West Highland White Terrier vs Patterdale Terrier

Compare the West Highland White Terrier to the Patterdale Terrier. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between West Highland White Terriers and Patterdale Terriers.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both breeds are good choices for new or inexperienced owners, but the West Highland White Terrier is better suited for new owners.
Children - The West Highland White Terrier is very child friendly. The Patterdale Terrier does okay around kids, but is not as tolerant as the West Highland White Terrier.
Grooming - Both breeds have low maintenance coats, but the Patterdale Terrier is easier to groom.
Barking - Both the West Highland White Terrier and Patterdale Terrier are very vocal and will bark/howl frequently.

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West Highland White Terrier vs Patterdale Terrier

Breed Name	West Highland White Terrier	Patterdale Terrier
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	Yes	No
Lifespan	11-16 yrs.	11-13 yrs.
Height	14-16 in.	10-20 in.
Weight	15-20 lb	11-18 lb
Intelligence	Average	High
History
Origin Country	UK (Scotland)	United Kingdom
Origin Year	1500 AD	1940 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Very Good	Below Average
Pet Friendly	Very Good	Below Average
Stranger Friendly	Good	Good
Personality
	Affectionate Does Not Like Being Alone Stubborn	Affectionate Loving Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	Yes	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	Yes
Large Yard	No	Yes
Temperature Tolerance ¹	30°F to 85°F	55°F to 80°F
Barks/Howls	Very Often	Very Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	High	Very High
Exercise Required	Medium-High	Very High
Top Running Speed	18 mph	20 mph
Strength	Medium	Medium
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	Medium
Shedding	Low	Medium
Dander	Low	Low
Drool Amount	None	None

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	West Highland White Terrier	Patterdale Terrier
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	No	Yes
Independent	Yes	Yes
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	Yes	No
Average	No	No
Focused & Patient	No	Yes
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Average	High
Chasing	High	High
Follow Commands	Below Average	Average
Fighting	Very Low	Average
Guarding	Very Low	Below Average
Herding	Very Low	Below Average
Hunting	Average	High
Protection	Very Low	Average
Remove Vermin	High	High
Sledding	Very Low	Very Low
Watch	Below Average	High

Health Comparison
Breed Name	West Highland White Terrier	Patterdale Terrier
Lifespan
Lifespan	11-16 yrs.	11-13 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Atopic Dermatitis	Yes	No
Cataracts	Yes	No
Conjunctivitis	No	Yes
Craniomandibular Osteopathy	Yes	No
Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy	Yes	No
Hyperplastic Dermatosis	Yes	No
Inflammatory Bowel Disease	Yes	No
Legg-perthes Disease	Yes	No
Patellar Luxation	Yes	No
Pulmonary Fibrosis	Yes	No
White Dog Shaker Syndrome	Yes	No

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	West Highland White Terrier	Patterdale Terrier
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	Yes
Smooth Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Shaggy	Yes	No
Wavy	Yes	No
Rough	No	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Medium	Yes	Yes
Short	No	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Solid White	Yes	No
Black	No	Yes
Black & Tan	No	Yes
Blue	No	Yes
Brindle	No	Yes
Bronze	No	Yes
Chocolate	No	Yes
Red	No	Yes
Tan	No	Yes