Best Dog Food for a West Highland Terrier
A West Highland Terrier doesn't need an unusual diet, but the breed is well known for skin and coat sensitivities, so a food that's gentle on the stomach and skin is a sensible starting point rather than a nice-to-have. Portion size matters too: Westies are a small breed and overfeeding shows up quickly around a compact frame.
Feeding a West Highland White Terrier
A small breed
An adult West Highland White Terrier typically weighs 6.8–9.1 kg, so a healthy West Highland White Terrier eats a modest amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A small breed is usually done growing at 10–12 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 12–16 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
Small mouths, crowded teeth
Smaller breeds get dental disease more often than big ones, largely because the same number of teeth are packed into a shorter jaw. Kibble size is worth checking, and a dental chew counts towards the daily 10% of calories from treats.
How much should a West Highland White Terrier weigh?
Adult 6.8–9.1 kgfully grown at 10–12 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 1.1–1.5 kg | 17% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 1.8–2.5 kg | 27% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 3.7–4.9 kg | 54% |
| 10–12 months | Fully grown | 6.8–9.1 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a small breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a West Highland White Terrier
Complete foods from our range, matched to a West Highland White Terrier's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Pedigree Can in Jelly Puppy 6 Pack
Complete Pedigree puppy food in jelly with chicken, lamb and poultry recipes
£10.15
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
Why skin and coat come up so often with this breed
Westies carry a distinctive double coat and are one of the breeds owners most often mention having itchy skin or recurring ear and paw irritation. Diet is only one factor among many — grooming, allergens in the home and genetics all play a part — but a food built around a single protein source with minimal added extras is a reasonable place to start if you're trying to rule things in or out.
That's why sensitive-formula foods come up so often in West Highland Terrier discussions: they tend to use fewer ingredients overall, which makes it easier to spot if a particular food doesn't agree with your dog.
Portion size for a small, energetic breed
A Westie is a small dog with a big personality and plenty of energy for its size, and it's easy to overfeed a breed that size without meaning to. Follow the guideline on the pack for your dog's actual weight rather than a household habit of ‘a scoop’, and adjust gradually if your dog is carrying more weight than it should.
Smaller kibble pieces generally suit smaller mouths better and are easier for an older Westie with worn teeth to manage.
Wet, dry or a mix
Dry food is the simplest to portion accurately for a small dog and keeps well between meals. Wet food can help tempt a fussier eater or add moisture for a dog that doesn't drink much, and plenty of owners feed a small amount of both.
If your Westie has ever reacted to a food, changing one thing at a time and giving it a couple of weeks makes it far easier to tell what actually helped.
Common questions
- Do West Highland Terriers need a special sensitive-skin food?
- Not every Westie needs one, but the breed is prone enough to skin and digestive sensitivity that a lot of owners find a simpler, fewer-ingredient food helps. If your dog has ongoing skin or ear problems, it's worth discussing with your vet alongside any change of food.
- How much should I feed my Westie?
- Start from the guideline on the food's packaging for your dog's current weight, and check your dog's body condition every few weeks rather than sticking rigidly to a fixed amount forever. Weight creeps up quickly on a small frame if portions run a little heavy.
- Is grain-free food better for a Westie's skin?
- Grain-free isn't automatically better for skin; most skin sensitivities relate to a specific protein or additive rather than grain itself. A simpler ingredient list, grain-free or not, is usually more useful than the grain-free label on its own.
- Can I switch my Westie's food if the current one isn't agreeing with them?
- Yes, but switch gradually over a week or so, mixing increasing amounts of the new food with the old, and change only one thing at a time so you can tell what helped. If symptoms are severe or ongoing, get your vet to have a look before you keep experimenting.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.