[Closed] West highland terrier

Abnormally yappy little things. My folks had one (after several other dogs)and regretted it.

orrible creatures

Very prone to skin conditions.
A puppy farmer's favourite, hence many unhealthy dogs.
Feisty little buggers though, if you get a good one.

hora had one.

Need we say more? 🙂

I've got two..
And I like 'em.
A. Lot.

[IMG] [/IMG]

Not yappy, and no skin issues..
Feisty, but great fun.

Mine doesn't yap, nor have skin issues.

He's as lazy as, likes nothing better than lying in the sun in conservatory or pressed up against the radiator boiling his head.

He's a great character tho.

Had 2, would get another in a heartbeat.

Tbh we're doing a trial day as we have young children, but she was friendly, no yapping! V active, don't think she's walked much!... Thanks..

I had a Westie from 6 weeks old till we eventually had to have him put to sleep aged 14 due to ill health!

He was a brilliant dog, didn't yip in fact barely barked. He spoiled a walk though as wanted to pee against anything and everything. He was happy with his own company while we were at work but they're meant to be happiest as a pair.
Big issue we found was health issues, ours had skin issues, pollops in his ears, stomach problems, dodgy hips and finally a heart issue which all added up to regular expensive vet bills.
Our dog also became a racist in his old age and would try and attack black dogs, all the others were safe as houses.

Had a Westie Jack Russel cross.
Probably 90% Westie though.
Mr Fatty McTavish was his name.
Went to the great park in the sky some years ago.
He was a legend.
Used to ride around with him perched on a shoulder, like a parrot. Seriously.

We got stuck up a ladder once 🙂
Was doing the guttering & he climbed up behind me, & couldn't go back down.
Neighbour was in hysterics, likewise several passers by & those who stopped their cars to watch.

😀 ^^^

I had 2 when I was a kid, lovely dogs with great personamity. Mine were not happy at all, in fact they both decent barks for their size.
Both had health issues though, skin problems and died of cancer of some sort.

I have a scottie westie cross. He's a great dog, enjoys a run on the trails, easy to train, very good when my nephews decide to climb on him. Doesn't yap. He's a delight if I'm honest. Get a bit of a ribbing off mates that he looks like a pensioners dog etc 🙂

Any dog breed you mention someone will point out the health conditions they are prone to.

Yes yappy little tikes.

Fantastic dogs. Had ours 7yrs, he was muddy almost daily, had a very strict diet (no human food full stop), cod liver oil daily and no skin issues etc.

We had to rehome ours to another westie owner as our 18month old son started chasing him, pulling his ears etc etc so he turned on him.

There was another westie locally- same age. It walked like an old man and was very overweight. The owner couldn't get insurance payouts anymore and she told me all this was due to 'inbreeding'. I don't buy into that wholely. I think its killing it with kindness. Treats, short exercise, etc and human food treats.

Fantastic dogs with real character - it must have looked funny him running with the bike over the moors though. I remember the day he went- in the park he ran round me in big circles then every so often making close passes trying to nip my ankles then off again sideways.

Do it

Mate had one on the farm, known as Tripe hound because he was always filthy, shagged and fought everything in Llangorse. Alun would see him sneaking off across the field and jump on the farm bike to go get him. Robbie was his real name would hear the bike and wait at the gate very fed up. Would sit on the tank of the bike back to the farm. Then go off ratting.

Robbie/Tripe hound was one of a kind I think 😆

Got a Cairne which is similar and it's one fearless little barsteward 😯 he'll fight everything and anything but his mood is dictated by his food. If we keep him on James Wellbeloved he seems ok but once he was on Iams he became a complete psycho and also developed a skin rash

Pigface ours killed two birds (inc a Magpie) and a local cat. His only complaint was ear pain from where a staffie had bitten him in a fight that he started.. ironically he would never fight or piss off a Border Terrier. Weird.

Let me just echo the comments above regarding the medical issues.
Ours had the following:

Skin issues which needed medicated shampoo
Ear problems (nasty gunk and smell)
Eye condition, common with many white dog breeds, if not cleaned regularly resulted in nasty eye gack.
Also was a bit snappy and had allergies of all sorts.

We inherited ours and we already had a mongrel. I reckon in the 8 or 9 years we had him he cost us about 2 to £3000 on medication and vets bills. The mongrel never once went to the vets until his last day.

They are funny though and quite cute when nice and clean.
I would say that if like me you want a dog that is maintenance free as I don't have time or the patience for dog grooming then think on the above. Otherwise go for it.

Heres mine (photo by SimonFBarnes):

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We also fed him only James Wellbelove dry food with cod liver oil poured Bi-daily over (loved that).

A rare treat was a pigs ear. NOTHING else.

If we keep him on James Wellbeloved he seems ok but once he was on Iams he became a complete psycho and also developed a skin rash

IAMS is stuffed full of wheat. Avoid any dog food containing wheat and the mutt should be OK. Wheat is bad enough, but wheat that is too manky even for Mother's Pride sliced white ain't going to do anyone any favours.

We have had three. Our first lived until she was 15 and did not visit the vets until the last 6 months of her life. She was a very odd dog, hated children and loved women.

When she was put down we bought two sisters from the same litter. Very different personalities but both loving dogs.

Jess was put down recently but Nell is still going (turns 16 in March).

They have cost me a bloody fortune though. They have both been incontinent since being spayed, one tablet a day.

They both have/had dry-eye (quite common) and need optimmune eye ointment each day (circa £35 month).

They have both had skin problems (this week the vet has agreed to keep Nell on permanent antibiotics to keep it at bay).

We had the two before we had kids but they both love(d) the kids to the point of obsession.

Take what you want from my ramblings. The ailments are pot luck with pedigree dogs and I guess personalities are pot luck with any dog!

I've had two. The first was healthy her entire life until she was very old - 16, and she started to suffer heart problems. Soft as a brush, completely passive and gentle with everybody. Loved people and not yappy.

Our second was equally as soft, adored people, not yappy but was a ball of pure relentless energy for the three years he lived until he developed a neorological issue which sadly killed him. We were foolish enough to get him from a welsh farm (we did 't realise it was actually a puppy farm as they covered it so well) but I don't regret it as he was a great dog and had a happy three years.

I'd have another without question.

Cheers guys, after spending a day with us.. And what is a normal in our house. It was a success we pick up tomorrow.

Excellent. 😀
We've had Clyde from 6 weeks old, now 9 years old, been to the vet twice, both for pretty much no reason, doesn't yap, or snap, loves everyone, chases pigeons, sleeps with our cat, and is probably one of the best family decisions we ever made. Needs a bath every fortnight coz he pisses on grass then kickes it all over the place! 😆

Pleased for both your family and the dog getting a good home.

Get your camera out OP; 25 posts and only two pics. You have some doing to do...

We've had ours for three years from a local breeder, great with my three children, tempted to take him on the trails having seen horas post.

We currently have two, one 3 and the 6 yrs. great dogs!

My stepdaughter had one. It was horrible, it barked at everything & was always trying to dig It's way out of the garden then it would come in with mucky feet & jump all over the place.
She gave it away.

esselgruntfuttock - Member
My stepdaughter had one. It was horrible, it barked at everything & was always trying to dig It's way out of the garden then it would come in with mucky feet & jump all over the place.
She gave it away.

Sounds to me as if she couldn't be bother with it!

They dig when bored.
They can't wipe there own feet.

It was still horrible. I love dogs but that thing was just plain nasty.
It was like it was on E numbers all the time.

They dig when bored.

Time consuming little sods then?