Any advice? Buying a terrier!!

[AmyLouise]

Okay, this is completely off topic but does anyone own a westie terrier? We want to get a female from a breeder but we also want to become educated about them first. If anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it! Thanks.
Amy

[JLS]

My mother has one that she has had since he was a puppy (he is now about 13 yo). They require alot of coat maintenance (she is forever giving him a bath, or taking him to the groomers and having his hair cut.)

They are also very "dominant" over other dogs. I think they are also known for being a very loving breed. You can go to www.yahoo.com (http://www.yahoo.com) and enter "pets", they have a survey you can take to find out the best breed for you, and will also define breed characteristics.

[This message has been edited by JLS (edited 05-25-2001).]

[RunnerKim]

Hi AmyLouise,

I commend you on doing your research before you bring a new puppy home. Having worked with rescue organizaitons, I've seen first hand the unfortunate consequences of people not knowing what they're getting into.

If you haven't already, check out the AKC web site for details about the breed http://www.akc.org .

I cannot stress enough the importance of making sure you get your puppy from a reputable breeder - one that will ask lots of questions of you and your home, will require you spay/neuter, will provide you with health clearances of both parents. Your puppy will be a long term member of your family and it pays (both financially and emotionally) to make sure you're getting a sound and well-bred dog. The breeder should also be willing to maintain an on-going relationship with you to answer your questions and help you out. Most likely you'll have a bit of a wait after you contact the breeder - they normally take "reservations" before they even breed their dog.

If you don't already have a breeder check with your local Westi Terrier club and they'll have a list (you should be able to get this information off the AKC website). You might also be able to find out about dog shows that will be in your area so you can see and learn more about the breed.

Kim

[AmyLouise]

Thanks so much Kim! I'll keep your information in mind.
Amy

Originally posted by RunnerKim:
Hi AmyLouise,

I commend you on doing your research before you bring a new puppy home. Having worked with rescue organizaitons, I've seen first hand the unfortunate consequences of people not knowing what they're getting into.

If you haven't already, check out the AKC web site for details about the breed http://www.akc.org .

I cannot stress enough the importance of making sure you get your puppy from a reputable breeder - one that will ask lots of questions of you and your home, will require you spay/neuter, will provide you with health clearances of both parents. Your puppy will be a long term member of your family and it pays (both financially and emotionally) to make sure you're getting a sound and well-bred dog. The breeder should also be willing to maintain an on-going relationship with you to answer your questions and help you out. Most likely you'll have a bit of a wait after you contact the breeder - they normally take "reservations" before they even breed their dog.

If you don't already have a breeder check with your local Westi Terrier club and they'll have a list (you should be able to get this information off the AKC website). You might also be able to find out about dog shows that will be in your area so you can see and learn more about the breed.

Kim

[Jewel]

Get ready for ATTITUDE Baby!! Most terriers think they're the boss 'o the household! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[cdm]

Terriers love to dig, and are hyper. Watch around smaller children.

[RobinC]

I grew up with terriers always in the house. My family had Airedales for many years. They are known as a the king of the terriers and the clown prince of terriers. My parents now have smooth fox terriers. I think they are wonderful little dogs.

Terriers do have a lot of personality and are very smart. I think they are great with kids. As with all dogs, it is the socializing and training you give them that will guide their personality. Terriers are not "couch potato" dogs. They have energy that needs to be released.

There are 3 smooths living at my parents house right now. Two of them are lazy little dogs in the morning. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif One wishes she were the only dog, she is a little princess. I wouldn't classify any of them as hyper.

As mentioned earlier, make sure that you get your puppy from a reputable breader. The local breed club is a great place to get information about the breed.

[Ralph]

Hi AmyLouise,

I can whole-heartedly second, third, & fourth Kim's recommendation of the AKC's web-site. They have a whole section on "buying a puppy," a section on the Westie itself (http://www.akc.org/breeds/recbreeds/westie.cfm), and a link to the West Highland White Terrier Club of America (www.westieclubamerica.com), though that sight isn't working right now.

