The small white dog stepped carefully over the rocky ground, its ears alert, its eyes watching closely for even the slightest movement. The cold, damp wind ruffled the dog's thick coat, but it did not feel it. Its mind was set on one thing, and one thing alone: finding and capturing its prey.

This was probably a familiar scene 100 years ago in the West Highlands of Scotland. Bold and hardy white terriers, working for their farmer masters, sought out badgers, wildcats, foxes, rabbits, otters and rats amid the icy weather of the craggy coastal regions of the North Atlantic coast.

But where did this rugged little dog come from? That is a question Westie fanciers everywhere would like the answer to: The breed's past is a hazy one, and no one knows for sure exactly how the Westie developed. Historians believe, however, that the breed is closely related to the other terriers that were created in Scotland, namely the Cairn, Scottie, Dandie Dinmont and Skye.

In the mid-1800s, game-keepers and farmers who bred the ancestors of these Scottish dogs frequently destroyed any white puppies that were born to their bitches, thinking that light-colored pups were inferior to their darker siblings. However, a Scotsman named Colonel Edward Donald Malcolm did not subscribe to these beliefs about white dogs and began to deliberately breed them. Breed experts say that Colonel Malcolm recognized the value of light-colored dogs in the field: They were easier to spot. He also found that their hunting abilities were just as keen as those of dogs of darker colors.

Colonel Malcolm later became the Laird of Poltalloch, a position of influence that allowed him to promote the white terriers among his countrymen. The dogs grew in popularity with farmers and came to be called the White Poltallochs. They were exhibited in bench shows with other light-colored terriers that had become popular in various regions of Scotland.

The name West Highland White Terrier is credited to Colonel Malcolm, who also organized fanciers of the breed and was instrumental in gaining Kennel Club recognition in the early 1900s.

The Westie was first shown at Crufts in 1907. The traits of strength, hardiness, eagerness and independence were all valued in the show ring, since Westies of the time were still working dogs that were expected to earn their keep by hunting down vermin.

Soon after the breed was recognized by the Kennel Club, American and Canadian fanciers imported a number of the dogs. Dog shows that included the Westie took place as early as 1906 in the United States and 1910 in Canada. In 1909, the West Highland White Terrier Club of America was created, and the breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club during that same year.

At the time of the breed's recognition by the American Kennel Club, Cairns and Westies were commonly interbred. When litters were born bearing both dark-colored and white puppies, the colored dogs were deemed Cairns, and the whites West Highland White Terriers. Both the American Kennel Club and the Kennel Club soon took measures to end the crossbreeding. While there has been no crossings of the breeds since the early 1900s, some similarities between the Westie and the Cairn still exist.

A CERTAIN SPIRIT

Today, the West Highland White Terrier is a relatively popular breed, ranking 36th in American Kennel Club statistics. The breed standard calls for "a small, game, well-balanced, hardy-looking terrier, exhibiting good showmanship, possessed with no small amount of self-esteem." Its expression should be "piercing and inquisitive," and its temperament should be "alert, gay, and courageous and self-reliant, but friendly."

These qualities seem to be in large part what has endeared the Westie to show breeders and pet owners alike.

"The thing I like the most about the breed is their spirit," says Margaret Simon, a Westie owner in Southern California. "They have this vitality about them that I just love."

Simon, who owns a 14-year-old bitch named Heather, says she fell in love with the breed years ago after getting her first Westie, a young male. "I lost that first dog at a young age, but I just had to have another Westie. So I got Heather from a breeder in the Midwest, and she is a wonderful companion who has helped me through some tough times."

Simon's description of Heather's personality is typical of what Westie owners say about their dogs: "When Heather was younger, she was playful and full of energy. I always found her to be trainable yet spirited at the same time. Her attitude seems to be, Okay, I'll do it if I have to, but I'm not going to be thrilled about it.' I like that quality in a dog."

Ann Sanders, the corresponding secretary of the West Highland White Terrier Club of America (WHWTCA), and a Westie breeder for 20 years, believes that the Westie's temperament is a large factor in its popularity. "They are full of personality, independence and self-esteem," she says. "I enjoy these qualities in them, and I'm sure other people do, too."

