Scottish Deerhound

They retain the instincts of an earth dog, such as being inquisitive and investigative, as well as natural instincts to bark and dig holes.

Westies are tied for 47th place with the Scottish Deerhound in Stanley Coren's 1994 book, The Intelligence of Dogs, which designates them as being of average working obedience intelligence and places them almost exactly in the middle of the list.

A 2015 French study found a life expectancy of 12.93 years, while a 2024 British study found a life expectancy of 13.4 years, averaging 12.7 years for pure breeds and 12 years for crossbreeds.

The typical litter size is between 3 and 5 puppies.