How long does a West Highland White Terrier live?

The listed lifespan for a West Highland White Terrier is 13–15 years.

How tall is a West Highland White Terrier?

The listed height for a West Highland White Terrier is 11 in (male), 10 in (female).

Is a West Highland White Terrier good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a West Highland White Terrier is 5 out of 5.

When is a West Highland White Terrier full grown?

The growth size band for a West Highland White Terrier is 8–12 months.

Terrier Group

West Highland White Terrier

West Highland White Terrier is a small dog in the Terrier Group. Adult weight is 15–20 lb, height is 11 in (male), 10 in (female), and the listed lifespan is 13–15 years. AKC describes the temperament as Loyal, Happy, Entertaining.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

West Highland White Terrier dog — Photo: SheltieBoy · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan13–15 years

Weight15–20 lb

SizeSmall GroupTerrier Group

Height

11 in (male), 10 in (female)

Energy

4 / 5

Shedding

3 / 5

Grooming

3 / 5

Trainability

3 / 5

Good with kids

5 / 5

The breed record

Across 45 single-size small breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 14 years is about 0.4 years longer than the 13.6-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 17.5 lb is about 1.5 lb heavier than the 16 lb average for those small breeds.

The listed origin is Scotland. The coat is described as double, medium. The AKC energy score is 4 out of 5, 0.4 points above the group average of 3.6 for the Terrier Group. Shedding scores 3 out of 5. Grooming scores 3 out of 5. Trainability scores 3 out of 5. Good with children scores 5 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 45 in 2025.

Adult size is usually reached in 8–12 months (size-band statement (Salt et al. 2017): very small dogs reach maturity at 8-12 months). AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Patella Evaluation, Hip Evaluation, Ophthalmologist Evaluation, and Craniomandibular Osteopathy. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

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