History

 Many other breeds have their history well documented. Not so for me, the West Highland White Terrier. I will trie to give you here on this page a few historical facts and also some legends about my ancestors. Keep in mind that this history is as foggy as the Scottish Highlands themselves (hehe). Actually I must rely on stories that have been written down or went through the agesby telling from mouth to mouth. I will mention a few here below.
One storie is telling that small white dogs were seen on the ships of the Spanish Armada.  In 1588 as the Armada was scattered in defeat by the dutch, one or more ships carried northward along the western coast of England to run aground on the western shores of the Scottish Highlands. On board there were a number of small, white terrier-like dogs used by the sailors to catch rats on board. Another nice story is the one that the english King James I, requested 6 of "those earth-dogs" out of the Highlands to sent them to the King of France as a gift. He ment with "those earth dogs" the small rough terriers ofcourse. In the mean time we know of course that give 6 dogs as a present is very stupid. Also there are other references and some paintings of early Westie type dogs.




 

Painting from Edwin Lanseer named "Dignity and Impudence", which showing a Bloodhound and a early Westie ancestor.

 


In the 19th century, Scottish game-keepers and farmers bred these Scottish dogs because they where very good rabbit hunters. And when one of the dogs became stuck in some rabbithole, the owner could easily tier him out again with the helpof his strong tail. But frequently they killed the white pups,
because they simply thought that the light-colored pups were inferior and undesirable to their darker fellow ones. Than Colonel Malcolm came up...

                        
                             Colonel Malcom with his Westies in the early 20th century, from the book "Westies"...

The legend which wasn't a legend.
So far the early history of the Westie, how the Westie furtheron became a selectively bred for his
white coat is an interesting legend. The short-legged terriers of Scotland are now recognized as the Scottish, Cairn, Skye, Dandie Dinmont and of course the most beautiful of all; the West Highland White Terrier. All with no doubt at all actually, descend from the same roots. All of these dogs were valued as fine hunters of small game. Originally, their coat colors ranged from black to red to cream or white. Dog shows began in 1859 and all terriers from Scotland were shown under just one name, "Scottish Terriers". In 1899 the White Scottish Terrier Club was formed but the breeders of the white terriers were not in agreement about the name. It is Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm, of Poltalloch, Argyllshire, Scotland, which is generally given the credits. He had kept a pack of light colored working terriers for hunting. As the legend goes, a reddish dog of his , emerging from cover, was mistakenly shot for a fox. Colonel Malcolm decided immediately to breed only the white dogs that could be readily identified in the field. In 1907, several years before the official listing of the Cairn Terrier, the breed became officially listed as West Highland White Terrier at the thosedays famous Crufts Dog Show in England. The rugged character, the area of his development and ofcourse his white coat is the obvious reason for his three-prefix name, which makes him the only terrier with three a three-prefix name.
Registration was there. The first registration was in 1908 by the American Kennel Club. Actually it was wrong registered as the "Roseneath Terrier" (The name "Roseneath" was taken from the Duke of Argyll's place in Dumbartonshire, Scotland), the name was officially changed to West Highland White Terrier on May 31, 1909. Unofficially this breed was also known under the names "Poltalloch Terriers", "Pittenweem" and "White Scottish Terriers".

                                         
 Eleven Westies, the socalled "Poltalloch Eleven", bred by the Malcolm familyin the late 19th century.                             
Before the official registrations, the Cairn Terriers and West Highland White Terriers were commonly interbred. When litters were born bearing both darker-colored and white puppies, the colored dogs were deemed Cairn Terriers, and the whites West Highland White Terriers. The American Kennel Club and the Kennel Club soon took measures to end this crossbreeding. But in spite of no crossings of the breeds since that time (early 1900s), many similarities between the West Highland White Terrier and the Cairn Terrier still exist.  Other people which I want to mention in the early history of the Westie are: Dr. Flaxman (He bred bred a strain of white Scottish Terriers that were lighter in build than the Scottie) and the Duke of Argylle from Roseneath. Here you have that Roseneath guy again . (He produced lots of dogs with that soft, white coats).
After the official introductions our breed continued to thrive and grow. In the years 1914 till 1918 the war was there and by the end of it, the breed had been badly affected. Dog shows ceased in 1916, and breeding was prohibited in 1917. During these horrible years, due to rationing, many dogs had to be destroyed. Mrs. May Pacy wrote in her book that she had to put down 15 Westies in one day rather than see them starve.  By the end of the war very few Westies remained and the breeding process had to start all over again. Some people had been able to keep some of their more promising prospects going and it was these few that made up the breeding stock after the war. Dogshows started again in the "roaring twenties". With the outbreak of the second Worldwar, dogshows in many countries were again suspended, but this time  breeding wasn't banned. Many agree that our breed was at its best time between the wars.
 

