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Therefore you have chosen to buy a West Highland white terrier, otherwise known as a Westie.
Westies are terrific little light-hearted canines. They are quick to discover, and as a rule, they are very self-sufficient and have fantastic, distinct characters.
A lot of Westie owners will tell you that their canine possesses a “huge personality.”
They are adorable. However, they will never be misinterpreted for a lap dog.
West Highland White Terrier Dog Breed Images
West Highland White Terrier Vital Stats:
More About West Highland White Terrier
If you search for a cuddly small dog, a Westie may not be the right breed for you. They are notoriously independent, and won’t endure being held for long periods.
They like to be close to their owner/families, but they require their area.
As a rule, when a Westie selects a sleeping location, they will discover a unique place.
Away from the household, this sleeping area will most likely be somewhat safeguarded on three sides; they likewise like to “cover their backs” when they sleep.
Naturally, there are exceptions to the guideline. If the puppy is taught to be a bit of a lap dog, it will probably be a small dog. But the Westie is not a natural lap dog. They like to call the shots.
The Westie likes to be taken along with the family whenever possible. They are friendly and enjoy people in general, especially children.
They are incredibly loyal to their families and prefer being with their owners/families whenever possible.
Many people choose to buy a young puppy and train the pet dog themselves when purchasing a pet dog.
This can be gratifying. If adopting a young puppy, ensure you are home regularly enough to teach the young puppy correctly. Westies are easy to train, but somebody needs to be in the house to do the training.
Remember, it can be a discouraging and time-consuming job to teach a young puppy. The other option is to buy a pet dog that is a bit older and has currently been trained by the breeder.
This is an excellent choice, and lots of breeders can accommodate a little older and trained pet.
Male or female?
Regarding personality, there is little or no distinction between the two in the Westie breed.
It is said that Westie males are more caring than female Westies.
The female is smaller sized and lighter, so easier to control on a walk or bring when required.
This pure white, strong small-framed pet is always full of energy and constantly on the alert and trying to find enjoyable.
They like to go out and walk and run in a woody area, searching for a video game.
Westies’ ears stand up naturally at each side of their fluffy, delighted face. At the opposite end, a perky brief tail, which – by nature’s style – pertains to a steady point.
As grownups, the male Westie should be 11 inches in height; the female 10 inches in height.
A Westies coat should be pure white. They have a double coat; the undercoat is soft and fluffy, the overcoat a bit coarse and wiry. This double coat is natural to the Westie.
The breed was developed and bread for a challenging and harmful task – hunting out and killing vermin. So the double coat offers the Westie an excellent natural form of defense, not only from the elements however the claws and teeth of its victim.
The dry texture of the Westies coat likewise works to cut down on doggy odor.
Due to this dryer coat, they require fewer baths. They can be kept tidy with frequent brushing and dry cleaning (this is done by adding a bit of corn starch to the pet dog’s coat, brushing it out after a couple of minutes.).
How to Find A Great Breeder
Choosing a credible breeder is essential. It isn’t easy to understand when selecting your specific young puppy how that pet dog will end up mentally and physically.
This is the best factor to find a great reliable breeder. A good breeder makes every effort to reproduce healthy canines that will exhibit natural qualities to the puppy they picked to breed.
There are three choices regarding breeders; animal store breeders, back yard breeders, and major pastime breeders.
Animal Store Breeders
The pet store breeder is the worst possible choice you can make when adopting a pet dog.
The pups are improperly reproduced and are thought of as merchandise to cost at a high profit.
As a rule, this reproducing puts out sickly, unsteady canines, and I extremely suggest you remain clear of pet store breeders.
Back Yard Breeders
The yard breeder can likewise be a poor choice. This type of breeder might be a Westie owner that believed it would be “enjoyable” to have pups.
They understand little about young puppies and the training of young puppies.
As a rule, they are not well familiarized with the stud pets and can offer little details on his background.
They are unaware of the history of the type and any unique needs of an offered breed. To sum it up, they are ill-equipped to reproduce dogs and do not know one needs to be a great breeder.
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Your best choice when adopting a dog is to find a significant hobby breeder. They have done their homework on the breed they are offering.
As a rule, they are dog fanciers and do not look at breeding as a profit-only endeavor. They are reproducing to show pet dogs.
They make every effort to breed the very best of their picked type. They will take obligation for any puppies produced and stand behind their canines.