On the other hand, the Westie's energy and independence can be exasperating for people who don't have much experience with dogs, or who are looking for a dog that will sit calmly in their laps. "It's important that people understand the Westie's temperament before they decide to live with one," says Sanders. "This is a dog that was bred to hunt in packs, go to ground and to work independently of its master. This can sometimes make them hard to train. They can also get the upper hand if they are dealing with someone who is inexperienced. I don't usually recommend Westies to people as a first dog."

Obedience training was helpful to Simon, who took Heather to puppy classes on the advise of her veterinarian. "When I first got Heather, my veterinarian told me that Westies could be a handful," she says. "He recommended that we go to obedience class together. We did, and it helped. She learned to listen to me and had the chance to socialize with other dogs. She gets along well with other dogs, and I think those early classes have something to do with it."

Because of their energy level, Westies also require a good amount of exercise. Dawn Diemer F. Diemer, president of the WHWTCA, and a breeder of Westies for nearly 20 years, believes that a healthy Westie should receive at least one good walk a day. "Westies do not sit around a lot," she says. "For this reason, you don't need to spend too much time exercising them. But they do need at least a one-mail walk a day. Make sure you build up to it, though. Don't just start walking a mile a day if the dog isn't used to going out as much."

A COAT OF WHITE

The Westie's appearance is undoubtedly another important factor in the breed's popularity. The standard describes this dog as "strongly built, deep in the 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 ideal size is 11 inches at the withers for males, and 10 inches for females, with a compact body bearing good balance and substance. It is this conformation that makes the Westie suitable for the work for which it was bred: going into tunnels and between rocks and tree roots seeking out animals much smaller than itself.

The white coat of the Westie is one of its trademarks, and the breed standard is specific about how the coat should look: "Must be double-coated. . . . The outer coat consists of straight, hard, white hair, two inches long, with shorter coat on neck and shoulders. . ." It also goes on to state, "The ideal coat is hard, straight and white, but a hard, straight coat which may have some wheaten tipping is preferable to a white fluffy or soft coat. Furnishing may be somewhat softer and longer but should never give the appearance of fluff." While the standard states that coat is important, it does note that it is "seldom seen to perfection."

Diemer warns pet owners that the Westie coat is special and shouldn't be treated like other dogs' coats. "Ideally, even pet Westies should be hand stripped, but pet owners often have trouble finding all-breed groomers who can strip the breed as it should be stripped. In that case, they should groom the dog themselves several times a week with a brush and wide-toothed comb."

Diemer is adamant that Westie owners not bathe their dogs too frequently. "Westies should not be given a lot of baths. Four baths a year is plenty," she says. "They don't have a lot of oil in their coats like some other breeds, and washing them too often can dry out their hair and skin." Diemer recommends that owners "dry-clean" their dogs instead by using cornstarch or talcum powder. "This will leave them smelling clean," she says. "Since this breed doesn't have that doggy odor that many other breeds have, a good dry-cleaning is all that's needed to keep them fresh."

FUN WITH WESTIES

The West Highland White Terrier Club, which has been managing the future of the Westie since 1909, continues to watch over the breed almost 90 years later. Corresponding secretary Ann Sanders says that the club is working with the University of Wisconsin to research the incidence of skin problems in the breed. "We are working to eliminate the problem of dermatitis," Sanders days. "Westies don't have many health troubles, but this is one that has been reported by breeders as a recurring problem."

The club also encourages Westie owners to become involved with their dogs, particularly in activities that emphasize the breed's natural instincts. "A few years ago, we held the first national Earthdog event at our national specialty," says Diemer. "It was a resounding success."

Earthdog events, which are open to all breeds originally bred to hunt for vermin underground, involve having the dog "worry" a caged rat that has been placed at the end of a tunnel. The dog must "go to ground" and show a desire to get at the caged animal. Decades ago, early Westies had to exhibit this same gameness and tenacity during the hunt in order to earn their keep.

"Westies are good at Earthdog events, but there is only one problem," says Diemer. "They are so smart that they tend to quickly figure out that they won't be able to get at the rat because it's in a cage." Since the more advance levels of the trial require the dog to worry the rat for extended periods of time, this typical Westie cleverness can pose a problem during an Earthdog test.

But this cleverness is exactly the type of personality trait that makes Westies so irresistible to those who love them. "They are incredibly smart and funny. They have their own sense of humor," says Sanders of her chosen breed. "That's what I love about them."

Audrey Pavia, a freelance writer based in Southern California, is a contributing editor to DOG FANCY.

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