Westie's - YorkieTalk.com Forums

autumn star · 03-22-2008, 10:41 AM

Does anyone have a West Highland Terrier and if so can you tell me about them? Good and/or bad.
My mom has been thinking about getting a dog and she thinks this might be the breed she has narrowed it down to!
Thanks for any info you can give
Amie

EmrldShdwQueen · 03-22-2008, 11:39 AM

I love them! They're one of the sweetest breeds of dog. I would have one myself if I could justify it somehow...lol.

They do shed a little, but not too much...they have like a thicker wiry coat.

They're SO smart too...they learn quickly, but they do like to chew and dig.

autumn star · 03-22-2008, 12:16 PM

Thank you for the info!
Keep it coming.......I of course think she should just get a yorkie but Im just bias!!!

EmrldShdwQueen · 03-22-2008, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by autumn star

Thank you for the info!
Keep it coming.......I of course think she should just get a yorkie but Im just bias!!!

Oh I agree...

Oh and I forgot to add, Westies are little bigger too...about 20 lbs or so full grown. Some are a little smaller, but most fall close to that number.

TammyJM · 03-22-2008, 01:02 PM

We used to own a Westie and we adored her! However, they do require someone that is skilled at training.

We were not and she walked allllllllllllllllll over us. LOL!! She was so beyond smart it was bizarre!!!!!! I know most people say that their dogs are smart, but she was insanely smart! Yes, this sounds good in theory, but they are also one of the most STUBBORN breeds out there! Sooooooooooo, what we had was a dog that had her own thoughts and was not about to mind us because we were push-overs and she was stubborn AND was super intelligent!!!!!!! I think it definitely takes someone with a lot of paitence and time.We never taught her to sit or shake or stay or roll over or any of her tricks that she did....she learned every one of them by the time she was 10 weeks old and it was from watching our other dogs do them. She was the only dog that I have ever owned that I can honestly say seemed more like a person than a dog. I can tell you that her allergies were VERY bad and she was on different medicines for them and she had luxating patella (the latter, I believe because her breeder was not the best).....Westies are known for allergies.

We loved our sweet smart girl so much and her feisty personality is what makes me smile when I think of her.

Tammy

TammyJM · 03-22-2008, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmrldShdwQueen

I love them! They're one of the sweetest breeds of dog. I would have one myself if I could justify it somehow...lol.

They do shed a little, but not too much...they have like a thicker wiry coat.

They're SO smart too...they learn quickly, but they do like to chew and dig.

Our Madi did like to dig and would have a HUGE mess in a matter of seconds! She was an indoor dog and was only outside long enough to potty....but I can't tell you how many times she would have to be hosed down before she could come back inside!

Tammy

TammyJM · 03-22-2008, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EmrldShdwQueen

Oh I agree...

Oh and I forgot to add, Westies are little bigger too...about 20 lbs or so full grown. Some are a little smaller, but most fall close to that number.

My Madi was about 14lbs. but she was small for a Westie.

Tammy

grayxie · 03-22-2008, 04:24 PM

We have a few westie/cairn park friends, they are true terriers. So be prepared for training, otherwise all the ones I have met are well socialized and very friendly to the point that they are quite comical

Little Bit · 03-22-2008, 06:56 PM

We had a wonderful westie! Scruffy was the most obedient dog I have ever had. He was easy to train and great except when it came to cutting his nails! He would nearly have a nervous breakdown. We did not get him as a puppy, so he may have a had a bad experience with a groomer.

The coat takes a LOT of work! It is hard to keep a white dog looking good. If you want the true hard coat you have to "strip it", which takes a very long time. If you get them groomed (cut instead of stripped) they can look just as cute, but the coat gets soft and is more porous and so gets dirty easier.

