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Tags: Small Dog Breeds, The Versus Theory
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Scottish Terrier vs. West Highland White Terrier
In the early stage, Westie, Skye, Cairn, and Scottish Terrier were all considered as one breed with substantial diversity due to the fact that they share similar ancestral type. It was through selective breeding based on coat type and color, each of these breeds gradually developed into their individual category.
Surprisingly to this day, many folks are still having trouble deciding which of these two breeds (Westie and Scottish) would best suit their personality and lifestyle. All I can say is not suitable for owners with a marshmallow heart. Just ask Barney Bush! Ok I know, bad joke! :no:
Although these two Terriers display the most endearing look, underneath lies a tenacious, fiery spirit. Scottish Terriers tend to be feistier than West Highland White Terriers in a few areas. Let’s have a closer look.
Scottish Terrier vs. West Highland White Terrier
| Breed | Scottish Terrier | West Highland White Terrier |
| Country of Origin | Scotland | Scotland |
| AKC / KC Groups | Terrier / Terrier | Terrier / Terrier |
| Original Function | vermin hunting | fox, badger, and vermin hunting |
Physical Appearance
| Coat Color | black, wheaten, and all shades of brindle | pure white |
| Coat Type | water resistant, dense undercoat, wiry and hardy outer coat | hard outer coat, short and soft undercoat |
| Head | fairly long and narrow with a slight stop and a large nose, the muzzle length is accentuated by the beard | skull slightly doomed with a distinct stop, strong jaws, distinctive black nose |
| Eyes | small, dark brown, almond-shaped set deep under bushy eyebrows | medium-sized, almond shaped, set wide apart, dark brown in color |
| Ears | small, thin, pricked, pointed tips | small, erect and pointed with cover of short hair |
| Body | muscular, short level back, relatively heavy boned dog, rectangular shape view from side | strongly built, compact, level back, deep chest, slightly taller than its length |
| Tail | set high about 7 inches, carried upright with a slight curve but never over the back | Quite short, inverted carrot shaped, carried straight with a slight curve but never over the back |
| Height | 10 inches | 10 inches |
| Weight | 18 – 22 pounds | 15 – 21 pounds |
Temperament, Needs, and Learning
| Overall Temperament | brave, rugged, tough, determined, stubborn and sensitive, a one-man-dog | self-confident, affectionate, curious, fun loving, friendly, somewhat stubborn |
| General Activity | high, enjoys boisterous game and off leash exploration in a safe area | high, enjoys outdoor activities |
| Exercise Requirement | high, moderate walk on leash | high, short to moderate walk on leash |
| Grooming Requirement | high, combing thrice weekly, stripping every 3 months | high, combing thrice weekly, stripping every 3 months |
| Ideal Home Environment | house with yard or big sized apartment | house with yard or any decent sized apartment |
| Ideal Owner | firm, assertive, top dog leadership | firm, preferably with terrier-experienced owner |
| Special Needs | plenty of socialization and early training is a must | socialization, exercise, firm and positive training |
| Intelligence / Ranking | fairly low / ranked no. 65 | moderate / ranked no. 47 |
| Trainability | fairly low | moderate |
| Cold / Heat Tolerance | high / extremely low | moderate / moderate |
Behavior
| Excitability | extremely high | extremely high |
| Playfulness | moderate | moderately high |
| Demand for Affection | moderate | moderately high, thrives on attention and should not be deprived of |
| Watchdog Barking | extremely high / top 3 | extremely high / top 4 |
| Protection | moderately low | moderately low |
| Dominance Over Owner | extremely high | high |
| Good With Dogs | fairly poor, maybe aggressive, two terriers cohabit could mean war unless firm training from young | fairly poor, maybe aggressive |
| Good With Pets | aggressive, fairly poor but can coexist with docile cats | fairly poor towards small animals, maybe aggressive |
| Good With Children | fairly poor, snappy, need close supervision, better with older children | fairly poor, snappy, need close supervision |
| Good With Strangers | fair, reserved | fairly good |
| Problematic Areas | digging and barking when left alone | occasional digging and barking |
Health
| Life Span | 11 – 13 years | 12 – 14 years |
| Major Aliments | von Willebrand’s disease, craniomanadibular osteopathy | Legg-perthes, cell leukodystrophy |
| Minor Aliments | cerebellar abiotrophy, patellar luxation, scotty cramp | cataract, patellar luxation, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, enzyme deficiency |
| Recommended Food | poultry, mutton, wheat, corn, and potato | poultry, lamb, potato, barley, wheat |
Source on Intelligence Ranking:
The Intelligence of Dogs: A Guide to the Thoughts, Emotions, and Inner Lives of Our Canine Companions
Page 192 to 193
Jan 4th 2008
2:49 PM
As a fellow terrier lover and owner, a couple things should be noted regarding your article: The breed intelligence rankings are totally subjective, as in command based and factor in approachability, etc. in the testing. Terriers do not do well here as they are bred to think independently; a higher ranked dog is typically trusting of strangers and will accept commands from anyone. Some of us arent looking for this. You should note where you get your data.
Additonally, scots were certainly used for fox, badger, and vermin hunting, hence the scots much larger jaw and bite. I believe you may have switched the columns between the scot and westie.
Otherwise, a great article!