You can be ensured the dogs are healthy and have been offered all the veterinary care they require as pups together with proper training.
Major Pastime Breeders
A good breeder of Westies will come from the “West Highland White Terrier Club of America” and/or other well recognized Westie Clubs.
They will most likely be involved in revealing their pets. An excellent breeder will ask you questions and be discriminating about the homes their young puppies go to.
They will ensure their puppies, with an arrangement to take the young puppy back if, for some reason, you find you are not compatible with your new pup.
They will give you time to have the young puppy look at by a vet of your choice to ensure there is no health issue looming, which the puppy remains in a good healthy condition.
An excellent breeder will have numerous referrals. They will have the ability to supply you with such referrals, in the method of other persons that have adopted pets from them, along with their own veterinarian’s recommendations.
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Likewise, the breeder needs to provide written guidelines concerning the young puppy’s needs—Diet plan, exercise, and health care need as a puppy and adult pet dog. The kennels should be tidy, offering the pet dogs a healthy environment.
The pet dogs must be comfortable with the breeder and show a good connection with them.
The pets in the kennels must be of great temperament and healthy in appearance. The excellent breeder will never offer a young puppy that is too young to leave its mom.
And lastly, the breeder needs to offer you a record of the dates and kinds of vaccinations and worms done on your young puppy, together with any records on sees to the vet the puppy may have required in the breeder’s care.
It is also preferable to ask concerns about the health of parent pets. The breeder must offer you A 3- to 5-generation pedigree and a “blue slip” to apply for registration of the Westie into the AKA.
How To Pick A Puppy
As soon as you have found a reliable breeder, here are a few ideas on picking the ideal young puppy: Age is significant; a puppy is usually ready to be taken to its brand-new house at the age of 8 to twelve weeks.
You may discover that all Westie puppies look alike; they do all look alike. Search for a young puppy with durable development. The pet should feel firm, with the right muscle tone. Their legs ought to be straight.
The puppy needs to be active when picked up, squirmy after a short time relaxing, and going to be cuddled and cuddled a bit.
Their coats must be thick and clean. There needs to be no discharge from eyes, nose, or ears, and no smell at the ears. The eyes ought to be brilliant, with an alert look.
The gums need to be damp and pink. The canine must be active with the other puppies. It’s a great concept to ask the breeder about the young puppy’s character.
They can assist you in choosing a pet that will be suited to your requirements and your personality.
It is always intelligent to observe the dam for her characteristics.
- Does she appear excessively shy, aggressive, stand-offish?
- Is she patient and watchful of the puppies and not overly aggressive of the liter?
- Do the moms and dad pets search in health?
- Are their coats healthy, and do they appear active with great endurance?
It is well-known young puppies can and do inherit characteristics from the moms and dad pets.
Size Of West Highland White Terrier
West Highland White Terrier is a little dog with a deep chest and a somewhat rectangle-shaped shape.
Males have to do with 11 inches high and generally weigh 15 to 22 pounds.
Women are roughly 10 inches high and weigh 13 to 16 pounds.
(Unless, naturally, you have a soft heart and fall victim to those pleading brown eyes– in which case your Westie, of either sex, could weigh at least twice the standard.).
Feeding – West Highland White Terrier
I Recommended everyday amount: 1/2 to 1.5 cups of premium dry food a day, divided into two meals.
KEEP IN MIND: Just how much your adult canine consumes depends upon his size, age, build, metabolic process, and activity level. Pet dogs are people, similar to individuals, and they don’t all require the same quantity of food.
Royal Canin West Highland White Terrier
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A highly active canine will require more than a lazy person canine. The quality of dog food you purchase likewise makes a distinction– the better the pet dog food, the further it will go toward nourishing your pet, and the less of it you’ll require to shake into your dog’s bowl.
Rescue Groups – West Highland White Terrier
Westies are typically acquired without any clear understanding of what enters into owning one. There are lots of Westies in requirement of adoption and or fostering.
There are several rescues that we have actually not noted. If you don’t see a rescue listed for your area, get in touch with the national breed club or a local breed club, and they can point you towards a Westie rescue.
Final Words About West Highland White Terrier
If you do your homework, you are more likely to choose merely the ideal dog. The Westie is a terrific type.
They are bright, happy, perky dogs and will bring with them their unique outbound personality. They will quickly become your best friend.
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