History of the West Highland White Terrier

The Highlands, the West Coast of Scotland and the Western Isles are the source of the West Highland White Terrier, as they are for the Cairn, Skye and Scottish Terriers.  Today the Westie is one of the most popular terriers and very high in the list of all breeds, capable of offering a strong challenge to any terrier breed on sheer merit.

The Highlands, the West Coast of Scotland and the Western Isles are the source of the West Highland White Terrier, as they are for the Cairn, Skye and Scottish Terriers.  Today the Westie is one of the most popular terriers and very high in the list of all breeds, capable of offering a strong challenge to any terrier breed on sheer merit.

It is known with some exactitude where the fancy for a white terrier began, which is not the case for the other three breeds.  There seems little doubt that the modern type of West Highland White Terrier was first fostered by the Malcolm family of Poltalloch in Argylshire.  By the time these terriers reached the show-bench in 1904 they are known to have been kept by the Malcolm family for at least 100 years.  The reason for the family’s preference for a white terrier is recorded as arising from a shooting accident in which a favourite sandy-coloured terrier was shot in mistake for a fox after which it was decided that only white and cream terriers would be kept at Poltalloch.  Many owners destroyed white puppies in litters of working terriers as it was felt that they were not as hardy as the coloured ones, but the Malcolm family kept them and proved them equally brave, dour and able at their work as the coloured ones (later to be recognised as Cairn Terriers).  These white terriers were kept purely for work and strict adherence to pedigree or breeding to type was not to come for many years.  It was not until 1924 that the Kennel Club decreed that white puppies born in litters of Cairn Terriers could no longer be registered as West Highland Whites.

In an article on the breed, Colonel Sir Ian Malcolm stated that terriers of the same type as the Poltallochs, though of every colour from Black to White were known to exist all along the West Coast of Scotland, further inland and in the Western Islands.  The white strain was achieved by selection from litters of all colours.  It was years before they bred true to colour and even then many were market with light red or cream on the back or about the ears.  A tinge of cream is still to be seen on the breed to this day, very often in the harder-coated specimens.  In fact the “paper white” Westie is often softer in coat than it should be.

It was the Poltalloch that was to go forward as the foundation type of the breed, described by Captain Mackie, who made a tour of the West Highland in search of breeding material for his kennel of Scottish Terriers.  “The Poltalloch Whites weight from 16 – 20 lb with a determined varmity look about them.  They are very active, with a linty-white type of coat and well-knit together.  The coat is hard and bristly, from an inch to two and a half inches in length except on the head and muzzle where it is short, hard and wiry.

The body is between cobby and long by very deep and stands on short, bony legs, the forelegs nearly straight and the hind ones well-bent at the hock.  The head is long, nose broad and often flesh coloured, the teeth extremely large for so small a dog.  The earns are priced and covered in a short, velvety Coat.  The tail is well-set, slightly curved and carried gaily.  The majority are creamy white, others sandy or white with lemon or cream marks. 

I have had the breed and know what they are fit for and may add that no water was every too cold and no earth ever too deep for them.”

Colonel Malcolm expressed the hope that when the breed reached the show-bench ‘no fancy would arise to make these dogs less hardy, less wise, less companionable, less active or less desperate fighters underground than they were in his day’ and watching the Westies around the show ring I think Colonel Malcolm has his wish.

Thanks to Lorayne Tennet for writing this article
Pictures in this article thanks to Ross Hall

Poltalloch Castle