Scottish Terrier vs Westie: Major Variations (With Photos)

The Scottish Terrier and West Highland White Terrier are purebred canines that belong to the terrier group. Each are Scotland natives and are recognized for his or her shiny and assured personalities. Although they’re each on the smaller aspect, they’ve large personalities and infrequently add extra enjoyable and pleasure to individuals’s lives.

Whereas they share many similarities, Scottish Terriers and Westies even have many extra variations aside from their coat colours. Attending to know every breed’s temperament and distinctive care wants will assist you to decide which one is a greater match for you. Preserve studying to get to know every breed and what each day life with every of them may appear to be.

Visible Variations

At a Look

Scottish Terrier Overview

Character / Character

Scottish Terriers have a little bit of a severe and dignified character, however they do present a extra playful and spunky aspect to their households. These canines are extremely unbiased and have a tendency to have a thoughts of their very own. They’re not recognized to be cuddlers, and regardless of their small measurement, they’re additionally not recognized to be lap canines. They usually want simply being in the identical area as their households without having very many pets.

Whereas they’re unbiased, they’ve a powerful sense of loyalty and don’t do nicely being alone for lengthy hours. They’re additionally dependable watchdogs and have a loud bark. Whereas they’re not recognized to be aggressive towards strangers, they are typically aloof and normally preserve to themselves when there are friends of their houses.

Scottish Terriers usually do finest in houses which have older kids that may deal with them gently and know to go away them alone once they wish to be by themselves. They will get together with different canines, however they’re normally to not be trusted with different pets because of their robust prey drive.

Train

Scottish Terriers have plenty of vitality to expend and normally require no less than 45 minutes of each day train. Whereas a brisk stroll can suffice, these canines normally love working wild and would like to play in a fenced yard and discover and sniff round. Scottish Terriers gained’t decide fights and problem different canines, however they’re additionally not recognized to be very social and doubtless gained’t take pleasure in going to the canine park commonly.

As canines that had been initially bred to hunt, Scottish Terriers are a hardy breed and can take pleasure in accompanying you on out of doors excursions. They might not take pleasure in water actions, however they sometimes love mountain climbing and exploring new locations with their households.

Coaching

One factor to find out about Scottish Terriers is that they’re extremely unbiased. So, though they’re shiny and clever, they are often tough to coach. It takes time to steer Scottish Terriers, they usually do finest with a number of enjoyable and brief coaching classes scattered all through the day.

As a result of Scottish Terriers have such a powerful prey drive, leash coaching could be significantly difficult. It’s normally very tough for them to chorus from chasing squirrels, rabbits, and different small animals that skirt throughout their path.

Well being & Care

Scottish Terriers are a typically wholesome breed. Nevertheless, the breed has genetic predispositions to Scottie cramp, Von Willebrand’s illness, and patellar luxation.

This canine breed additionally requires a good quantity of grooming. Their shedding stage ranges from gentle to reasonable, and each day brushing may help decrease shedding round the home and forestall matting and tangling. Since Scottish Terriers are inclined to have dry pores and skin, it’s vital to not over-bathe them and solely give baths when vital.

Appropriate For:

Scottish Terriers could also be small, however they’re usually well-suited for all times in single-family houses as a result of they generally tend to bark and have plenty of vitality. They’re higher matches for older kids and households with out different pets. As a result of their unbiased personalities, they’re not advisable for first-time canine house owners. Coaching Scottish Terriers require plenty of endurance and expertise with understanding canine habits and constructive coaching strategies.

West Highland White Terrier Overview

Character / Character

West Highland White Terriers, or Westies, are one other iconic and well-recognized canine breed. Just like Scottish Terriers, Westies are assured and unbiased. Nevertheless, they’re not as strong-willed as a Scottish Terrier and are sometimes extra playful and affectionate.

Westies love being round their households and sometimes do nicely with kids and dwelling with different canines. They have an inclination to type robust bonds with one or two of their favourite individuals however should not recognized to be needy or consideration seekers. They normally don’t like being within the highlight and simply want being in the identical neighborhood as their members of the family with out being the focus.

Westies are alert and should tend to bark, however they’re not essentially the most dependable watchdogs. They adapt nicely to condominium dwelling so long as they’re educated out of barking. Additionally they have a powerful prey drive, so they might by no means be totally trusted to be left unsupervised with different pets, particularly small rodents.

Train

Westies are energetic, however they don’t require as a lot train as Scottish Terriers. Whereas they’ll take pleasure in walks across the neighborhood, they’re terriers at coronary heart and luxuriate in romping round off-leash and exploring their environment. Simply needless to say Westies can develop a behavior of digging, so that they’re not the perfect match for individuals who make investments plenty of time and vitality into gardening and landscaping.

Coaching

Westies are typically simpler to coach than Scottish Terriers. They’re extremely smart and a bit extra desperate to please. Nevertheless, they’ll have a cussed streak, particularly in the event that they’re not having enjoyable throughout coaching classes. So, it’s finest to comply with a coaching technique just like the Scottish Terrier. Conserving coaching classes brief, constructive, and inspiring will assist Westies keep motivated and be taught instructions and methods extra rapidly.

You may as well count on leash coaching to be significantly difficult with Westies. As searching canines, they’ve a powerful prey drive and can tend to lunge and chase small animals.

Well being & Care

Westies are wholesome and hardy canines, however chances are you’ll discover some genetic situations that develop as they age. Some frequent well being points present in Westies embody Legg-Calve-Perthes illness, cataracts, and patellar luxation.

Westies are low-shedding canines. They do finest with each day brushing to stop their skinny hairs from getting tangled and matted. Like Scottish Terriers, Westies don’t require frequent baths, and their pores and skin is vulnerable to drying out from too many baths.

Appropriate For:

Westies make great companion canines and are appropriate for first-time canine house owners. Whereas they will not be overly affectionate, they like being with their households and don’t do nicely being dwelling alone for lengthy hours. These canines are typically adaptable and easygoing, to allow them to thrive as city condominium dwellers so long as they get their each day train wants met.

Which Breed Is Proper for You?

On the whole, Scottish Terriers do finest with extra skilled canine house owners, whereas Westies are a substantial breed for first-time canine house owners. Each canine breeds have unbiased personalities, however Westies are inclined to need a bit extra affection and a focus. Scottish Terriers are completely content material with simply being in the identical room as you, they usually gained’t actually trouble you if you happen to’re working from dwelling.

Total, each canines are loyal companions that take pleasure in spending their days with their favourite individuals. They each have a lot love to offer and find yourself changing into beloved members of the family that convey plenty of pleasure to the individuals they love.

Featured Picture Credit score: Left – doanme, Pixabay | Proper – chriskeller, Pixabay