Alert-looking, adorable, and stylish, Westies are functional little dogs with an attractive balance of soundness and athleticism, making them ready for just about anything.  Westies love the outdoors; they are excellent hunters with efficient little bodies and a canniness that amuses and amazes.  They also love their homes, and are happy to curl up contentedly by the hearth, safely out of the blustery cold.  The Westie has strong front legs, thick nails and pads, with an ever-so-slight turnout to the front feet-which are larger than the rear ones.  This trait is essential so that he can move the earth sideways in search of his quarry without the risk of digging himself into his hole.

The Westie possesses strong jaws, large teeth, and keen intelligence, as well as the high predatory drive appropriate to his life's work. 

Small but confident, plucky and hardy, the West Highland White Terrier is a beautifully balanced, stellar showman of a dog possessing a deep chest and well-sprung ribs.  His back is straight and level and his hindquarters strong.  He's an agile, active, and efficient mover with a seemingly, endless reserve of endurance.  His double coat is composed of a topcoat of hard guard hairs-which should ideally be about two inches long-and a downy thermal protective undercoat.

Westies are ready for anything.  He is bold but not belligerent; if confronted, he's not about to turn tail and run away.  He is feisty, intelligent, extremely adept at problem solving, and moderately obedient.  He's more responsive to obedience training than many other breeds.  Terrriers are not known for being "pleaser" dogs, but Westies can be the exception.