GENERAL APPEARANCE. The West Highland White Terrier is a small, game, well-balanced, hardy-looking terrier, exhibiting good showmanship. possessed with no small amount os self-esteem, strongly built, deep in chest and back ribs, straight back and powerful hindquarters on muscular legs, and exhibiting in marked degree a great combination of strength and activity. The coast should be about 2 inches long, white in color, hard, with plenty of soft undercoat. The dog should be neatly presented. Considerable hair should be left around the head to act as a frame for the face to yield a typical Westie expression.

Color and Pigmentation: Coat should be white, as defined by the breed's name. Nose should be black. Black pigmentation is most desirable on lips, eye-rims, pads of feet, nails and skin. Faults: any coat color other than white and nose color other than black are serious faults.
Coat: Very important and seldom seen to perfection; must be double-coated. The outer coat consists of straight hard hair, about 2 inches long, with shorter coat on neck and shoulders, properly blended Faults: Any silkiness or tendency to curl is a serious falut, as is an open or single coat.

Size: Dogs should measure about 11 inches at the withers, bitches about one inch less. Faults: Any specimens much over of under height limits are objectionable.

Skull: Should be fairly broad, being in proportion to his powerful jaw, not too long, slightly domed, and gradually tapering to the eyes. There should be a defined stop, eyebrows heavy. Faults: A too long or too narrow skull.

Muzzle: Should be slightly shorter than the skill, 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 uper jaws. A tight scissors bite with upper incisors slightly overlapping the lower incisors or level mouth are equally acceptable. Faults: Muzzle longer than skull. Teeth much undershot or overshot are a serious fault, as are teeth defective or missing.

Ears: Small, carried tightly erect, sit wide apart and terminating in a sharp point. They must never be cropped. The hair on the ears should be short, smooth and velvety, and trimmed free of fringe at the tips. Faults: Round-pointed, drop, broad and large ears are very objectionable, as are mule-ears, ears set too closely together or not held tightly erect.

Eyes: Widely set apart, medium in size, dark in color, slightly sunk in the head, sharp and intelligent. Looking from under heavy eyebrows, they give a piercing look. Faults: Too small, too full or light-colored eyes are very objectionable.

Neck: Muscular and nicely set on sloping shoulders. Faults: Short neck or too long neck.

Chest: Very deep and extending at least ot the elbows with breadth in proportion to size of the dog. Faults: Shallow chest.

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, muscluar and wide across the top. Faults: Long or weak back; barrel ribs; high rump.

Legs and Feet: Both forelegs and hind legs 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. 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 reasonable straight and thickly covered with short hard hair. The hind legs should be short and sinewy; the thighs very muscular and not set wide apart, with hocks well-bent. The forefeet are larger than the hind ones, are round, proportionate in size, strong, thickly padded, and covered with short hard hair; they may be properly turned out a slight amount. The hind feet are smaller and thickly padded. Faults: Steep shoulders, loaded shoulders, or out at the elbows. Too light bone. Cowhocks, weak hocks and lack of angulation. A "fiddle-front" is a serious fault.

Tail: Relatively short, when standing erect it should never extend above the top of the skull. 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 high enough so that the spine does not slope down to it. The tail must never be docked. Faults: Tail set too low; tail too long or carried at half mast or over back.

Movement: 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 free, strong and fairly close. The hocks should be freely flexed and drawn close under the body; so that when moving off the foot the body is thrown or pushed forward with some force. Faults: Stiff, stilty or too wide movement behind. Lack of reach in front, and/or drive behind.

TEMPERAMENT: Must be alert, lively, courageous and self-reliant, but friendly.

 Faults: Excess timidity or excess pugnacity.