That means a Westie pup’s coat will start off lighter, thinner and much easier care. This will vary, especially with Westie-crosses, but in general the adult Westie coat may not come through until around 12 months of age, in some cases the adult coat won’t fully develop for years. The change! The puppy coat versus the adult coat: Although hand-stripping is more often done for show dogs, more and more groomers now offer hand-stripping. Clipping creates a softer coat over time. Striping returns the Westie coat to the correct, harsher, more wiry texture. Keep in mind if you clip the Westie coat, that will shorten it, but won’t remove that old dead hair, so dead coat should always be removed before you clip (this can be done by hand-stripping or using a deshedding tool if you prefer not to hand-strip). To create the correct Westie coat texture they are traditionally hand-stripped, not clipped, however pet Westies are often clipped. To get that dead coat out and prevent tangles, knots and mats forming, regular brushing is required (unless you keep the coat clipped short). Westies have a longer coat than some terriers. You may notice light shedding, however most of the old coat is retained instead of dropping out, meaning the old dead coat needs to be removed during grooming instead. The Westie coat is called non-shed but does actually shed (all non-shed coats still shed). The Westie is part of the ‘rough haired terrier’ group and has low-allergy, double coat, with a harsher outer coat and softer cottony undercoat. If your dog is a West Highland White Terrier or Westie cross with a Westie coat type, this guide is for you! That’s why we created this Ultimate Grooming Guide to help answer all your questions about coat type, coat care, clippers, blades, comb attachments, brushes, shampoo and more, all for the Westie coat.

The West Highland White Terrier - or Westie for short - is a breed and coat type we get asked a lot about.

Dog clipper size chart