Meet Annabelle!
Annabelle is a West Highland White Terrier, more commonly known as a Westie! For more information on this breed, keep reading below!
History
Westies were originally known as Poltalloch terriers. This is the name of the estate in Scotland where they were first bred. In the 1700s, Westies were bred to help control the rat infestation in the grain storage areas. During this time, most of the Westies were actually a sandy tan color, very different from the snow white we are used to seeing today. Westies were often presented to royalty as a sign of respect, and it was well known that kings and queens preferred this tan color over the white. However, George Campbell of Scotland appreciated the white Westies so he established a breeding program to preserve the white Westies. In 1896 as Westies were attending dog shows all over Scotland, the name switched from the Poltalloch terriers to the West Highland White Terrier.
Care
| Height | 10-11 inches |
| Weight | 15-20 pounds |
| Life Expectancy | 13-15 years |
Westies are known for their gorgeous white coats, but that beauty can require some work. If you plan on showing your Westie, then you need to pluck the old hairs every day. However, if you do not plan on showing your dog, then just a trip to the groomer’s every four to six weeks should suffice. Regardless of whether or not your Westie will be a show dog, you need to comb its hair daily. Because Westie’s have hard coats, they should not be bathed too often or else it will actually damage their coats. So the less frequent baths makes up for the daily hair brushing!
Westies require regular exercise, but it does not need to be strenuous. A nice walk or a game of fetch is adequate exercise for your Westie. Since they are chasers by nature, Westies do best on a leash or with a fenced in yard as they will run after everything! Westies are known for having a very loud bark. While they are too friendly to make great watch dogs, be prepared to listen to your Westie bark a lot!
Famous Westies
Westies are everywhere! The Cesar brand of dog food uses a Westie also named Cesar as its mascot.
In the television show King of the Hill, Doggie is a Westie. Anyone like me who grew up playing with American Girl Dolls knows that Coconut is a Westie too! Other companies such as the Juicy Couture and Black and White Whiskey feature Westies in their logos. Many celebirities also have Westies including Scarlett Johansson, Whoopi Goldberg, Matthew McConaughey, and Jennifer Aniston to name a few. Given the Westie’s adorable appearance it’s easy to understand why the list of famous Westies is so long!