West Highland White Terriers

by Lucille Solomon


Originally bred to flush badgers and foxes from hiding places in the rocky terrains of Scotland, the Westie came in all colors. However, multi-colored dogs were sometimes mistaken for the game they flushed. They were then bred to be all white for their own safety. The dogs were named for the areas in which they lived such as Pittenweems, Poltallochs, and Roseneaths. In the early 1900s the breed was officially named West Highland White Terriers.