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Hearts Ease Bearswe are toying with the idea of getting another dog in the future as a companion for snickers our englisg springer and want a smaller dog which is sturdy..easy going ..not tooo foo foo..anybody have a west highland? any thoughts? loved them? hated them? do they really stalk cats? i want a dog i can trust not to try and eat the cat,,,how about health and food? have read thestuff on their website but want to talk to someone who actually has one and doesnt breed. thanks! deb
Past Time BearsTami Lahey has a Westie.
Dolls N DreamsHi, I have a 4 yr old Westie named Tiffani, she has her own website with some info on Westies,
please have a look at it...............and email me if you have any questions. 
http://www.dollsndreams.com/tiffani.html
I'm not sure about Cats, if you bought a westie as a puppy I think it would be fine with an adult cat.
They don't seem to like rodents, I would not trust them around a hamster, etc.
On diet, she does best on cooked chicken, turkey, hamburger, she loves fruit, veggies
she does eat a dry kibble that you can leave out, the breed does not seem to over eat.
They are very smart and act alot like a cat!
They do seem to demand attention. She does want to be the center of our attention.
She is active and loves to walk and play ball.
They are the active HOLY TERRIER until they are about 2 yrs old. She seemed to want
to get into everything. Course I guess most puppies do!
If there is anything else, just email me.
They are a special breed, I have talked to other westie owners and they said once
you have a westie, you will always have a westie.
Hearts Ease Bearswow Tammi great pictures ( i looked at every one!) and great links! we are still in the looking to the future mode..sounds like the energy level of the springer and the westie is about right! thanks for your help! again stunning pictures! what a lovely family! deb
My grandad always has Scottish Terriers, which are really lovely dogs Hamish, the westie at his local pub, is very possessive and finds it hard to let people leave, but it depends on their characters: my grannys old westie Bunty used to get bored on walks and curl up in the tray of my pram!
Back Road BearsTo be honest I've met some very nice Westies and some rather "moody" ones.
My parents have two Cairn Terriers and I know Sue Ann has one. They are wonderful, small, rugged dogs with LOADS of personality!!! And they have lots of energy.... I don't know a terrier who doesn't! They haven't had health problems with theirs.... and the oldest is 8... they've had booth since they were puppies.
Terriers by nature are diggers and LOVE rodents. Mine don't miss a single movement in the woods... my parents dogs literally spend the whole day watching for chipmunks and squirrels. They dig holes at every chance they get. My aunt had a westie who required a bath in whitening shampoo almost every week because she was always chasing things or digging in the garden. As she got to be 3 or 4 she did quiet down quite nicely and enjoyed being a lap dog but she didn't like my uncle or any men and preferred to be with my aunt over any female.
Just my limited experience.....
Chaska, MinnesotaWesties are fun and loveable for the most part. But on the down side they are DIGGERS. So if you like your yard and flowers, a Westie is not a good choice. Remember these breeds are meant to dig out small animals on a hunt. That is what they were bred to do. Also I owned a Cairn terrier. We could not keep flowers in our yard. You need to consider they do need regular grooming like brushing and baths. If you don't have time to do it, don't get this breed of dog. It is important to see the kennel where you buy the puppy. Meet the parents too. For you can see their disposition and all. Don't buy from a puppy mill or pet shop. Usually, these are places with mass breeding with little disregard for health and such....Make sure your breeder is a member of the AKC. Oh I can go on and on...but these are the more important things.
I went on the web and found this about a Westies temperment:
Temperament
This breed, descended from working terriers, has a lot of energy, tenacity, and aggression towards its prey, which was originally the rabbit and other smaller animals, such as squirrels. This history has endowed the Westie with a bold temperament that leads many to call them "big dogs in a little body." They are always alert and consider themselves guard dogs, although their size prevents them from providing any real intimidation. As with any dog, if irritated or provoked they may respond with a growl, or even bite. If the tail is down and ears are back, keep away. It may be eating or chewing a favourite toy. They are very possessive of their belongings, master and food.
They are great companion dogs and get along with other animals, although care should be taken when introducing them to other domestic pets, such as cats. They also are compatible with children. Since Westies were originally bred as hunting dogs, they need to have room to run and play. They are not recommended as apartment dogs. If traveling they make great companions, since they can adjust easily to new situations and people and because of their small size. Westies will appreciate two or three walks each day.
They are very energetic but tire and need to take several naps per day. Like all dogs, the Westie responds better to love and gentleness than to cruelty. As with most terriers, harsh training methods are often met only with stubbornness. Westies are good with children, the elderly, and the disabled.
If you want to read more, here is the website I found it:
Dolls N DreamsMy Westie dug 1 hole and that was when she was a pup.
We have trained her not to dig.
I have heard if you have a westie that loves digs buy a childs play pool and fill
it will play sand or build a sandbox!
Hearts Ease BearsYou trained a dog not to dig...you are my hero..seriously..not to bark not to beg i can see..but not to dig? HOW? i cant even do stay with any authority ( i know.. i should only be allowed stuffed animals) anybody else have a husband that says "its okay if i play..whatever// with the dog..he knows it a game...yeah i can see that,,as you drag the dog ( attatched to your pants leg) across the room..snickers has viewed my dh as a sibling since the day we brought him home..easier to train the dog! :crackup: 
deb
Dolls N DreamsLOL, anytime she acted like she wanted to dig I stopped her, took her to the sink and washed her paws off and got her interested in something else.
I spent alot of time with her when she was a puppy and I guess that helped.
Because she now shows no interest in digging, even when I'm planting something and digging around myself.
Maybe she does not want to get dirty. LOL
LOL
I have heard that a ton of westies do like to dig though, so I guess they are all like us, each one is different!
Back Road BearsMichelle provided great tips on buying a dog.... I too could go on and on about poor breeders, pet shops, puppy mills. Just because they say they are a breeder doesn't mean they are a consciencious one! You really need to get at least 3 references from the breeder and CHECK them!!!! I could tell you horror stories about our first dog and his "breeder"! We got our second dog from half way across the country.... in part because he's a fairly rare breed, but mainly because this was the breeder we felt the most comfortable.... it was her aim to 'better the breed', use healthy parents with champion blood lines and she gave me 5 references... I called them all... they all were thrilled.... one had their dog "speak' to me on the phone... too cute! I'm a sucker, what can I say?
Anyway.... getting a dog from the right place makes all the difference in the puppyhood experience!
We can't train our first dog to do much of anything... he doesn't take us seriously because we were not pack leaders when we got him... we were clueless, neurotic, idiots! Trying to restructure pack order has been a challenge. Our second dog is a different story.... we took the proper approach from day one, establishing ourselves as the boss. Our second dog taught the first one to dig however. He got it after the third of forth time of corrections that digging was not allowed.
If you do nothing else, no matter how many dogs you've had in the past..... check out Ceasar Millan..... he's on TV as the Dog Whisperer..... he has DVDs out as well as books. He's fantastic, practical and most importantly his techniques, which make a ton of sense, WORK! Love that guy!!!!!
Past Time BearsWe very much enjoy our cairn terrier. I've heard that a westie is, for all practical purposes, a white cairn terrier.
Bailey is sooooo lovable, playful, and really silly. He entertains us constantly and we can't possibly imagine our lives without him now. Have fun picking out your pup!
Hearts Ease Bearsyou all have bben wonderful with all this info! thanks! im trying to wait until the house question is settled..we are off the market atthe moment due to the roof beinh replaced etc..so hopefully we have new one ( roof ) by june sometime..and then we will maybe have a better chance of selling. it makes sense to wait but you know the best laid plans! i love watching ceasar too...deb
