WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Strongly built; deep in chest and back ribs; level back and powerful quarters on muscular legs and exhibiting in a marked degree a great combination of strength and activity.

CHARACTERISTICS

Small, active, game, hardy, possessed of no small amount of self-esteem with a varminty appearance.

TEMPERAMENT

Alert, gay, courageous, self-reliant but friendly.

HEAD AND SKULL

Skull slightly domed; when handled across forehead presents a smooth contour. Tapering very slightly from skull at level of ears to eyes. Distance from occiput to eyes slightly greater than length of foreface. Head thickly coated with hair, and carried at right angle or less, to axis of neck. Head not to be carried in extended position. Foreface gradually tapering from eye to muzzle. Distinct stop formed by heavy, bony ridges immediately above and slightly overhanging eye, and slight indentation between eyes. Foreface not dished nor falling away quickly below eyes, where it is well made up. Jaws strong and level. Nose black and fairly large, forming smooth contour with rest of muzzle. Nose not projecting forward.

EYES

Set wide apart, medium in size, not full, as dark as possible. Slightly sunk in head, sharp and intelligent, which, looking from under heavy eyebrows, impart a piercing look. Light coloured eyes highly undesirable.

EARS

Small, erect and carried firmly, terminating in sharp point, set neither too wide nor too close. Hair short and smooth (velvety), should not be cut. Free from any fringe at top. Round-pointed, broad, large or thick ears or too heavily coated with hair most undesirable.

MOUTH

As broad between canine teeth as is consistent with varminty expression required. Teeth large for size of dog, with regular scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

NECK

Sufficiently long to allow proper set of head required, muscular and gradually thickening towards base allowing neck to merge intonicely sloping shoulders.

FOREQUARTERS

Shoulders sloping backwards. Shoulder blades broad and lying close to chest wall. Shoulder joint placed forward, elbow well in, allowing foreleg to move freely, parallel to axis of body. Forelegs short and muscular, straight and thickly covered with short, hard hair.

BODY

Compact. Back level, loins broad and strong. Chest deep and ribs well arched in upper half presenting a flattish side appearance. Back ribs of considerable depth and distance from last rib of quarters as short as compatible with free movement of body.

HINDQUARTERS

Strong, muscular and wide across top. Legs short, muscular and sinewy. Thighs very muscular and not too wide apart. Hocks bent andwell set in under body so as to be fairly close to each other when standing or moving. Straight or weak hocks most undesirable.

FEET

Forefeet larger than hind, round, proportionate in size, strong, thickly padded and covered with short harsh hair. Hindfeet are smaller and thickly padded. Under surface of pads and all nails preferable black.

TAIL

5 to 6 inches long, covered with harsh hair, no feathering, as straight as possible, carried jauntily, not gay or carried over back. A long tail undesirable, and on no account should tails be docked.

GAIT/MOVEMENT

Free, straight and easy all round. In front legs freely extended forward from shoulder. Hind movement free, strong and close. Stifleand hocks well flexed and hocks drawn under body giving drive. stiff, stilted movement behind and cow hocks highly undesirable.

COAT

Double coated. Outer coat consists of harsh hair, about 5 cms (2 ins) long, free from any curl. Undercoat, which resembles fur, short, soft and close. Open coats most undesirable.

COLOUR

White. SIZE - Height: approx. 28 cms (11 ins) at withers.

FAULTS

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

NOTE

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Books Available on Westies available here.

	The West Highland Terrier A Monograph (Dog Breed Series) Holland Buckley Hardcover - 64 pages (September 1998) This title usually ships within 2-3 days.
	The New West Highland White Terrier Daphne Gentry / Hardcover / Published 1998 Usually ships in 24 hours.
	A New Owners Guide to West Highland White Terriers Dawn Martin / Hardcover / Published 1996 Usually ships in 24 hours
	The Book of the West Highland White Terrier Anna Katherine Nicholas / Hardcover / Published 1993 Usually ships in 2-3 days
	The Complete West Highland White Terrier, John T. Marvin / Hardcover / Published 1977 Usually ships in 24 hours
	Guide to Owning a West Highland White Terrier (Re Dog Series) Martin S. Wallace / Hardcover / Published 1996 Usually ships in 2-3 days
	The West Highland White Terrier An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet (Owner's Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pet) Seymour N. Weiss / Hardcover / Published 1996 Usually ships in 24 hours
	Westies Today Derek Tattersall / Hardcover / Published 1992 Usually ships within 24 hours.
	West Highland White Terriers (Complete Pet Owner's Manual) Ingrid Bolle-Kleinbub, Christine Metzger Paperback - 63 pages 1 Eng Ed edition (September 1994) Usually ships within 24 hours.
	Westies : From Head to Tail Ruth Faherty / Hardcover / Published 1989 This title is out of print. Although it is no longer available from the publisher, we'll query our network of used bookstores for you and send an update within one to two weeks.
	Essential West Highland by Ian Dunbar (Editor) Paperback - 96 pages (August 1999) Not Yet Available: You may still order this title. We will ship it to you when it is released by the publisher.