I loved having Scruffy and miss him a lot, but truly the upkeep on yorkies is easier. JMHO

I have attached a few pictures of him. Callie and Scruffy C.JPG Scruffy C.JPG Travers and Scruffy C.JPG Scruff C.JPG

littlewhip · 03-22-2008, 07:02 PM

I always wondered about them as well

I think they are so cute

hha · 03-22-2008, 07:07 PM

My daughter has one..she's about 15 lbs and will be 1 next month..sweet, but, very stubborn and hyper as all get out..She jumps like a kangaroo, but, is cute

I Love Bailey · 03-22-2008, 09:30 PM

We had a westie when I was a teenager. Snoball was his namo...

(Sorry...I am tired & have to wait up for my daughter to come home from work.)

He was the sweetest, smartest dog. My brother used to spoon feed him his dinner...yes, he was spoiled.

He never barked much either, he was about 10-12lbs full grown.

autumn star · 03-23-2008, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little Bit

We had a wonderful westie! Scruffy was the most obedient dog I have ever had. He was easy to train and great except when it came to cutting his nails! He would nearly have a nervous breakdown. We did not get him as a puppy, so he may have a had a bad experience with a groomer.

The coat takes a LOT of work! It is hard to keep a white dog looking good. If you want the true hard coat you have to "strip it", which takes a very long time. If you get them groomed (cut instead of stripped) they can look just as cute, but the coat gets soft and is more porous and so gets dirty easier.

I loved having Scruffy and miss him a lot, but truly the upkeep on yorkies is easier. JMHO

I have attached a few pictures of him. Attachment 205317 Attachment 205318 Attachment 205319 Attachment 205320

Scruffy is adorable.
Thanks to everyone for the info! I don't think my parents know how much work a Westie will take. Although my mother had a wonderful upper hand on training back in the day. She had our Doberman so obedient it was scary at times. But that was some time ago.
Maybe something less work might be better for her - any suggestions?

bettyeanne · 03-23-2008, 03:53 AM

My Amanda [dau] has a Westie named Jackson and he's a pistol!!

He is everything that everyone has already described except he's not a chewer [thank God] but he is such a sweet little man. Although he is purebred, he has huge ears but his eyes are almost human. He will sit in my lap and gaze into my eyes and I just look at him and wonder what he's thinking!!

He's every bit as loving as my Toto and he's wonderful with children.

autumn star · 03-23-2008, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bettyeanne

My Amanda [dau] has a Westie named Jackson and he's a pistol!!

He is everything that everyone has already described except he's not a chewer [thank God] but he is such a sweet little man. Although he is purebred, he has huge ears but his eyes are almost human. He will sit in my lap and gaze into my eyes and I just look at him and wonder what he's thinking!!

He's every bit as loving as my Toto and he's wonderful with children.

Awww......he sounds like a real love bug!

03-22-2008, 10:41 AM	#1
autumn star Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Long Island Posts: 5,552	Westie's Does anyone have a West Highland Terrier and if so can you tell me about them? Good and/or bad. My mom has been thinking about getting a dog and she thinks this might be the breed she has narrowed it down to! Thanks for any info you can give Amie __________________ *PROUD MOM OF (SKIN KIDS) LEXI & HUNTER AND (FUR KIDS) AUTUMN, BLAZE & CHANCE (OUR RESCUE)*

03-22-2008, 11:39 AM	#2
EmrldShdwQueen Slave to my Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Clemmons, NC Posts: 3,713	I love them! They're one of the sweetest breeds of dog. I would have one myself if I could justify it somehow...lol. They do shed a little, but not too much...they have like a thicker wiry coat. They're SO smart too...they learn quickly, but they do like to chew and dig. __________________ Nicki and all her babies www.madalooyorkies.com Ask me about the YT discount! http://www.madelinecouture.com/

03-22-2008, 12:16 PM	#3
autumn star Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Long Island Posts: 5,552	Thank you for the info! Keep it coming.......I of course think she should just get a yorkie but Im just bias!!! __________________ *PROUD MOM OF (SKIN KIDS) LEXI & HUNTER AND (FUR KIDS) AUTUMN, BLAZE & CHANCE (OUR RESCUE)*

03-22-2008, 04:24 PM	#8
grayxie Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Dresher, PA Posts: 2,645	We have a few westie/cairn park friends, they are true terriers. So be prepared for training, otherwise all the ones I have met are well socialized and very friendly to the point that they are quite comical __________________ Iteapots! GraycieChipHarley http://www.dogster.com/dogs/596293

