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West Highland White Terrier

Westie

The West Highland White Terrier, or Westie, is a small terrier from Great Britain. Its standard describes a strongly built little dog with a deep chest, a level back and a harsh double coat about 5 cm long, small erect pointed ears and dark eyes set under heavy eyebrows. White is the only colour the standard allows.

Its standard calls it alert, gay, courageous and self-reliant but friendly. UK sources call it an affectionate, playful family pet for children of any age, with play always supervised; it needs about an hour of exercise a day, can live in a flat, sheds, and needs brushing a few times a week. Because of its prey drive it should not live with smaller pets, and it does not like being left alone. Skin is a known concern: The Royal Kennel Club asks judges to look for signs of skin inflammation in the breed.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

West Highland White Terrier — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
small — The Royal Kennel Club S144
Adult weight
6–9 kg — PDSA S147
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S144
Brushing
more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S144
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S144
Lifespan
median 13.4 years — Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 6:7 S148; more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S144

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

  • apartment livingS144
  • family lifeS147
  • families with childrenS147

Keep in mind:

  • sensitive skin — prone to itching and inflammationS146S147
  • shedsS144S147
  • needs brushing several times a weekS144S147
  • chews things when boredS147
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS147

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S144

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S144
  • Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S144
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S144

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: median 13.4 years — Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 6:7 S148
  • Lifespan: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S144

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 9–12 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S144
  • Height at the withers: 28 cm — FCI S142
  • Adult weight: 6–9 kg — PDSA S147

Training

  • No. 47 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 85, group 3 (terriers); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S143

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a West Highland White Terrier need?

According to our sources, the West Highland White Terrier needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S144.

How long does a West Highland White Terrier live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the West Highland White Terrier is: median 13.4 years — Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 6:7 S148; more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S144. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does a West Highland White Terrier get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the West Highland White Terrier, according to our sources: Size: small — The Royal Kennel Club S144; Adult weight: 6–9 kg — PDSA S147.

How much grooming does a West Highland White Terrier need?

Coat and grooming of the West Highland White Terrier, according to our sources: Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S144; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S144; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S144.

Who is the West Highland White Terrier a good fit for?

Our sources describe the West Highland White Terrier as a good fit for: apartment living — The Royal Kennel Club S144; family life — PDSA S147; families with children — PDSA S147. Keep in mind: sensitive skin — prone to itching and inflammation — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S146S147; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S144S147; needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S144S147; chews things when bored — PDSA S147; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PDSA S147.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 121 (10.1 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 121 (10.1 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing twice a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 6:7 S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S144S148

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Skin allergies are a known concern in the breed; The Royal Kennel Club asks judges to look for signs of skin inflammation, and owners are advised to ask their vet before choosing a shampoo. — PDSA S147
  • A lung disease known as "Westie lung" (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis), which makes breathing harder, can occur in the breed, mostly in older dogs. — PDSA S147
  • An inherited bone disorder of the jaw can occur in the breed. — PDSA S147
  • Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S147
  • Dry eye, where the eyes do not make enough tears and become dry and painful, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S147

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

  • The Royal Kennel Club currently lists no recommended pre-breeding health screening for this breed. Still ask the breeder about the parents' health. — The Royal Kennel Club S144

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S142FCI — FCI-Standard N° 85 — West Highland White Terrier, EN (PDF)https://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/085g03-en.pdf
  11. S143FCI — Breeds nomenclature — West Highland White Terrier (85)https://fci.be/en/nomenclature/WEST-HIGHLAND-WHITE-TERRIER-85.html
  12. S144The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Breeds A–Z: West Highland White Terrierhttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/terrier/west-highland-white-terrier/
  13. S146The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Breed Watch — West Highland White Terrier, Category 2https://www.royalkennelclub.com/activities/heritage-sports/dog-showing/judging-dog-shows/breed-watch-health-and-welfare-of-show-dogs/west-highland-white-terrier-category-2/
  14. S147PDSA (UK veterinary charity) — West Highland White Terrier breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/small-dogs/west-highland-white-terrier
  15. S148Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 6:7 (2019) — O'Neill D. G. et al. West Highland White Terriers under primary veterinary care in the UK in 2016: demography, mortality and disorders. doi:10.1186/s40575-019-0075-2https://link.springer.com/10.1186/s40575-019-0075-2
  16. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  17. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  18. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  19. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  20. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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