West Highland White Terrier
Commonly, Westies have bright, deep-set eyes that are dark in color. Their ears are small, pointed, and erect. A male typically weighs between 15 and 20 pounds (6.8 and 9.1 kg) and a female between 13 and 16 pounds (5.9 and 7.3 kg). average height is 9 to 11 inches (23 to 28 cm) at the withers. The Kennel Club has recommended that their tails, typically "carrot-shaped", should never be docked; hence the tail should be between 5–6 inches (13–15 cm).
They also have deep chests, muscular limbs, a huge skull, a large black nose, a short and a closely fitted jaw with "scissors" bite (lower canines locked in front of upper canines, upper incisors locked over lower incisors). Their teeth generally appear quite large for the size of the dog. Westies have a very strong bone structure for their size.
They have a soft, dense, thick undercoat and a rough outer coat, about 2 inches long, that requires regular grooming. Some Westies have "wheaten tippings" on their backs, though for individuals put forward for conformation showing this can be regarded as undesirable. Also, some Westies do not have a top coarse coat, and just a second silky coat.
This breed is a dog which sheds very little. As they develop into adults, their thinner "puppy coat" is normally removed by either 'hand-stripping' or otherwise clipping.
As with most other dogs, Westies generally require around thirteen hours of sleep per day. In order to acquire their needed sleep, Westies will usually follow the sleep patterns of their human companions and also take several naps during the day. US owner surveys put the average lifespan of a Westie at 12 to 16 years, and some beyond that. They also need regular walking, although if they have access to a large yard they can exercise on their own.
