about those westies…
About selecting a well-bred pedigreed West Highland Terrier puppy…
Every puppy looks adorable to someone who decided they want to share their personal space, but it’s best to carefully consider where to find your four-footed partner to add to your forever home. It’s ideal to remember that the good health of the pup and maintaining lifetime good health should be your first concern. Constant lifetime vet bills for a pup can get expensive and sweep away the joy of ownership. The American Kennel Club, or Canadian Kennel Club, or other such organizations usually has a list of recommended breeders. There are clubs of breeders for each breed. If a breeder has no pups at the time you inquire they usually either know when they will have upcoming pups or another breeder who has pups. A good breeder will ask a lot of questions before putting you on their potential list for a pup. Breeders are pretty particular about who is welcome to purchase one of their treasured pups, but don’t be daunted. You will be expected to declare is you are looking for a male or female or either is agreeable. The breeder will try to determine if your lifestyle and family members fit into the picture of a good home. Finding a super puppy is not as simple or quick as ordering a pizza. You can pass the spare time you wait by walking a neighbor’s dog or helping at a neighborhood dog training center.
What you want to know is if the puppies are raised in the home of if the puppies are housed in a separate building. Pups raised in the home are more used to people from the get go and more socially adjusted to people. Some breeders line breed more for looks and such but close line breeding can produce health flaws that show up down the line. 8 weeks old is the date for approved separation from the mother. By 8 weeks the puppy will have had it’s first shot and been wormed, which is the first step to protect him/her for general exposure to the public. The puppy should have been kept in a clean environment and free of fleas. The litter of pups should have had a first vet health check. Remember that getting a new pup is more ideal during the summer for potty training purposes.
A breeder might offer you an older dog retired from their breeding program. My advice is go meet the older dog and if the dog loves you and it seems a hit between you both, you could be light years ahead concerning training. But only choose that dog if it seems like it was meant to be. Make sure the older dog cooperates during grooming because Westies require a whole lot of grooming.
Westies are hunting dogs so a fenced yard will be important. They are fearless so electric in ground fencing does not work if they see a rabbit or squirrel. They are high level watch dogs and most do their fair share of barking. High energy to run is one of their favorite things to do. Westies are curious over everything especially in their youngest years. They even out around five years old.
My experience with Westies…
I adopted several older neutered Westies over the years while I had another Westie in the household and it worked out fine. We were a household of 3 then and worked at home so both dogs were kept busy with daily people to settle into.