Positive reinforcement is the only approach that works long-term with westies. Punishment-based methods backfire spectacularly because terriers dig in and resist when pressured – it’s literally what they were bred to do. A westie being corrected doesn’t think “I should stop doing that.” A westie being corrected thinks “this is now a battle of wills.” … Read more
Potty training a westie puppy follows the same principles as any breed, but the westie temperament adds a layer of complexity. These are independent thinkers who may understand perfectly what you want and still decide the rug is a more convenient option than the cold grass outside. Consistency and patience are the only things that … Read more
If your westie is licking or chewing their paws persistently – especially at night when everything is quiet – that’s not a quirk or a bad habit. It’s the earliest and most reliable sign of an allergy flare-up. This was exactly how Sami’s allergies started. Around one year old, he began licking and biting his … Read more
Westies bark. A lot. They were bred as alert dogs whose job was to announce anything unusual. A westie that barks at the doorbell, at dogs walking past the window, at a delivery truck, and at that suspicious leaf is doing exactly what 200 years of breeding programmed them to do. You’re not going to … Read more
If you’ve ever called your westie and watched them look right at you and then go back to whatever they were doing, you already know what I’m about to say. Westies are terriers. They were bred to hunt rats and foxes underground, alone, making independent decisions without human direction. That breeding is the root of … Read more