Thinking About Getting A Westie (west Highland White Terrier)?
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I’m fifteen, and I’d be the primary care giver. What are your experiences with Westies? Is there much personality variation between male and female? Are they easy to potty train?
Also, do you know of any good breeders in the South Carolina region?
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I’m the proud owner of a westie. They are intelligent, loyal, energetic, sweet, and they will make you laugh. They are also willful, but can be very obedient if you establish yourself as the alpha quickly. They enjoy learning tricks and pleasing their owners (especially if treats are involved), so plan on spending time doing that. For a really good (very accurate) guide on westies try this site: http://dogtime.com/west-highland-white-t…
Good luck!
From what I can tell, male westies are more laid back than females if you are just getting one (two males can be a handful). Females have more of a tendency to snap than males, but again it comes down to training. My westie is very cool and laid back, but even he can get feisty– it’s just a terrier’s nature.
To be perfectly honest, they are not easy to potty train. It took a good 2 years for my dog to learn how to effectively communicate his need to go out. And while I’m being honest, part of the problem with potty training a westie is the owner. Westies have small bladders, so if you give them water plan on taking them out 15-20 minutes after and then again, for good measure, 30 minutes later. So it’s 50% your dog learning how to communicate/knowing that the proper place to potty is outside, and 50% of it’s you paying attention.
Here is a list of reputable breeders across the US: http://www.westieclubamerica.com/breeder…
I cannot stress enough that you should do your research– asking a question here was a good first step. Next step is to read the guide above and then talk to reputable breeders. Westies are great, but like all breeds they come with idiosyncrasies and specific needs. Someone suggested adoption. I think that’s a great idea too, but there’s nothing wrong with wanting a purebred
I am 14 and i just raised a puppy of my own, i work at the vet office, and i have a lot of experience with animals bc i live on a farm. Well, if this is your first time raising a pup by yourself, you are in for a HUGE surprise! It is a big responsibility taking care of dogs! lol, But i would never trade the experience for the world.
-Westies are terriers, which means they like to dig and hunt and are very energetic.
-In all breeds, males tend to be more “aggressive” than females. Males are usually more hyper, but they are also more protective.
-Terriers are very smart and potty training should not be that big of an issue, as long as you look up a BUNCH of stuff on training.
Well, to get an idea of how good a Westie id for your lifestyle, you may want to take this quiz…http://animal.discovery.com/breedselecto…
After the quiz, check out….http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/a.htm
ADOPT! Shelter dogs are CHEAP and are in need of a loving home! Did you know that mixed breed dogs even tend to live longer than pure breds (most shelter dogs are mixed breeds, but rarely there are pure breds)? Are you willing to give a dog a second chance that may not even be alive the next day because no one adopted them?
Here is a great site that lists shelter dogs in your area! (first type in your zip code)http://petfinder.com
Helpful tips raising a well-behaved dog….
-The first thing you need to do is decide the best breed for you.
-Next, research, Research, and MORE RESEARCH! You need to look up the dog breed you chose, and look up things on training.
-Once you get the dog, the first thing you need to do is create a bond with it. After a week or 2, whenever the dog is comfortable around you, start training.
-Sign your dog up for local training classes to help you get a professional opinion on training
-Watch It’s Me or the Dog! LOL!
-Give it the best life you can! Have fun!
Good luck! I hope this helped! =D
Westies are so cute and are very very smart!!
my friend has one it does alot of really cool tricks! when we say “philip go get your ipod” he goes and finds his squeaky toy that plays music and turns it on.
westies i think are known for being smart at birth so its not the just training!!