Considering buying a Westie

poet123

We are thinking of buying a Westie, are there any Westie owners out there with any information on a reputable breeder in the north of England.

At a push we could travel but it would be easier if it was local to Cheshire.

propinquitas

Hi Poet123, just a thought but have you thought of rescuing one? There are dedicated westie rescues with some lovely little dogs on them. some sad stories also...

poet123

Thanks for that suggestion, I will think about it, but I think that I would like to choose from a litter, and so be drawn to one in particular ifyswim! and we would like a puppy rather than an older dog.

propinquitas

What about Winston the 17 month old?

http://westiesinneed.co.uk/dogs-for-adoption.php

;-)

Just kidding - good luck to you anyway.

poet123

propinquitas wrote: »

What about Winston the 17 month old?

http://westiesinneed.co.uk/dogs-for-adoption.php

;-)

Just kidding - good luck to you anyway.

They are all quite cute I think that the expected "donation" of up to £500 would deter many peiople who could give a needy dog a good home though.

propinquitas

I agree. I have no idea what a puppy would cost but this mentions £700 - is that about right?

poet123

In the ads I have seen the prices range from £350 to £500.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

A tricky breed - either sweet as anything, or snappy, aggressive and horrendously, expensively ill within a few months.

Why not discuss Westies as a whole with the rescue, and when you have details about the issues that the existing ones commonly have, you would be better informed for your search (and having considered the negatives of the adults, you can be certain buying a puppy is definitely what you want to do)?

And if the accepted rate for a pup is £500, why do you suppose they are being advertised at a 'rock bottom' price? It's not likely to be because the seller wants to make people happy.

Frugalista

This link gives further links all the UK West Highland White breed clubs and rescues ....

http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/club/breed-list.aspx?id=3082

I would speak to a couple of the club secretaries who will be able to answer your questions and put you in touch with the appropriate people (either reputable breeders or breed rescue).

Make sure you ask about the skin problems inherent in this breed and see if there are certain bloodlines with fewer problems.

Hope this helps and Good Luck .

poet123

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

A tricky breed - either sweet as anything, or snappy, aggressive and horrendously, expensively ill within a few months.

Why not discuss Westies as a whole with the rescue, and when you have details about the issues that the existing ones commonly have, you would be better informed for your search (and having considered the negatives of the adults, you can be certain buying a puppy is definitely what you want to do)?

And if the accepted rate for a pup is £500, why do you suppose they are being advertised at a 'rock bottom' price? It's not likely to be because the seller wants to make people happy.

Thanks for that info re temperament. I have no idea what the accepted price is, but whatever it is, I am sure like everything there is price fluctuation according to supply and demand, and pedigree.

I am also considering a Bischon Frise, are there any isssues specific to them that I need be aware of?

foreign_correspondent

You really do need to research breeders carefully - sadly, both bichons and westies seem to be favourite breeds of unethical puppy farmers, who often breed from dogs in poor condition, and with health problems. The dogs trust refer to this as the 'battery farming' of dogs - and it's a cruel and unethical trade.

Many tears is a rescue that takes in many ex breeding b1tches and dogs -
http://manytearsrescue.webs.com/dogslookingforhomes.htm
- if you look at the dogs they have in, these two breeds are definitely over-represented, and often come in in very poor condition, and as damaged little dogs, unused to kind human contact. Apart from the ethics, puppy farmed pups are more likely to be sickly and have health conditions. .

Please do explore as much as you can, so you can make an informed choice - there is some interesting information on the dogs trust website, who say:

Our campaign against the battery farming of dogs highlights the fact that the UK dog-owning public is being duped into buying dogs from puppy farms, inadvertently fuelling the cruel trade and potentially landing themselves with huge vet bills.In a recent survey, we asked dog owners if they would consider buying a dog from a puppy farm. Although almost 95% said no, when asked where they had got their dog from 15.1% - potentially 900,000 dog owners – admitted they had got them from an advert in the newspaper, the internet, a pet shop or a pet superstore, all outlets often supplied by puppy farms

.
More info here, including advice on 'Buying a Dog':
http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/az/b/batteryfarmeddogs/default.aspx