We used the reference material on the site to decide on and then get our Borzoi 3 years ago and found it absolutely invaluable!

[mariakj]

AmyLouise,

I have a female Westie named Sprite that I have raised from a puppy. She is now 9 years old and a dear member of the family. She is a little princess and she really rules the roost. She has a great personality and is really spunky. She isn't even afraid of bigger dogs, she will even stand up to a doberman pincher.

Westies are very loveable, personable dogs and they make great pets if you train them early. Plus it is nice to have a small dog because they can be happy running around in the house and don't need a big yard. I actually lived in apartments the first seven years I had Sprite. She sleeps in our bed too, so I'm glad that she is only 17 lbs., she already takes up a lot of room as it is.
We had a baby last year and Sprite is very good with him. At first I worried that she would be aggressive with him out of jealousy because she had been the baby for so long. But when we first brought the baby home I made sure to give Sprite extra attention and she has never harmed the baby because she knows that he is also one of my children. She will go over to my son when he is playing on the floor and start licking his face like crazy. Granted she is probably just trying to lick leftover food off his face, but she does love him.

Oh, before I go on and on...I wanted to let you know that you should definitely get a Westie from a breeder. I got Sprite from a breeder that the AKC recommended and she is from champion stock. Very good coat, beautiful markings and nice disposition. The only problems that we have had in the last nine years are the occassional ear infections (because they are so fluffy), minor skin irritations and eye infections from allergic reactions to fertilizer on our lawn.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

[RobinC]

Don, you are right. Dogs from the same litter have very different personalities. The 3 smooth fox terriers I mentioned above all came from the same litter - Annie (female), Barbie (female), and Bandit (male) - and have very different personalities. Bandit can be a lazy little dog, especially in the morning. I went with my parents when they first got Annie. They had decided to get a female, so we sat around and played with the 3 female puppies for about an hour. Barbie sat in mom's lap almost the whole time. Annie was playing around quite a lot. We all got tired of watching the third girl, she was a handful! That day we went home with Annie. Barbie joined the household a year later when her breeder reclaimed her from a bad home. Several years later (just last year) Bandit joined the household when the breeder (a very spry 90 year old) couldn't take care of 3 dogs any longer.

It is a very good idea to spend some time with the litter of puppies to get to know the different personalities. You'll find the puppies are as differnt as children. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[KarenW]

I have a 12 year old Cairn Terrier (cousin to the Westie). He is a very smart, lovable little dog with quite a personality. He is rather stubborn and absolutely hates to go outside when it rains. He is great around small children and is fascinated with babies. I was a little worried about how he might react when I got a Golden Retriever puppy a few years back, but after a day or so they are best of friends. Terriers make great companions & you'll definitely never be bored with them around. Hope you enjoy your new puppy.

[Debie K]

We have a 4 month old Yorkie, and they are wonderful. Very smart and I have found him to be easy to train. Housebroken w/in two weeks, he now sits, stays, lays down, and rolls over on command. Very good with my young boys, and a real hoot to have around. Be sure to be available to play with your doggie a lot, they love to run. Training tip: get an empty pop can and put in a few pennies, shake it at the doggie when he is doing something you don't want him to do, ie chewing, barking, clawing, etc. This REALLY works.

[Don]

I know a lot of people think this is crazy, but I would get a book on how to temperment test your dog. I have two dogs from the same litter and they couldn't be more different. Interestingly, they both tested exactly right for their personality. Talbot is the laziest dog I have ever seen in my life (contrary to the Corgi breed reputation) and when I tested him (by doing things that he should hate), he fell asleep in my arms. He's been the same ever since. His sister, on the other hand, showed a lot of energy, but calmed down when loudly corrected. She hasn't changed a bit. She acts as if she is ignoring me until I use an extremely angry voice, at which time, she complies. So, I wouldn't trust the breed descriptions that you see. The description worked for one of the my dogs, but not the other.