Color Profiles Offer More than Palettes

For more than twenty years, my life has been shared with a small pack of West Highland Terriers. First there were Dudley and Fergie, brother and sister. Today there are Murphy and Josie. Four dogs across two decades, each with a completely distinct presence, each revealing something different about the nature of dogs.

Dudley was the embodiment of what anyone might call the Goodest Boy. Warm, steady, and deeply connected, he moved through life with a kind of quiet generosity. He welcomed people easily and had a way of grounding the entire household with his calm loyalty.

Fergie was something entirely different. Elegant, particular, and selective about where she placed her attention, she carried herself with unmistakable standards. She didn’t need to win anyone over. Her loyalty was deliberate and deeply earned. The word “Diva” began as a joke, but over time it became clear that it was actually a remarkably accurate description.

Murphy brought another energy entirely. Confident, expressive, and often convinced he should be in charge of everything happening around him, he naturally stepped into a leadership role within the household. His personality was bold and directive in a way that felt unmistakable. “Bossy Pants” was the only name that truly fit.

Then there is Josie. Where Murphy brings authority, Josie brings sunshine. She approaches life with enthusiasm and curiosity, greeting people, dogs, and experiences with joyful openness. Her energy naturally draws others in, like a little social spark moving through the room.

Four dogs. Four personalities. Four unmistakable ways of being.

At first, these differences simply felt like the natural variation that exists between dogs. But after years of working with dogs in the 90’s and living alongside them for decades, those same personality patterns revealed something interesting. Different breeds, different homes, different environments—yet the same recognizable types of presence emerging again and again.

Eventually those patterns formed what are now called the WestieWear™ Color Profiles. I initially created them to help color-challenged individuals envision their dog in a custom sweater. But over the past 8 months since launching WestieWear, my relationship with my own dogs has shifted as a result of naming, acknowledging, and respecting their individual traits at a different level. I have noticed how I have become more patient with Murphy’s Bossy Pants behaviors (which, to be perfectly honest, are not always fun.) And I am able to meet Josie’s “needy” Bumble Bee always-love-me characteristics with more gratitude for who she is, and more love, and cuddle time versus irritation.

The Doggy Diva—poised, discerning, and particular about where attention is placed.
The Goodest Boy or Girl—warm, loyal, and naturally devoted to connection.
The Bossy Pants—confident, expressive, and comfortable stepping into leadership.
The Bumble Bee—joyful, curious, and socially energized by the world around them.

Once you see these personalities clearly, you begin to recognize them in your own dogs and the dogs of others: at the dog park, in photos people share, in the small interactions between dogs and their people. The Profiles simply gave language to something many dog owners already sense instinctively.

I’m grateful to make these custom sweaters that celebrate their individual personalities. And for many people, discovering their dog’s Profile is only the beginning. Because once you start seeing your dog through the lens of personality, you start understanding them in a new way.

Not just as a pet. But as the distinct, remarkable individual they have been all along.