White

Westies are a dog breed that immediately bowl over the faint-hearted with their charming recklessness and gentlemanly swagger. Also known as west highland white terriers, this small terrier has a smart-alecky appearance, wide piercing eyes, bullet-shaped body, and smart intelligence that ships with large amounts of self-esteem. He is too independent to be a lap dog, but immensely appreciates being acknowledged. He can be easily trained though, and with patience and reinforced training can be an ideal obedience dog, as some clubs have verified.

Prepare everyday to get a good laugh or be impressed by your westie. His first hobby is going after the scents of real or imagined vermin (his target for hundreds of years already), and will make quick or long-winded sorties into bushes, garden beds and lawns. They can be territorial, which is bad news for the loitering neighborhood pets. He also likes to watch anything furry among the trees above. In sum, these otherwise angelic looking dogs literally cannot wait to lay their paws and teeth on many an interesting critter!

Baby puppies get a kick out of moving earth (read: digging lots and lots of soil), and chewing anything that catches their fancy. So hang on to your garden and put up some really strong barriers. But your westie will still need all the training he can get, so training needs to start the moment the puppy arrives. As dog owner, show the dog that you are leader of the pack, and this will help tone down dominance tendencies early on in your westie.

The westie is currently a perfect fit for all families. He is hardy, and is a sociable little dog that does not want to be left alone. This dog enjoys brisks walks on the lead, traveling by car, warming the couch, or just being closest to his favorite human. Nothing can seem to dull the curious edge of this dog, and is always investigating things, full of fun and mischief. If all goes well, this terrier can live up to twelve to eighteen years. Older people may take time to appreciate this loud dog full of antics, but children and teens are sure to be held captive by the breed. Nevertheless, if an older person wants to own a westie, the best thing to do is for that person to meet a breeder who can look for a “past the puppy” age companion that would be satisfied with walks and life in a one-on-one household.

Richard Cussons believes that westie dogs make great household pets. Learn more about westie training at westiesavvy.com.

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Even if you own a good-tempered west highland white terrier, that is not enough reason to skip Westie training. Just like other breeds, the Westie needs to be trained at an early age to prevent them from developing bad habits and to get rid of those that have developed already. Perhaps a dog owner may believe that training is no longer necessary if his pet urinates/defecates at the right spot, rarely barks or is just staying in his corner for the rest of the day.

But Westie training is more than just that! You need to train your Westie using the appropriate training methods to ensure that he remains safe at the same time acts or does what is expected of him. Most Westie lovers know that this breed was originally breed to seek and dig out foxes and badgers. Vermin, squirrels, rabbits, cats and other animals were also added to their watch list. With the presence of these animals, it would be too easy for him to create a mess in your house; knocked out household items and unsightly holes in your well-kept yard often greet you if this little terrier will not rest until he has captured his prey.

This is one reason for Westie training to take place. The chase can be halted if your Westie is reliably trained to obey commands such as “no” or “stop it”. It will never happen in the first place if the pet was socialized at an early age. Apart from that, socialization can also prevent many behavior issues such as biting, barking, chewing, jumping up on people, fear and aggression. Another issue that can be prevented with Westie training is the development of small dog syndrome (a small dog acting like a big dog). He should be trained to obey rules and follow certain limits and boundaries to prevent him from thinking that he is the leader of the pack and that everyone is under his control.

One more benefit of training is this breed’s safety. Their being energetic and playfulness can possibly get them into trouble. They may fancy running after speeding vehicles or may become attracted to things that can be dangerous to them such as toxic plants and chemicals. Training him to obey basic commands such as stay, wait, no, drop it, stop or sit can surely save both of you from a great deal of trouble. And besides, these basic commands are also stepping stones master more tricks like play-dead, roll over and the likes for the entertainment of humans.

Some may say that Westie training is just like training other dog breeds. Yes, it’s true in some cases but Westie owners should remember to consider this breed’s personality when trying to determine what training methods work best for them.

Richard Cussons is fond of writing various dog articles. Learn more about westie training at westiesavvy.com.

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