Miniature Schnauzer vs West Highland White Terrier

A Miniature Schnauzer
Photo: Zorik07
A West Highland White Terrier
Photo: Christopher Walker from Krakow, Poland

Side by side

Miniature Schnauzer
West Highland White Terrier
Adult weight
4–8 kg (8.8–18 lb)1
Males 8.3–11.9 kg (18–26 lb); females 7.4–10.6 kg (16–23 lb) (measured in UK vet records, n = 6,605, mean ±1 SD)2
Height
Males 30–35 cm; females 30–35 cm1
No sourced figure
Lifespan
Median 13.3 years3
Median 13.4 years3
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes4
Group
Pinschers & molossoids1
Terriers5
Coat
Wire or harsh coat1
Wire or harsh coat5
Shedding
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Grooming
A brush once a week
Exercise
A modest amount
A moderate amount
Health
Adrenal gland tumour (much more likely); Dry eye (much more likely)6,7
Dry eye (far more likely); Insulin-secreting pancreatic tumour (much more likely)7,8
Class
Companion
Companion

Which suits you

Size
The West Highland White Terrier is larger on average: about 9.6 kg (21 lb) as an adult, against 6 kg (13 lb) for the Miniature Schnauzer.
Exercise
Plan for a moderate amount of exercise with the West Highland White Terrier, and a modest amount with the Miniature Schnauzer.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Miniature Schnauzer: cooperative, with its own ideas; West Highland White Terrier: decides for itself) and on sensitivity (Miniature Schnauzer: average; West Highland White Terrier: hardy, takes a busy home in its stride).
Alike
Both are rated the same on voice: very vocal.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Miniature Schnauzer
Pinschers & molossoids · Small

The Miniature Schnauzer is alert, lively and quick to learn, and closely attached to its household. It tends to bark at strangers and unfamiliar sounds, which suits its old role as a watchdog.

West Highland White Terrier
Terriers · Small

In character the breed is confident, alert and cheerful, with the independence and persistence of a working terrier and a strong urge to dig and chase.

The Miniature Schnauzer page →The West Highland White Terrier page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Miniature Schnauzer
West Highland White Terrier
Activity
A good daily walk and play
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Needs steady training
Needs steady training
With people
Miniature Schnauzer
West Highland White Terrier
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Decides for itself
Around the home
Miniature Schnauzer
West Highland White Terrier
Sensitivity
Differs
Average
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Voice
Very vocal
Very vocal
Prey drive
Differs
Chases; needs managing
Likely to chase small pets
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour9. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home10,11.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The West Highland White Terrier grows to the heavier adult, about 9.7 kg against the Miniature Schnauzer's 6 kg.
Miniature Schnauzer
West Highland White Terrier
0510152m4m6m9m12m18m
0510152m3m4m6m9m12m18m

More comparisons

Compare the Miniature Schnauzer with
Cairn Terrier vs West Highland White TerrierMiniature Schnauzer vs Standard SchnauzerWest Highland White Terrier vs Yorkshire TerrierMaltese vs West Highland White TerrierWire Fox Terrier vs Miniature SchnauzerStandard Schnauzer vs West Highland White TerrierAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·