03-22-2008, 06:56 PM	#9
Little Bit Tiny Dog Big Heart Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 4,603	We had a wonderful westie! Scruffy was the most obedient dog I have ever had. He was easy to train and great except when it came to cutting his nails! He would nearly have a nervous breakdown. We did not get him as a puppy, so he may have a had a bad experience with a groomer. The coat takes a LOT of work! It is hard to keep a white dog looking good. If you want the true hard coat you have to "strip it", which takes a very long time. If you get them groomed (cut instead of stripped) they can look just as cute, but the coat gets soft and is more porous and so gets dirty easier. I loved having Scruffy and miss him a lot, but truly the upkeep on yorkies is easier. JMHO I have attached a few pictures of him. Callie and Scruffy C.JPG Scruffy C.JPG Travers and Scruffy C.JPG Scruff C.JPG __________________ *Blue Sky Yorkies* "Lots of Love in a Little Package" Click Here for Washable Potty Pads and Belly Bands

03-22-2008, 01:02 PM	#5
TammyJM It's Parti Time! Donating Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: With My Beautiful Fur Babies! Posts: 2,402	We used to own a Westie and we adored her! However, they do require someone that is skilled at training. We were not and she walked allllllllllllllllll over us. LOL!! She was so beyond smart it was bizarre!!!!!! I know most people say that their dogs are smart, but she was insanely smart! Yes, this sounds good in theory, but they are also one of the most STUBBORN breeds out there! Sooooooooooo, what we had was a dog that had her own thoughts and was not about to mind us because we were push-overs and she was stubborn AND was super intelligent!!!!!!! I think it definitely takes someone with a lot of paitence and time.We never taught her to sit or shake or stay or roll over or any of her tricks that she did....she learned every one of them by the time she was 10 weeks old and it was from watching our other dogs do them. She was the only dog that I have ever owned that I can honestly say seemed more like a person than a dog. I can tell you that her allergies were VERY bad and she was on different medicines for them and she had luxating patella (the latter, I believe because her breeder was not the best).....Westies are known for allergies. We loved our sweet smart girl so much and her feisty personality is what makes me smile when I think of her. Tammy

03-22-2008, 07:02 PM	#10
littlewhip My six pack Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: michigan Posts: 7,665	I always wondered about them as well I think they are so cute __________________ Jasper Charlie Karleigh Molly Joey Shiloh Dogs Are Not My Whole Life,But They Make My Life Whole

03-22-2008, 07:07 PM	#11
hha No Longer a Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Seneca, SC Posts: 2,837	My daughter has one..she's about 15 lbs and will be 1 next month..sweet, but, very stubborn and hyper as all get out..She jumps like a kangaroo, but, is cute

03-22-2008, 09:30 PM	#12
I Love Bailey I Love Angel too! Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Biggest Little City Posts: 1,246	We had a westie when I was a teenager. Snoball was his namo... (Sorry...I am tired & have to wait up for my daughter to come home from work.) He was the sweetest, smartest dog. My brother used to spoon feed him his dinner...yes, he was spoiled. He never barked much either, he was about 10-12lbs full grown. __________________ Michele, Bailey & Angel Take the Pledge to Fight Animal Cruelty: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer...ge_landing_er3

03-23-2008, 03:53 AM	#14
bettyeanne Donating YT 7000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama, etc. Posts: 7,449	My Amanda [dau] has a Westie named Jackson and he's a pistol!! He is everything that everyone has already described except he's not a chewer [thank God] but he is such a sweet little man. Although he is purebred, he has huge ears but his eyes are almost human. He will sit in my lap and gaze into my eyes and I just look at him and wonder what he's thinking!! He's every bit as loving as my Toto and he's wonderful with children. __________________ Toto's Mom *http://www.dogster.com/?206581www.millbusters.com/forums* THE CRAZY CLUB http://yorkierescuecolorado.com/home.html ~ Proud Member of SRC ~"PP" ~ Tink's Friends**