West Highland Terrier Grooming - Doing it the Proper Way!

The West Highland White Terriers or more simple, Westies, is a breed of small dogs that are distinguishable by their white fur. They are originally from Scotland and where initially used in hunting due to their amazing tracking skills.

In time, they became the symbol for Scottish whiskey and mascots for various dog food brands. Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm is thought to have created the west highland terrier dog during the 1800s.

Legend has it that Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm helped with the Westie's birth when his red terrier had been mistaken for a fox and had been shot, hence the colonel's desire to have a white fur dog that would be easily noticeable in the woods. Other sources attribute the credit for the creation of the beautiful west highland terrier dogs to the 8th Duke of Argyll.

What to Know about West Highland Terrier Grooming

Aspect

Westie dogs have a compact and robust structure, and as with other terriers, have two fur layers: one that is short and soft and one that is thick and curly. They have black eyes with a sharp look and their small ears that are always alert give the impression of a dog that is always prepared for anything.

The tail measures between 12 and 15 cm (5-6 inches) and is not recommended cutting it. Their dimensions range between 23 and 30 cm (9-12 inches), females usually being smaller than males, and the west highland terrier dog usually weights between 7 and 10 kg (15-22 pounds).

Temperament

Knowing as much as possible about this dog's temperament is the most important detail when it comes to West Highland terrier grooming. The west highland terrier dogs are very playful and easy to train, but they can also be very stubborn as well. They are relatively friendly to strangers and are great with kids.

They are lively and affectionate, but they can also be very possessive. Fortunately, they don't feel the need to show their supremacy by fighting, so they usually avoid altercations with other dogs. They love chasing cats, but if they go through obedience training, this problem is solved.

Robust, friendly, bold and surprising, Westie dogs love human company and that of other dogs. Despite their small size, they make good guard dogs. Among other favorite activities these dogs enjoy digging, barking for no reason, fun.

It is imperative for these dogs to know who the master is as otherwise they can become problematic in terms of biting and being destructive for your home. It is very important for them not to develop the 'small dog' syndrome, so that they would listen to your commands.

West Highland Terrier grooming - health related problems

Westies don't have big health problems, but they can develop skin diseases, the Perthe disorder as well as liver diseases. These dogs are ideal for apartment, as they are very active inside the apartment, without needing a lot of space for running. Any dog that is not taken to walks at least once a day can develop behavioral problems, so make sure you don't hold your West Highland white terriers always inside.

Taking care of your West Highland terrier

It is essential that you brush the dogs' hair at least twice a week and only bath them when absolutely necessary. The fur coat should be cut once each two years and shortened every four months. Also keep in mind that these dogs love playing so make sure they always get to do various exercises for at least 60 minutes each day.

All in all, the West Highland white terrier is an easy to train dog that can be both friendly and easy to be taken care of and a more stubborn dog breed.

The training process is simple as these dogs are very smart, but they should be taught how to behave from an early age. They are great companions and very friendly, but they can also make great guard dogs considering how alert and active they always are.

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