breed of sturdy, compact terrier developed in Scotland in the early 19th cent. It stands about 11 in. (27.9 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 13 to 20 lb (5.9-9.1 kg). Its white, water-resistant double coat consists of a short, dense, soft underlayer and a hard, curl-free topcoat about 2 in. (5 cm) long. The West Highland white, descending from the same ancestral stock as the cairn, Dandie Dinmont, and Scottish terrier, was used to hunt small game both on land and in the water. In recent times it has been popular chiefly as a house pet. See dog .
