Westie care is easy once you know what to provide your pup. He’s so adorable that you’ll want him to have the best of everything. With the right attention to Westie grooming and Westie health, you’ll have a wonderful canine companion for many years to come.
Important Westie Care Documents
1.Pedigree
Proof of pedigree assures you that you’re purchasing a purebred West Highland White Terrier Dog. Your registration papers will include not only the Buyer/Owner and Breeder/Seller information, but also the registration numbers of the sire, dam and litter for your pup.
2.Vaccinations
Top breeders will also immunize puppies with their first round of vaccines, tell you what was administered and when. They will have a schedule of when the second round of vaccinations are due.
3.Worming and Additional Treatments
Puppy worming and additional treatments can include flea and tick control for older dogs and about any other medical interventions performed on your puppy, sterilization for an example.
4.Microchip
If the two of you are ever separated, the microchip is a permanent ID source, even if your pet’s collar containing a return phone number falls off. Quite a few shelters and vets these days have chip readers, so if your baby turns up in the arms of someone else, a professional can scan the chip, identify you as the owner and get the two of you reunited quickly if you’ve kept your contact information up to date.
These documents are vital to your Westie’s health, so keep your dog’s papers in a safe place. It’s particularly important that you have proof of your dogs’ most recent rabies and Bordetella vaccinations as well as microchip implantation and sterilization certificate.
Health Care Essentials for Westies
Westie at the Vet
The first round of Westie health immunizations is given at 7-8 weeks, and these puppy shots consist of
• Distemper
• Parvovirus and
• Adenovirous
Your Westie will go back for booster shots a month after his initial immunizations, and he’ll receive his first rabies shot at four months. After these Westie care immunizations are taken, he’ll receive boosters in a year and additional vaccines approximately every four years for the rest of his life.
If you might ever board your Westie, he’ll have to be up to date on his Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccine, and depending on where you live, a Barrelia (Lyme disease) vaccine may be in order.
There are other vaccines available, not all of which are right for improved Westie health; talk to your vet about the proper immunization schedule. Heartworm and flea prevention medicines are often prescribed as well.
What’s for Dinner
What your Westie tells you she’d like for dinner and what she can have may well be two different things. Junk food may taste yummy, but it’s just as unhealthy for your dog as it is for you
Optimum Calories for Westies
The West Highland Terrier will need to eat about 700 kilocalories a day, and less active/older dogs may need only 450 kilocalories. That’s about 4-6 ounces of dry kibble a day, depending on the ingredients in your dog’s food. If you opt for feeding her canned food, follow the manufacturer’s recommended serving and don’t leave it out for longer than 20 minutes to prevent spoiling.
Your Westie puppy will appreciate having two meals a day. Smaller servings are more easily digested, and empty tummies can cause nausea in the West Highland Terrier
Grain Free Dog Food
Proper Westie care includes feeding grain-free foods. Dogs in the wild don’t eat grains like corn and wheat; grains are difficult to digest and not part of a canine’s natural diet. Also, your Westie may have an allergic reaction to grain-based foods. Check the ingredients on your dog’s food. Corn, wheat and soy meal should not be in the ingredients. Neither should chemicals that are difficult to pronounce, like propylene glycol.
Some Westies experience food intolerance to beef, so it’s best to find food with poultry, lamb or fish-based sources of protein. Your Westie breeder will have some recommended food brands for your puppy. Food low in fat and sugar is the best choice for Westie health.
Westie Doggy Treats
And treats? Of course your dog can have canine treats. Again, check the contents and count the kilocalories as part of her daily dietary totals.
No dog should be given chocolate or grapes.
Staying Fit
Getting the right amount of exercise will improve overall Westie health, help your dog deal with stress and anxiety, increase brain function and alertness, and it will help her sleep better and live longer.
Exercise
Many Westie parents like to start their puppies with a daily walking routine. Keep your walks short, avoiding long runs. Your puppy’s bones are still growing, and excessive physical stress can impact his growth. Begin with a 15-minute walk and work your way up to 30 minutes.
Playful Westies
Most Westies love chasing a ball or a Frisbee. There are plenty of activities to keep your dog engaged and alert. Without proper exercise, your Westie may find his own exercise, which can include digging or trampling your garden chasing imaginary prey.
Your puppy will find plenty of exercise on his own, but older dogs may need encouragement to get up and moving.
Be mindful of exercising your dog in the heat of the day. Dogs are just as susceptible to heatstroke as humans, and they can get sunburned, too.
Westie Grooming Looking Good
Westie grooming and bathing is specialized, but it’s something most pet owners can do – if they feel comfortable using electric clippers every six to eight weeks. Professional groomers can strip your Westie’s coat, which is a traditional technique for shortening the coat and removing older hairs. They also can trim the dog’s toenails and don’t mind expressing anal glands if needed.
