Just got a pair of Westies puppies!

Calibos

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you

Butch and Sundance!, the West-Highland Twins!



We only got the two little bro's today. They were a bit wary for a little while but after an hour or two their mischevious personalities have begun to shine through. Good-times ahead!

So any tips for first time Westie owners?

Wont ever forget Remy though, our beautiful Lab-Red Setter Cross who we had to let go in June aged 10 (Tumours, Allergies and finally Diabetes). Everyone was right though. You don't think you could ever have another dog but you do get over it and want to give another pooch...or two a home. :D

Victor

Originally posted by Calibos
So any tips for first time Westie owners?

Dye one black?

koneko

Aw they're so cute

Sleipnir

Two of them!?!?!? Oh dear God you've never had a Westie have you?
Prepare to be busy!

noels little bu

they are beautiful, best of luck with them. u will certainly have your hands full there.

killzone

Prepare for meltdown... I have a male and a female nearly 2 years old. All thos rules you think you are going to have about how they won't do this or that will go out the window... Also, you know all that stuff you read about them being fiercely independent, etc? forget it! You will become merely a petting machine to provide them with rubs on a constant basis!

The famous westie intolerance for cats doesn't manifest itself until over 6 months, then they go completely territorial, especially males! Plus their territory extends for about a hundred metres in every direction... So be prepared for random barking at the front door cos somebody is walking past down the road...

But they are by far the most cute, affectionate and altogether adorable little brats you'll ever meet and they are great around people and kids!

paulthelegend

damn thought i pressed stop quick enough to change a typo... sorry

paulthelegend

On a less cute note

Westies suffer from a thing called westie rash ... quiet a good name, basically watch out for there food, i duno is it cause its too rich or to many bad stuff put in it(im not a vet haha), but id stay well clear of wet foods like pedigree chum etc, put them onto a premium food and try to get them onto a lamb and rice flavoured food, chicken and rice is the most common and that is still a bit much, lamb and rice is nearly made for westies, two of the top foods are ... purina pro-plan and the other is .... eukanuba ... they might seem expensive but you mesure them an only give the recommended amount for your dogs age and weight, and then it works out the same price if not less then tin foods.

and without being horrible theres less ... waste in the garden on premium foods, they say 80% of it is digested ... id say more along the lines of 50% but still a hell of alot better then pedigree chum (another thing on dried food give them alot of water, never give them milk .. some people do give dogs n cat milk so im just making sure ur not one of those haha)

other then that my advice is get them used to what ever your going to put on them or do to them as soon as possible if you are gona be one of those sad sad people that put coats on them then let them run around the house now with them on, and get a harness for them even when there in the house to get them used to it, so u dont bring them for there first walk and they go mental trying to get it off make sure u get them all there shots and dont risk anything, not even popping down to the shops with them haha parvo is going mad in ireland the last few years.

thats about it, and take loads of pictures as they grow up haha:)

Falkorre

I ADORE westies, my aunt has a 13 year old
bit of advice, NEVER let em near ur lipstick, to this day he looks like he just kissed a overly made up hooker!

He is amazingly, astoundingly territorial, how ur gonna cope with two is frankly beyond me lol, i canna have one because i have two cats, otherwise id be out getting one in a flash!

All in all, beautiful, intelligent, feircly territorial but loyal dog, who will be ur best friend and biggest, most ego-maniacal, pain in the ass for years to come.

B

Lafortezza

My neighbour has one, about 4 months old at this stage.
Try not to stand on them when they're running around with a sock in their mouth. They tend to squelch.

Calibos

Thanks for your kind words cableguy. They're little divils alright! Just tonight Sundance lured me onto hands and knees with a wonderful greeting, tail wagging furiously and ears flat back against the head. Soon as I got within striking distance he jumped up and nipped my ear. He knew what he had done as he did a legger behind a poof(sp?), then pooped his head out and did his mischevious gurgly bark. Even though he nearly drew blood you have to love the spunk of the little rascal! :D

As for the garden, we dug up the grass after a few years with Remy. God she had potent pee. Bald patches everywhere! Now its all patio, flower/shrub beds, gravel areas and bark mulch paths. Lots of places to dig! We let them out a few times and they loved exploring it. "oh oh over here looks good, oh what do I smell over there, oh oh chase my tail, oh oh chase butches tail, oh oh what did I see behind that tree. It was hilarious! Course then they found the buried cat sh!t! :D They've been having diarheia(sp?) before the cat poo and the vet reckons we shouldn't let them back out till that problem is gone and they've had all their shots. Cant wait to let them back out.

Faith

I'm so incredibly jealous. We had to have our 15 year old westie put down in September, due to complete kidney failure. It was the most upsetting thing of my life. He was so special. Not the smartest of dogs, but the kindest and friendliest. He was always happy to share what he had with other dogs who might pop by, and when a cat adopted us 5 years ago, he loved her, and let her live in his shed, where she had kittens, and he didn't even mind when her and the 3 kittens slept in his bed. He'd just sleep on the floor beside them. He never dug up the garden. The worst thing he ever did was snap when he was younger, and he only did that a few times, and as he got really old, he tended to lose control of his bladder a lot. It's been over 4 months since he died, and I still think about him everyday, and miss him.

But I am ready to move on, and I hope to get a Shetland sheepdog puppy in May.

Good luck with your Westies. They're the best dogs ever.

Bluehair

Man those are two little cuties The girlfriend is going weak at the knees at that picture (I've been coaxing her round to the idea for ages but we need a more stable home situation before getting dogs wouldn't be fair on them).

A mate has a westie as well they seem to be getting popular for some reason. Lots of character though and independant as anything I'm sure they'll be entertaining for years to come!

Calibos

Heres some more pics!

Faith

OMG, they are just the cutest!!!

Calibos

We got the boys in Wexford. Megans' gorgeous. I see she loves to pull the washing out of the basket like the boys. They're always playing tug 'o' war with someones sock

Calibos

Corner of walls, corners of anything.....times X2!! Fingers! They love to chew on fingers and if within range, eyelids and ears too. Please tell me Megan at 7 months is not still chewing fingers. Please, dear God. I can replace wallpaper and skirtingboard, I cant grow new fingers!