Begin the Westie file with identity, origin and a skin baseline
A West Highland White Terrier record opens with microchip details, ownership and breeder or rescue papers, age, photographs and notes on coat condition on arrival. Every Westie is white, so identification leans on markings such as ear shape, any faint biscuit shading, body size and clear face photos rather than coat colour. Add collar size and a photo of the dog standing, which helps if the dog is ever found away from home.
Record a skin baseline on the first day, because it anchors everything later. Note whether the coat felt soft or harsh, whether skin underneath looked calm, any scratching, paw licking or ear odour present on arrival, and what the breeder or rescue reported about previous skin flare-ups and food. Add the food, amounts and treats the Westie arrived on, and the first vet practice details.
Keep vet, weight and ear notes in one Westie health log
The health section for a West Highland White Terrier should list vet visits, vaccinations, parasite prevention and follow-ups in date order, with weight at each visit. Ears belong in this log, not an afterthought. Note head shaking, scratching at ears, odour or discharge you noticed, cleaning dates and what the vet found at checks. Write observations plainly and date them. If scratching becomes constant, skin looks raw, an ear smells strong or appetite falls, contact your vet and bring the combined skin, ear and weight timeline.
Log white-coat grooming, baths and skin response after each session
Grooming records for a West Highland White Terrier should capture hand-stripping or clipping approach, bath dates, brushing frequency and how the coat and skin responded each time. A white coat shows tear staining, grass stains and skin redness clearly, so note staining around eyes and beard, any discolouration of paws from licking, and whether it is new or longstanding.
Record the class of shampoo used for each bath and whether itching increased or settled in the following days. That single habit prevents a well-meaning groomer from repeating a wash that flared your Westie's skin. Also log nail trims, beard cleaning after meals and bottom checks, because a practical terrier who digs and roots in gardens brings the outdoors home in that double coat.
Record terrier behaviour, digging and training notes
A West Highland White Terrier record should include the behaviour side of a confident little terrier. Note digging spots, barking at wildlife or post, reactions to other dogs, recall reliability off lead in secure areas, and how introductions to visitors went. Record which games channelled the chase instinct safely and which cues are reliable when a squirrel appears.
Training notes help everyone handle the Westie consistently. Write down house rules that matter, such as furniture boundaries if you have them, the cue words your household actually uses, and what rewards work when terrier focus locks onto something outdoors. A sitter reading those specifics will keep routines steady instead of inventing new rules during your absence, which a strong-willed Westie will happily exploit.
Keep one current Westie packet and review it season by season
Westie paperwork accumulates across vets, groomers and breeders. Pull it into one packet, update it after every appointment, bath reaction, food change or skin flare, and clearly replace outdated feeding or grooming instructions. Back up the packet digitally so the skin history can be shown at a first visit to a new clinic without relying on memory.
Seasonal reviews suit this breed well, because skin, pollen exposure and coat condition shift through the year and the log should show that rhythm. When a West Highland White Terrier's records sit together in KinsLe as a Pet Passport, the long skin and care history is available as one packet wherever the dog is seen.