General westie grooming care at home includes between the four to six weekly baths your dog needs, you’ll want to keep up with your Westie’s white coat. That depends on what activities you and your Westie have been up to but their coats are generally easy care and only requires brushing with a slicker brush to wick away dirt, debris and loose hairs.
Easy Grooming for Owner and Westie
It is worth including grooming and general handling early in your westies life so she becomes familiar with being touched through grooming all over her body.
By making the brushing a pleasurable experience, your dog will look forward to her Westie grooming sessions.
Some of the tools you’ll need include:
• Slicker brush
• Canine nail trimmer
• Dog shampoo (human shampoo has the wrong pH)
• Dog toothbrush and toothpaste
Grooming and Westie Health Inspection
As you brush your Westie, look for anything unusual about her. Check the ears ,ears, teeth, feet and tail area for anything that differs from normal.
- Discharge around the eyes may be a sign of allergies or infection, and as she gets older, she may develop a cloudy bluish film over the eyes. These are cataracts, which can be corrected surgically.
- Wipe clean the dog’s ears, and look for any signs of infection or excessive waxy discharge. You can clean her ears yourself with a specially formulated ear cleaner.
- Westies may develop reddish stains on the fur around the eyes and mouth. These are caused by contact with proteins. There are special shampoos that will help remove the appearance of “rust stains” on your Westie girl.
- Some Westies are prone to contracting yeasty skin infections (malassezia dermatitis). If your Westies skin that turns gray-black, hair that falls out, ear infections and a musty odor are all signs of this infection and will require vet attention.
Westie Terrier Training and Education
Proper Westie health includes training. Your Westie’s training began when he was a puppy. His mom and his litter-mates taught him his first socialization skills. You are his teacher now. Like any schoolboy, your Westie will have a mind of his own. Like any teacher, you’ll have specific goals for him.
1.Potty training
You’ll want your highly intelligent Westie to become potty trained as quickly as possible. Begin with trips outside every two hours. Go to the same spot each time so that he understands he’s there for business. Some owners keep their dogs on a leash or confine their movements about the house until potty training is complete. Crate training facilitates the process because your Westie won’t want to soil his bed.
2.Dog handling
Your westie puppy will need to learn to accept being handled all over their body if grooming or going to vet for annual check ups is to be an acceptable experience for both you and your westie!
Handling simply begins with your westie accepting you inspecting her ears and teeth.
Touching her feet and tail as part of daily puppy handling routine early in her education.
3.Dog training
Every Westie should also learn – and follow – basic command such as sit, down, and come. Don’t stop there, however; the average Westie can learn about 100 words. Work with your dog multiple times throughout the day to teach the commands you want him to learn.
4.Westie Socialization
Include socialization opportunities as part of his training and this is where puppy training classes can really help. You’ll want him to learn how to meet visitors and other dogs, especially if you go places together.
Puppy Training Classes
If all this education and training sounds a bit daunting then enroll in puppy training classes. Here you and your puppy will be guided through a program over four to six weeks. It is worth spending the time in this foundational training as it will form the best type of relationship between you and your westie with ongoing benefits and rewards.
At Home and on the Road
West Highland Terriers like to explore and occasionally dig and chase! If there isn’t any entertainment for them, they are perfectly content finding their own – but you likely won’t approve of it. Some behaviours may be downright inconvenient or unsafe.
Westie Terrier at Home
Everything is an adventure to your Westie puppy. Keep electrical cords hidden, and don’t leave t
rash out. Instead, offer your dog a variety of safe toys to play with, like balls, rubber chews and plush dog toys.
Westie in the Car
Westie care includes safe travel. It’s fun to take your dog with you, but travel safely by using a travel carrier or a seatbelt harness to prevent your dog from bouncing around the car. She should wear her collar, and you will need to have a leash (to take her on potty breaks), plus additional water and food. If you are staying overnight, you may also need her immunization records.
Never leave your dog unattended in a hot car.
Westie Health and Happiness
When your Westie feels poorly, you’ll know it. He’s apt to be lethargic, itchy and/or his coat will begin to fall out. If you suspect your Westie is feeling a bit off, it’s time to head to the vet.
Your contented Westie will be alert and playful, and he’ll (mostly) follow your commands. His coat will be white, his eyes bright and he himself will be active. He’ll want to be your constant companion, and he’ll show you just how brave he is by taking on the world.
All you have to do is provide the right kind of Westie care. Give your West Highland Terrier early handling and training basics. Puppy Training classes will help your Westie pup grow into the most delightful Westie character she is meant to become for the rest of her life.
Resources
http://www.akc.org/dog-owners/responsible-dog-ownership/#keephealthy
http://www.wikihow.com/Take-Care-of-a-West-Highland-White-Terrier
http://www.downsouthwesties.com/1styear.htm
https://www.petcarerx.com/article/what-do-i-feed-a-west-highland-white-terrier/449