The Westie is a small, sturdy dog. They are lively and extremely self assured towards other dogs. Westies love companionship and are robust, friendly and spirited. Despite their small size, they make a very good watchdog.

Westies love to dig and bark. They want to be the pack leader so a Westie owner needs to display firm, confident and consistent leadership. They are very curious about everything around them. They want to be in charge.

The height of males is 10-12 inches. The height of females is 9-11 inches.

The weight of males is 15-22 lbs. The weight of females is 13-16 lbs.

Westie life expectancy is 15 or more years. Health problems could be skin and hip conditions.

Westies are suitable for people in towns and cities as well as in the country. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard.

Westies are little dogs with a big personality. Their pastimes include chasing chipmunks, bees, squirrels and rabbits!

Photo of my Westie puppy Sophie at 8 weeks old

I have never had a dog entirely on my own. We had dogs growing up but my parents were the main caregivers. I always wanted a dog of my own but I lived in apartments. The apartment buildings never allowed pets. I decided to purchase a condo and made sure that the condo association did allow dogs. The very day my mortgage was approved for my new condo, I started to search for a breeder. I had no idea how to proceed but I trusted in my instincts. Being originally from Pennsylvania, I had heard horror stories about puppy mills and wanted to make the right decision. I had two breeds in mind, the King Charles Cavalier and the West Highland White Terrier. All my life I was attracted to both breeds. I googled both types of breeders in and around the area I live, Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. I started reading about each breeder. I kept coming back to one website that was a Westie breeder. They were located in Pennsylvania about 4 hours from Washington DC. The website attracted me because it was very professional, had a lot of pictures and many satisfied customers praising the owners and their experience. The name of the breeder was PPF Kennels.

I contacted PPF Kennels by email and then by phone. I spoke to one of the owners. The owners are a married couple who are so very nice. I explained I wanted a female Westie puppy and that I was moving to a condo I just bought on 8-1-11. As if Sophie was meant for me, the breeder had 1 female puppy born on 6-11-11 and she would be ready for her new home on 8-11-11. The timing was perfect! All of the paperwork was completed and the deposit was made. The breeder agreed to drive 2 hours from their location and I would drive 2 hours from my location and we would meet in the middle. During the waiting period, the breeder would send me pictures of Sophie every couple of weeks. I had those weeks to prepare for her. I bought a crate, pet gates, toys, pee pads, food, bowls, carpet cleaner, blankets, a bed and treats. Sophie was the only puppy in her litter and the breeder would constantly tell me how feisty she was! Those weeks waiting for her were filled with anticipation. It was a wonderful time for me and I couldn’t wait to have Sophie come to her new home. On 8-13-11, I traveled two hours north of Washington, DC to pick her up and bring her home.

I have read so many articles regarding Westie grooming. Everyone has their own opinion and their own way of doing things. I decided to research as much as I could and then do what I thought would work for Sophie and myself.  These tips work for us:

I get Sophie groomed every 6 weeks by a professional groomer. The groomer gives her a bath and a haircut. She also gets her nails cut, her ears cleaned and her anal glands expressed.  During the summer, she gets a “Summer Cut” which is just a little shorter and keeps her more comfortable during the heat and humidity of an East Coast Summer.

In between her grooming appointments, I brush her 2 to 3 times a week. You do not need to brush your Westie every day. Sophie has never had any matted hair with me brushing her at least twice a week. She does not like being brushed even though I started when she was a puppy. Particularly, she does not enjoy her feet or her hair around her mouth being brushed.  All dogs are different and some love to be brushed!

I have tried so many brushes over the past 3 years. I think I have finally found the ones that Sophie seems to like the best.  I start out by using a regular Bristle Brush to brush through her coat. After that, I use a Pin Brush (not a slicker brush) to really give her a good brush and get any tangles out.  The best Pin Brush I have found is the Con Air Pin Brush with Memory Gel Grip. It seems to be the most comfortable for Sophie. The medium is a good size. For her face, I use the Top Paw Easy Grip Dog Comb and the Li’l Pals Double Sided Comb. The Li’l Pals comb is for puppies but it works around Sophie’s eye and mouth area.

I always thought that having a white dog would mean a lot more work keeping them clean. It is not true! As  long as I brush Sophie 2 to 3 times a week and have her groomed every 6 weeks, she stays snow white. It is amazing.  People in our neighborhood can’t believe how white she stays. Brushing her seems to brush away the dirt. I was also told about using baby powder. I sprinkle some baby powder on her back and brush it through her hair. I also sprinkle baby powder on the bottom half of each of her feet while I am brushing her. It whitens her coat and keeps her smelling fresh. It really works!

I hope these tips have been helpful. If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

In researching healthy snacks for your Westie I found that with a few exceptions, any food you consider healthy for yourself will probably be a good choice for your Westie.  Everyone loves to snack from time to time but snacks should be 10 percent or less of your dog’s daily diet. Sophie loves to eat:

Plain mini rice cakes

Plain yogurt

Low fat cottage cheese (small amounts)

Raw carrots

Apple slices

Bananas

Get Naked Digestive Health commercial treats (in the purple bag) They are low in calories and fat and also whiten her teeth and keeps her breath fresh.

Sophie also loves her Kong Classic Dog Toy. I put a Kong Ziggies Dog Treat inside of it and top it with some peanut butter flavored Kong Easy Treat. The Easy Treat looks like cheese whiz coming out of the can. I put it in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes and she loves it!

I give Sophie a snack right before I leave for work in the morning. She also gets a snack in the evening if she has finished her dinner. Her favorite flavors are peanut butter, cheese and bacon.

I hope these snack ideas have been helpful. We all need a reward once in a while!

 

 

 

 

The Westie Profile

Country Of Origin: Scotland

Average Life Span: 12 to 16 years

Color: White

Original Function:  hunting rats, foxes and other vermin

Temperament: confident, independent, feisty, intelligent, funny, alert and loyal

Average Size: 10 to 11 inches at the shoulder/ 13 to 20 pounds

Activity Level: High. Not Hyper, but very energetic/Westie’s need walks daily

Grooming: brush at least twice a week/trim every 6 to 8 weeks/shed very little

Socialization:  Westies are friendly and get along well with people and most other dogs

Good with children:  Not young ones/can make a good companion for older kids

Coat Type:  double coated with a soft undercoat and rough outercoat

This is just the basic profile of a Westie. Not all Westie’s have every characteristic. The most surprising thing to me about Sophie, my Westie was that she was not a lapdog. How could this cute little thing not be a lapdog?  Sophie is now 3 years old and over time, she has become more of a lapdog but she is still very independent.  I love the combination of the two sides of her.

The other surprising thing to me about Sophie was how strong her prey instinct  is.  When she sees a squirrel or a bird,  she locks into them and doesn’t see or hear anything else! Her focus is entirely on  getting that little critter!

I will be going deeper into these subjects as time goes on but I hope this initial information has been helpful to prospective Westie parents and anyone interested in the West Highland White Terrier.