Westie Puppies Blog » History http://westiepuppiesblog.com Westie Highland White Terrier Puppies Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:42:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Five things you did not know about Westie http://westiepuppiesblog.com/blog/2011/12/04/five-things-you-did-not-know-about-westie/ http://westiepuppiesblog.com/blog/2011/12/04/five-things-you-did-not-know-about-westie/#comments Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:42:36 +0000 Big Dog http://westiepuppiesblog.com/?p=1173 The West Highland Terrier (or Westie for short) needs no further introduction. That is because these lovable dogs are well known in the United Kingdom and is third top breed in the U.S. Westies have been featured in TV, film, and advertisements for dog foods and whisky. With their popularity, you may think you already know a lot about these dogs but the following list may contradict that. Here are some little known info about Westies.

Westie

1. Westies are actually accidents of genetics. They descended from Cairns that delivered a litter including white puppies. These puppies then were bred and eventually were recognized as a separate breed of terriers.

2. It was only in the 19th century that Westies were bred solely for their appearance. They were originally bred as hunting dogs. Because of their small size, they were proven to be effective hunters of rodents and vermins.

3. In the olden days, to test the “gameness” of a Westie, the terrier would be put in a barrel with a badger. If the dog managed to kill the badger, then it was bred but if it did not, the dog was destroyed. Despite being morbid, this is an example of the first attempt of selective breeding.

4. White Cairns that eventually became Westies were killed because they did not follow the proper color of Cairn Terriers. All was changed because of Colonel E.D. Malcolm of Scotland. While hunting, Malcolm accidentally shot and killed his Cairn because its brown coat camouflaged it well. In order to avoid such accidents from happening, he vowed to breed white Cairns instead.

5. The role of a Westie in the 2006 film “The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby” caused a bit of controversy. According to the book where the movie was based from, the dog is a Skye terrier. This caused a protest by Skye Terrier breed club against the filmmakers.

]]> http://westiepuppiesblog.com/blog/2011/12/04/five-things-you-did-not-know-about-westie/feed/ 0 Know more about your Westie! http://westiepuppiesblog.com/blog/2010/01/25/know-more-about-your-westie/ http://westiepuppiesblog.com/blog/2010/01/25/know-more-about-your-westie/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:03:32 +0000 Big Dog http://westiepuppiesblog.com/?p=1073 Knowing the standard by heart is the best way for one to tell a genuine Westie from one that is not. This also gives the owner some ownership of the breed and responsibility in upholding the standard. But knowing fun facts, myths and even trivial things can enrich one’s appreciation for the West Highland White Terrier!

The Westie was known as the Roseneath Terrier which came from the Duke of Argyll’s abode in Scotland called Dumbartonshire. The name Poltalloch Terrier was also associated with the Westie as well. The name West Highland Terrier was official used in May 31, 1909 soon after it was registered under the name Roseneath in 1908, AKC. The White coat of the Westie is also functional for it makes them easy to spot during game in the field. Get to know more about the Westie and share the interest with others! There are many Westies that would love to be in a family!

If you want to become a real expert of the breed, you need to get your hands on ‘Mad About Westies’, a comprehensive guide to the breed.

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