West Highland White Terrier

West Highland White Terriers can do well with children who already know how to be calm and gentle. Expect a small dog that is moderately active, barely sheds and needs professional grooming on a cycle. Fine alone for a few hours.

Source: American Kennel Club breed standard.

Westies were bred in Scotland to go to ground after fox and badger, and the story behind the white coat is memorably grim: a Colonel Malcolm reportedly shot one of his own wheaten-coloured terriers by mistake and bred exclusively for white afterwards, so the dog could never again be confused with the quarry. They are cheerful, confident, self-possessed little dogs with a real independent streak. The coat is harsh and wiry rather than soft, and to keep its texture it is traditionally hand-stripped rather than clipped — most pet owners clip, which is fine but softens it. Westies are prone to skin allergies more than most terriers, so itching that will not settle deserves a vet visit rather than a shampoo change.

Day to day. Moderately active — a proper daily walk plus some play in the garden or the hallway keeps this breed happy. On noise, it is very vocal, so thin walls and close neighbours are worth thinking about.

The coat, honestly. This breed barely sheds and needs professional grooming on a cycle. That is the trade every low-shedding dog asks for: you are not vacuuming hair, you are booking and paying for a groom every few weeks, and brushing between visits or the coat mats down to the skin.

Being left alone. Fine alone for a few hours. A few hours is fine; a full working day, every day, is asking a lot.

Training. Trains at an average pace. Consistent, reward-based training from day one does most of the work.

• You would rather brush and pay a groomer than vacuum every day
• You are short on space and want a dog that fits your home

• Nobody has budgeted for a groomer every few weeks
• You share walls with neighbours who need quiet

Every animal is an individual, and plenty of West Highland White Terriers live long, healthy lives. This is here so nobody is surprised — ask a vet, and ask whoever you get the dog from what they have tested for.

Rough running cost: $$ (middle of the pack) — because the coat needs a professional groom on a cycle, and that is the bill people forget, and the breed has known health issues that can mean extra vet visits.

Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.

Rescues do have West Highland White Terriers and West Highland White Terrier crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.