Address barking as communication
Find out what the barking is for — alert, demand, or frustration — before choosing a response. The three need different answers.
Terrier Group
West Highland White Terrier
A hardy Scottish earth dog that has adapted well to town life without losing its opinions. Westies are companionable but rarely biddable in the retriever sense.
ConfidentChattySelf-possessed
What to work on first
Three things that matter more than the rest
Book grooming into the routine
The harsh double coat needs regular stripping or clipping. Train the grooming table as a normal, well-paid place to stand.
Watch the skin
This breed is prone to skin allergies. Learn to spot early scratching patterns and get ahead of them.
Where it usually goes wrong
Common challenges with the West Highland White Terrier
- Demand barking
- Skin sensitivity
- Digging in borders
Behaviour that involves biting, real fear, or a sudden change in an adult dog is not a training problem until a vet has ruled out a medical one.
Read next
Guides that apply to the West Highland White Terrier
Recommended equipment
What our guidance for this breed calls for
Chosen against the training plan above, not against a supplier's bestseller list.
Also in the Terrier group