The breed standard is a description of the ideal type of a breed. It is drawn up in the country of origin, deposited with the International Federation of Dog Breeders and distributed to the individual member organisations, so that they have uniform criteria for assessing each dog breed.

GENERAL APPEARANCE:

The westie is a small robust terrier with no small amount of self-esteem. It is strongly built, deep in chest and back ribs, with straight back, powerful hindquarters, and muscular legs.

TEMPERAMENT

Happy, alert, gay, courageous, self-reliant but friendly.

HEAD AND SKULL

Skull slightly domed; when handled across forehead presents a smooth contour. Tapering very slightly from skull at level of ears to eyes. Distance from occiput to eyes slightly greater than length of foreface. Head thickly coated with hair, and carried at right angle or less, to axis of neck. Head not to be carried in extended position. Foreface gradually tapering from eye to muzzle. Distinct stop formed by heavy, bony ridges immediately above and slightly overhanging eye, and slight indentation between eyes. Foreface not dished nor falling away quickly below eyes, where it is well made up. Jaws strong and level. Nose black and fairly large, forming smooth contour with rest of muzzle. Nose not projecting forward.

EYES

Medium in size, set wide apart, not full, as dark as possible. Slightly sunk in head, sharp and intelligent, which, looking from under heavy eyebrows, impart a piercing look. Light coloured eyes highly undesirable.

EARS

Small, erect and carried firmly, terminating in sharp point, set neither too wide nor too close. Hair short and smooth (velvety), should not be cut. Free from any fringe at top. Round-pointed, broad, large or thick ears or too heavily coated with hair most undesirable.

TEETH

Because of the mandatory jaunty look, the bite should be as wide set as necessary between the two canine teeth. The teeth should be set perpendicular to the jaw and should be large, relative to the overall size of the dog.

NECK

Sufficiently long to allow proper set of head required, muscular and gradually thickening towards base allowing neck to merge intonicely sloping shoulders.

FOREQUARTERS

Shoulders sloping backwards. Shoulder blades broad and lying close to chest wall. Shoulder joint placed forward, elbow well in, allowing foreleg to move freely, parallel to axis of body. Forelegs short and muscular, straight and thickly covered with short, hard hair.

BODY

Compact. Back level, loins broad and strong. Chest deep and ribs well arched in upper half presenting a flattish side appearance. Back ribs of considerable depth and distance from last rib of quarters as short as compatible with free movement of body.

HINDQUARTERS

Strong, muscular and wide across top. Legs short, muscular and sinewy. Thighs very muscular and not too wide apart. Hocks bent and well set in under body so as to be fairly close to each other when standing or moving. Straight or weak hocks most undesirable.

FEET

Forefeet larger than hind, round, proportionate in size, strong, thickly padded and covered with short harsh hair. Hindfeet are smaller and thickly padded. Under surface of pads and all nails preferable black. TAIL 5 to 6 inches long, covered with harsh hair, no feathering, as straight as possible, carried jauntily, not gay or carried over back. A long tail undesirable, and on no account should tails be docked.

GAIT/MOVEMENT

Free, straight and easy all round. In front legs freely extended forward from shoulder. Hind movement free, strong and close. Stifleand hocks well flexed and hocks drawn under body giving drive. stiff, stilted movement behind and cow hocks highly undesirable.

COAT Double coated. Outer coat consists of harsh hair, about 5 cms (2 ins) long, free from any curl. Undercoat, which resembles fur, short, soft and close. Open coats most undesirable.

COLOUR

White. SIZE - Height: approx. 28 cms (11 ins) at withers.

NOTE Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.