point. They must never be cropped. The hair on the ears should be short, smooth and velvety. Ears should be free of fringe at the tips.
Neck: Should be sufficiently long to allow the proper set-on of head required, muscular and gradually thickening towards the base, allowing the neck to merge into nicely sloping shoulders.
Forequarters: Forelegs should be muscular and relatively short, but with sufficient length to set the dog up so as not to be too close to the ground. Height from the highest point of the withers to the ground should be approximately equal to the length from the withers to set-on of tail; height from elbow to withers and elbow to the ground should be approximately equal. The shoulder blades should be well laid back and well knit at the backbone. The chest should be relatively broad and the front legs spaced apart accordingly. The front legs should be set in under the shoulder blades with definite body overhang before them, and should be reasonably straight and covered with short, hard hair. The forefeet are larger than the hind ones, are round, proportionate in size, and strong; thickly padded, and covered with short, hard hair; they may properly be turned out a slight amount.
Chest and Body: Chest very deep and extending at least to the elbows with breadth in proportion to the size of the dog. Body compact and of good substance, level back, ribs deep, and well arched in the upper half of rib, presenting a flattish side appearance; loins broad and strong, hindquarters strong, muscular, and wide across the top.
Hindquarters: Should be muscular, the hind legs relatively short and sinewy, the thighs very muscular, well angulated, and not set wide apart. The hocks well bent and parallel viewed from the rear. The hind feet are smaller than the forefeet, and thickly padded.
Tail: Relatively short, when standing erect it should be approximately level with the top of the skull, thus maintaining a balanced appearance. It should be covered with hard hairs, no feather, as straight as possible, carried gaily but not curled over the back. The tail should be set on high enough so that the spine does not slope down to it. The tail must never be docked.
Gait: Should be free, straight and easy all around. In front, the leg should be freely extended forward by the shoulder. The hind movement should be drawn close under the body so that when moving off the foot is thrown or pushed forward with some force.
Faults: Excess timidity or excess pugnacity; any specimens as much as 1 inch (3 cm) over or under height standard; silky or curling coat, open or single coat; any coat colour other than white, or nose colour other than black; skull too long or too narrow; muzzle longer than skull; undershot or overshot bite, missing or defective teeth; eyes too small, too full or lightcoloured; ears round-pointed, drop, broad and large, mule-ears, ears set too close, or not held tightly erect; neck too short or too long; steep shoulders, loaded shoulders out at elbows, too light bone in forelegs, fiddle-front; shallow chest; long or weak back, barrel ribs, high rump; cow-hocks, weak hocks, too light bone in hind legs, lack of angulation; Tail-set too low; tail too long or carried at half mast or over back; stiff stilted movement, too wide movement behind, lack of reach in front and/or drive behind.
Size:
Dogs should measure 11 inches (28 cm) at the withers, bitches 1 inch (3 cm) less. They typically weigh from 15 to 20 lbs for male dogs and 13 to 16 lbs for female dogs.
Temperament:
Happy, affectionate, extroverted, agile, alert and lively. West Highland White Terriers are extremely confident little dogs that can be cunning and ingenious but also stubborn and independent. They are straightforward to train, but Westies can be persistently naughty and their handler needs to remain consistent and not give in to their charming nature. These dogs are excellent playmates for children as they can withstand rough play. Some Westies may be dominant towards other dogs, but this largely depends on their social upbringing. To prevent them from chasing cats when they are fully grown they need to learn to tolerate them during puppyhood.
Health:
Westies are prone to allergies and dry skin issues, and bathing too frequently may aggravate these problems. The following, while not all-inclusive, are some of the more common problems that may be encountered in Westies:
Addison’s Disease; Atopic Dermatitis; Canine Influenza; Cleft Palate; Copper Toxicosis (CT); Craniomandibular Osteopathy (CMO); Diabetes; Ear Infections; Epidermal Dysplasia; Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy (GCL); Heart Disease; Hip Dysplasia; Weak Immune System; Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD); Hernias; Juvenile Cataracts; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS); Kidney Disease; Legg-Calve-Perthes; Luxating Patella; Portosystemic Shunt; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Pyruvate Kinase (PK) Deficiency; Seborrhea, Primary and Secondary; and White Shakers Syndrome.
