Plate 077 · British Isles
West Highland White Terrier
西高地白㹴
“A Highland terrier said to have been bred white so it would never be mistaken for a fox.”
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Poltalloch, Argyll, western Scottish Highlands
- Region of origin
- Strongly associated with Colonel Edward Malcolm of Poltalloch; other Highland families bred similar white terriers.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Modern breed from the late 19th century; white Highland terriers kept earlier
- Today
- Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
Then → Now
Then · 1915A West Highland White Terrier in W. E. Mason's Dogs of All Nations (1915), photographed by the Thomas Fall studio — eight years after the Kennel Club recognised the breed (1907).
Thomas Fall (studio), in W. E. Mason's Dogs of All Nations (1915) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
NowPleple2000 · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons
History
01 · Origin
Poltalloch, Argyll, western Scottish Highlands
A small white terrier from the western Highlands of Scotland.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
An earthdog bred to hunt rats and other burrowing vermin.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Colonel Edward Malcolm of Poltalloch is credited with favouring white terriers, reputedly after a reddish terrier was mistaken for a fox and shot. The breed was recognised in the early 20th century.
04 · Today
Companion
A confident, cheerful small companion.
Personality
- Confident
- Cheerful
- Alert
- Independent
- Vocal tendency
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: this atlas’s editorial summary on a 1–5 scale, for rough comparison between breeds here — not a measurement or a standardised assessment.
- Size
- Small
- Lifespan
- 13–15 years
- Coat
- Harsh, white double coat
Field note
A popular story says Colonel Malcolm bred white terriers after one of his darker dogs was accidentally shot, mistaken for a fox.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Terrier Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI, The Kennel Club (UK)
- Popular in
- United States
Among the most popular small terriers. AKC registrations: ranked 45 among breeds in 2025.
Sources2 references
- West Highland White Terrier — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/west-highland-white-terrier/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-07 · Registry status and AKC group; AKC recognition 1908 per AKC "Breeds by Year Recognized". Used as a registry reference only.
- West Highland White Terrier (encyclopedia overview) — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Highland_White_Terrier
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-07 · Secondary overview; cross-check claims against primary breed-club sources.
Image credits
Thomas Fall (studio), in W. E. Mason's Dogs of All Nations (1915) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Pleple2000 · CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: Strongly associated with Colonel Edward Malcolm of Poltalloch; other Highland families bred similar white terriers.
