Westie puppy?

Spendless · 21 October 2017 at 2:06PM

My parents have a Westie, around 5yo I think. She is full of character. She doesn't bark at a set time each day, but she will bark at animals on tv (this includes cartoon ones!) but she doesn't do it at my Grandmother's home (we wonder if it's a territorial thing). She will also bark if she hears anyone go past, but my parents property backs on to a passage to a nearby field, so people going past she can't see is a frequent occurrance

She does have skin issues and she's had ops on her legs (I don't know if the latter is common in her breed).

oystercatcher · 21 October 2017 at 2:09PM

Westies are not for the fainthearted. They can be very willful and naughty . They are also very prone to allergies which can be expensive and complicated to manage so , if you buy a puppy do make sure the breeder has researched this properly and that the parents are not allergy prone.

That being said they are amazing little dogs and I would have one in a flash but please read up and make sure they are right for you. Other breeds may be easier to manage . Many many dogs are in rescue kennels waiting to be rehomed too so please consider this also.

teddysmum · 21 October 2017 at 4:17PM

If you want a rescue, Many Tears in Wales have lots of westies ,some in Wales and others fostered in various places. They have puppies, ex-breeders and dogs whose owners have died or had to give them up. However,they are very fussy and will not let puppies go to homes where they will be left for more than a couple of hours and timid dogs have togo to homes where there is another friendly dog as a companion.

unholyangel · 21 October 2017 at 5:02PM

We have a 9 year old westie. She barks at the tv when animals are on (and will even come running down from upstairs when she hears certain adverts/show tunes), will bark at dogs & animals she sees passing, will growl if you pick her up when she's comfy etc. She's never been encouraged to do this by us (the opposite), she's just quite vocal.

In fact I often say that my staffies idea of fun is chasing her ball, while the westies idea of fun is chasing the staffy while barking at her to tell her off. They do tend to think they're the boss though.

They're brilliant dogs in general however they do have some drawbacks. They can be crabbit - like a jack russell. They also are prone to health issues - particularly with their skin & digestive system (which can be costly and require ongoing treatment with no end in sight). They also require quite a bit of grooming. Ours gets cut every 8 weeks or so I think. And because of their digestive issues, that can mean runny poos - which are a nightmare given the white coat.

Red-Squirrel_2 · 21 October 2017 at 9:24PM

unholyangel wrote: »

will growl if you pick her up when she's comfy

I think most dogs will do that, and fair enough in my opinion!

silverbeetle · 28 October 2017 at 3:23PM

unholyangel wrote: »

We have a 9 year old westie. She barks at the tv when animals are on (and will even come running down from upstairs when she hears certain adverts/show tunes).

My eight year old westie does this - he can recognise adverts on the first note even if you hit the mute button. We have an open plan living room/kitchen and he will run into the kitchen to check where the animals on the TV have run off to. He is a smashing character - quite feisty and very stubborn but great fun.

He only really barks at the TV and also in the car when we arrive at our destination. He knows the car journey usually means a great walk so he gets very excited.

So far we have not had any issues with skin problems but I do feed him a tin of mackerel once each week to help his skin. He is fed on good quality grain free food. He has a lovely thick glossy coat and excellent skin.

Rosieandjim · 30 October 2017 at 3:43PM

What about a cairn terrier I have never come across one (when trained ) who barked for the sake of it. In fact the ones I have come across have been a pleasure. Very like the westie to look at but do not seem to have the skin problems of the white dogs.

Dannii75 · 30 October 2017 at 4:17PM

I have an 2yr old rescue Westie. I've trained him not to bark at the TV & other animals, I used to send him straight to his bed when he was a pup (only for a few minutes, kind of like the naughty step), it seems to have worked! He's a real character though. I've had a few dogs in my lifetime but he's quite special. Westies really can be very stubborn, be ready to stand your ground!

Westie_Fan · 30 October 2017 at 10:22PM

Westies are not for the fainthearted! But with good training, they are superb, personable companions. My westie is singleminded and it has taken a lot of persistent (and consistent) training to get him to respond to me when something more interesting has his attention. I've heard it said that they are a big dog in a small dog's body and I definitely think that is true - you definitely need to let them know you are in charge. But, that does mean they have big personalities so life is never dull when they are around. I've had a toy poodle and a chorkie before and, although I loved them dearly, I will never have another breed having had a Westie - he is special, and worth the hard work. My tip is to get the diet right - I use Royal Canin Westie breed food and whenever we have given him something else, his skin acts up. We don't have the same issues with the Royal Canon - diet does make such a difference to their health.

pulliptears · 2 November 2017 at 1:11PM

Our Westie was a lovely boy. He passed aged 14 and never really had a days illness in his life.
He was a lazy toad, loved his corner of the sofa. Equally he'd love a long walk or a good game of fetch. He had a lovely temperament too.

We have a Scottish Terrier now, don't make the mistake of confusing the breed &#55357;&#56834;
Scotties are incredibly loyal, are not keen on strangers and can be the most stubborn creatures on the planet. All that said, I'd not change my boy for the world.

Westie puppy?

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