General
Appearance
The
West Highland White Terrier is a small, game, well-balanced
hardy looking terrier, exhibiting good showmanship, possessed
with no small amount of self-esteem, strongly built, deep in
chest and back ribs, with a straight back and powerful hindquarters
on muscular legs, and exhibiting in marked degree a great combination
of strength and activity. The coat is about two inches long,
white in color, hard, with plenty of soft undercoat. The dog
should be neatly presented, the longer coat on the back and
sides, trimmed to blend into the shorter neck and shoulder coat.
Considerable hair is left around the head to act as a frame
for the face to yield a typical Westie expression.
Size,
Proportion, Substance The ideal size is eleven inches at the
withers for dogs and ten inches for bitches. A slight deviation
is acceptable. The Westie is a compact dog, with good balance
and substance. The body between the withers and the root of
the tail is slightly shorter than the height at the withers.
Short-coupled and well boned. Faults-Over or under height limits.
Fine boned.
Head
Shaped to present a round appearance from the front. Should
be in proportion to the body.
Expression-Piercing, inquisitive, pert. Eyes-Widely set apart,
medium in size, almond shaped, dark brown in color, deep set,
sharp and intelligent. Looking from under heavy eyebrows, they
give a piercing look. Eye rims are black. Faults- Small, full
or light colored eyes.
Ears-Small,
carried tightly erect, set wide apart, on the top outer edge
of the skull. They terminate in a sharp point, and must never
be cropped. The hair on the ears is trimmed short and is smooth
and velvety, free of fringe at the tips. Black skin pigmentation
is preferred.
Faults-Round pointed, broad, large, ears set closely together,
not held tightly erect, or placed too low on the side of the
head.
Temperament
Alert, gay, courageous and self-reliant, but friendly.
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