Average Lifespan:
Twelve to fifteen years.
History:
Westies are descended from Cairn Terriers, who occasionally whelped white puppies naturally, and Scottish Terriers, who also occasionally produced white offspring. White offspring from other terriers such as the Bedlington Terrier and Dandie Dinmont Terrier were occasionally introduced to the bloodline for desired characteristics, but this practice generally stopped in the 1850s.
Some sources also credit Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm and his kin of Poltalloch in the Argyll region of western Scotland as an originator of this breed in the 1800s. Other sources credit the 8th Duke of Argyll (Chieftain of Clan Campbell) as an originator of the breed. However, there may have been some cooperation between the two gentlemen. It may have taken as long as a hundred years of selective breeding to produce all the desired qualities. Their white coat made them highly visible when hunting on the Scottish moors and easily distinguished them from their game. This was an extremely important factor because hunters sometimes mistook brown dogs for foxes and shot them.
The first recognized show for the West Highland White Terrier was held in London in 1907.
This breed is commonly recognized through its use as a mascot for Black & White (a brand of Scotch whiskey), and on the packaging of Cesar brand dog food.
Sources:
Wikipedia
CKC
AKC
Doozie Dog
Westie Club of America
Westie Club of Houston
Pictures:
Photobucket
Group: 4 - Terriers
Origin: Scotland
Purpose: Hunting small animals
Description:
The hardy West Highland White Terrier, more commonly known as the "Westie," is known for its friendly, strong-willed personality and a remarkably bright white coat. Said to be "all terrier," this breed possesses a large amount of spunk, determination and devotion stuffed into a compact little body.
Westies are bred for hunting. Their prey is usually small animals such as rabbits, squirrels and mice, but they were also used to hunt foxes and badgers.
Appearance- Breed Standards:
Coat and Colour:
Coat, very important, and seldom seen to perfection, must be doublecoated. The outer coat consists of straight, hard hair, at least 2 inches (5 cm) long on the body of mature dogs, with proper blending of the shorter coat on neck and shoulders.
Colour and Pigmentation: Coat must be white, as defined by the breed’s name. Nose must be black. Black pigmentation is most desirable on lips, eye rims, pads of feet, nails and skin.
Head: Skull should be fairly broad, being in proportion to the powerful jaw, not too long, slightly domed, and gradually tapering to the eyes. There should be a defined stop, eyebrows heavy. Muzzle should be slightly shorter than the skull, powerful, and gradually tapering to the nose, which should be large. The jaws should be level and powerful, the teeth well set and large for the size of the dog. There shall be six incisor teeth between the canines of both lower and upper jaws. A tight scissors bite with upper incisors slightly overlapping the lower incisors or level mouth are equally acceptable. Eyes widely set apart, medium in size, dark in colour, slightly sunk in the head, sharp and intelligent. Looking from under heavy eyebrows, they give a piercing look. Ears small, carried tightly erect, set wide apart and terminating in a sharp point. They must never be cropped. The hair on the ears should be short, smooth and velvety. Ears should be free of fringe at the tips.
Neck: Should be sufficiently long to allow the proper set-on of head required, muscular and gradually thickening towards the base, allowing the neck to merge into nicely sloping shoulders.
Forequarters: Forelegs should be muscular and relatively short, but with sufficient length to set the dog up so as not to be too close to the ground. Height from the highest point of the withers to the ground should be approximately equal to the length from the withers to set-on of tail; height from elbow to withers and elbow to the ground should be approximately equal. The shoulder blades should be well laid back and well knit at the backbone. The chest should be relatively broad and the front legs spaced apart accordingly. The front legs should be set in under the shoulder blades with definite body overhang before them, and should be reasonably straight and covered with short, hard hair. The forefeet are larger than the hind ones, are round, proportionate in size, and strong; thickly padded, and covered with short, hard hair; they may properly be turned out a slight amount.
Chest and Body: Chest very deep and extending at least to the elbows with breadth in proportion to the size of the dog. Body compact and of good substance, level back, ribs deep, and well arched in the upper half of rib, presenting a flattish side appearance; loins broad and strong, hindquarters strong, muscular, and wide across the top.
