West Highland Terrier - Advice

Lemlin

As posted previously, I'm planning to get a dog to keep my cocker spaniel company while I'm at work during the day. I was thinking about a labrador but they grow fairly large and my partner likes the look of the west highland terrier.

I'm currently doing some research but just wanted to know if anyone here could give some advice about westies.

For example, do they mix well with other dogs? The dogs would be outside during the day and come in in the evenings. Would that sort of lifestyle suit a westie? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

snowwhite

Hi Lemlin, I do not own a westie myself but I do know people who have owned one for years, he lives happily outdoors during the day. I would recommend having some sort of shed or dog house for them though so they can take shelter during the colder/wetter months.

As for the mixing with other dogs, research tells me that yes they will be fine with other dog breeds although most people would say not to have to male un-neutered dogs together. I personally think it has more to do with the dogs temperment and upbringing rather than the breed statistics. How is your spaniel with other dogs? If he is happy to play with others you should be fine but you would need to observe and teach ground rules for a period before leaving them alone together.

I have a male Yorkie and recently added a male smooth coat Chihuahua to the house. Chihuahuas are not known to get along with other breeds but as I said before I believe it's all in the training. When I brought the new Chihuahua home my Yorkie was curious and wanted to play as he is very sociable (we regularly attend dog shows). The new pup was very scared and would squeal and run away from the Yorkie so I made a play pin for him in the kitchen. For a week I would leave the Chihuahua in his pen with his bed, food, water and puppy pad. In here he felt safe, the two dogs could see and sniff each other through the pen but could not make physical contact. In the evening I would take him on my lap and allow my dog to come over and sniff him. If any dog shows signs of aggression make sure to reprimand him and then put the pup back into his pen where he felt safe again (the pup was the bold one wanting to snap). After doing this for a while I removed the fencing from the pen but left his bed...etc in the same area, whenever he was worried he would run in here and still feel safe. Just make sure the dogs know that you are the leader of the pack and you say what goes. Then the Yorkie went through a period of jelousy, luckily he is good natured and didn't take it out on the dog but he reduced the amount of affection he gave to me. Make sure that you have some quality alone time with the oldest dog so he doesn't feel left out. After a while everything came together and they are the best of friends now. They spend the day running around after each other, licking each other and cuddling up beside me in the evenings when they have worn themselves out. As I said both of them are male and both are not neutured but they are great together that is why I believe it is all in the training.

If you are working you might need to consider taking some time off work to ensure the dogs are well aquainted before you leave them alone together, it is not worth the risk of leaving them alone together without training.

Sorry for going on so long and I hope this is of some help to you. Here is a picture of my two babies although it is a few months old now (they are just out of bed hence the messy hair :P)

Lemlin

Are they good with kids? We have a baby on the way.

hadook

Westies can be good with kids (obviously the kids need to be good with dogs too!) but the breed is not known for tolerance.

Maureen Byrne runs Westie Rescue (she's also a very well known pet behaviourist) and she happily admits that Westies are not an easy breed and does not recommend them for families with young children.

...the Westie is a victim of his cute good looks! Underneath that cute exterior lies a dog who was originally breed to work, specifically to kill rats and other vermin. As a result, they tend to be tenacious, self-willed, fearless, cocky, and stubborn. They are certainly not lapdogs. This strength of character takes many new owners by surprise, and the problems that ensue as a result of clashes of opinion between dog and owner result in the dog having to go.

Despite what you may have been told, Westies are not suitable as family pets where there are young children. That tenacious character does not blend well with children. As a general rule, Westies are not particularly fond of being picked up and cuddled, they have a tendency to be intolerant, they tend not to like feeling that they are cornered or trapped, and they tend to be rather quick-tempered. None of these traits mixes well with young children. To make matters worse, if a child does not realise the Westie is unhappy about what the child is doing, the Westie is a lot quicker than other, milder-mannered breeds, to bite. And for this reason, many Westies end up being put to sleep or rehomed because they've had a disagreement with a child. We do not recommend the westie as a suitable pet for families with children under 10 years of age.

Have a read of the rest of her advice here on the Westie rescue site. I personally wouldn't put a driven terrier breed into a home with a young child - it's a recipe for disaster until the child is old enough to understand how to behave around the dog.

Glowing

Why don't you head to your local rescue and take a few of their dogs for a walk along with yours - and see who your dog gets on with best? If he'll tolerate another dog at all?

I wouldn't recommend a westie around children unless you're willing to be extremely vigilent with training ... they're an assertive little breed!