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Early Scotch Terriers
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In 1860 terrier classes were listed as Black and tan Terriers, White and other English terriers, and a class for Scotch Terriers (not to be confused with the Scottish Terrier). The "Scotch Terrier" class had two varieties; a "white Skye" and "imported Skye". The white is assumed to be a West Highland White Terrier.
The next show record in 1861 had four classes for Terriers: Black and Tans, English, except black and tan, and Scotch and Bull Terriers. At the London show in 1862, the Scotch Terrier class was divided into dogs weighing over six pounds and dogs weighing under six pounds. This same event was the first to offer a more unusual breakdown when it classified "Dandie Dinmonts" and Skye Terriers in different classes than Scotch Terriers.
In 1863 many additional classes for Skyes and Dandie Dinmonts together with separate classification for White Scotch, Fawn Scotch, and Blue Scotch Terriers. By 1873 the only classifications for the Scotch branch of the Terrier family were Skye Terriers and Dandie Dinmont Terriers. Before 1875 the terms Scotch Terrier, Skye Otter Terrier, Tod-hunter, Rough-haired Terrier, Skye Terrier, and even Fox Terrier (in Scotland) were often all used interchangeably, which led to part of the confusion.
The names of the breeds became a serious issue in 1889. Supporters of the breeds we know today as the Scottish Terrier, Cairn Terrier and West Highland White Terriers were all entered as Skye Terriers. The conflict with the breed names was responsible for the difficulty in establishing breed clubs.
Another important part of Terrier history is a letter written by the son of Colonel E. D. Malcolm (who is credited as being the "father" of the West Highland White Terrier). The letter states that the Colonel, upon returning from the Crimean war (circa 1860) was hunting with his Terrier pack and shot one of his favorite dogs, a reddish brindle fellow, who was scampering through the underbrush- he had mistaken him for a hare. The loss of the dog made the Colonel vow on the spot to propagate only "white 'uns" in the future so that a recurrence of the tragedy would never again occur. This indicates beyond question that the Colonel's pack included red brindles as well as whites, all from the same breeding stock.
In 1899 a group known as "The White Scottish Terrier Club" petitioned the Kennel Club for separate classes for whites. The request was denied in 1900, though at the Crufts show in 1907 there were classes for Whites, and West Highland White Terriers were entered into the stud book as a separate breed. No West Highland Whites were registered until 1908 though.
Many fanciers of the Cairn Terrier were also devotees of either or both of the two related breeds, Scottish and West Highland White Terriers. The Cairn and West Highland Whites were closely allied in basic blood and many breeders still kept both breeds. Interbreeding was used to improve the Cairn which had been down in size and sometimes lacked the bone and substance that was desired. The practice of interbreeding the two strains was condoned by both the English and American Kennel Club for quite some time, and in English the offspring was registered as "Cairn-West Highland crosses". The offspring were exhibited in classes for Cairns when color permitted. The white ones from a litter were most likely sold as West Highland Whites. No stigma was attached to the practice of interbreeding. This is proven by the fact that CH Gesto (1909), a pillar of the Cairns and the first male title holder, was sired by a West Highland White Terrier. "Gesto" become one of the great early stud forces and his "mixed blood" surely produced some white offspring, mainly because many of the females he was mated with were also a result of interbreeding as well.
In 1917 the American Kennel Club took action and barred any Cairn from registration if it was the product of such mixed breeding practice. This action causes the English to take a second look at the practice themselves, and they discontinued allowing this to occur.