Hindquarters: Should be muscular, the hind legs relatively short and sinewy, the thighs very muscular, well angulated, and not set wide apart. The hocks well bent and parallel viewed from the rear. The hind feet are smaller than the forefeet, and thickly padded.
Tail: Relatively short, when standing erect it should be approximately level with the top of the skull, thus maintaining a balanced appearance. It should be covered with hard hairs, no feather, as straight as possible, carried gaily but not curled over the back. The tail should be set on high enough so that the spine does not slope down to it. The tail must never be docked.
Gait: Should be free, straight and easy all around. In front, the leg should be freely extended forward by the shoulder. The hind movement should be drawn close under the body so that when moving off the foot is thrown or pushed forward with some force.
Faults: Excess timidity or excess pugnacity; any specimens as much as 1 inch (3 cm) over or under height standard; silky or curling coat, open or single coat; any coat colour other than white, or nose colour other than black; skull too long or too narrow; muzzle longer than skull; undershot or overshot bite, missing or defective teeth; eyes too small, too full or lightcoloured; ears round-pointed, drop, broad and large, mule-ears, ears set too close, or not held tightly erect; neck too short or too long; steep shoulders, loaded shoulders out at elbows, too light bone in forelegs, fiddle-front; shallow chest; long or weak back, barrel ribs, high rump; cow-hocks, weak hocks, too light bone in hind legs, lack of angulation; Tail-set too low; tail too long or carried at half mast or over back; stiff stilted movement, too wide movement behind, lack of reach in front and/or drive behind.
Size:
Dogs should measure 11 inches (28 cm) at the withers, bitches 1 inch (3 cm) less. They typically weigh from 15 to 20 lbs for male dogs and 13 to 16 lbs for female dogs.
Temperament:
Happy, affectionate, extroverted, agile, alert and lively. West Highland White Terriers are extremely confident little dogs that can be cunning and ingenious but also stubborn and independent. They are straightforward to train, but Westies can be persistently naughty and their handler needs to remain consistent and not give in to their charming nature. These dogs are excellent playmates for children as they can withstand rough play. Some Westies may be dominant towards other dogs, but this largely depends on their social upbringing. To prevent them from chasing cats when they are fully grown they need to learn to tolerate them during puppyhood.
Health:
Westies are prone to allergies and dry skin issues, and bathing too frequently may aggravate these problems. The following, while not all-inclusive, are some of the more common problems that may be encountered in Westies:
Addison’s Disease; Atopic Dermatitis; Canine Influenza; Cleft Palate; Copper Toxicosis (CT); Craniomandibular Osteopathy (CMO); Diabetes; Ear Infections; Epidermal Dysplasia; Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy (GCL); Heart Disease; Hip Dysplasia; Weak Immune System; Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD); Hernias; Juvenile Cataracts; Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (KCS); Kidney Disease; Legg-Calve-Perthes; Luxating Patella; Portosystemic Shunt; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Pyruvate Kinase (PK) Deficiency; Seborrhea, Primary and Secondary; and White Shakers Syndrome.
Average Lifespan:
Twelve to fifteen years.
History:
Westies are descended from Cairn Terriers, who occasionally whelped white puppies naturally, and Scottish Terriers, who also occasionally produced white offspring. White offspring from other terriers such as the Bedlington Terrier and Dandie Dinmont Terrier were occasionally introduced to the bloodline for desired characteristics, but this practice generally stopped in the 1850s.
Some sources also credit Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm and his kin of Poltalloch in the Argyll region of western Scotland as an originator of this breed in the 1800s. Other sources credit the 8th Duke of Argyll (Chieftain of Clan Campbell) as an originator of the breed. However, there may have been some cooperation between the two gentlemen. It may have taken as long as a hundred years of selective breeding to produce all the desired qualities. Their white coat made them highly visible when hunting on the Scottish moors and easily distinguished them from their game. This was an extremely important factor because hunters sometimes mistook brown dogs for foxes and shot them.
The first recognized show for the West Highland White Terrier was held in London in 1907.
This breed is commonly recognized through its use as a mascot for Black & White (a brand of Scotch whiskey), and on the packaging of Cesar brand dog food.
Sources:
Wikipedia
CKC
AKC
Doozie Dog
Westie Club of America
Westie Club of Houston
Pictures:
Photobucket