We receive lots of questions from our email subscribers and our Instagram followers, so we’re taking some of the answers we give them and we publish them here, on the blog, for anyone to see.
Question:
How often does he [Sami, our Westie] get his allergies ? Is it a big problem or just an occasional problem. Would you recommend a Westie to a first time dog owner ?
Our Answer:
Since he was 1 year old (that’s when allergies start) he started having them. What happens is he licks his paws because they itch and if we don’t do anything he licks the skin raw, so whenever I notice the flare ups (which can be every 1-2 months maybe, depends in the season too) I wash his paws every night with medicated shampoo and I apply cream.
Also, below is a video I’ve made about all the things I take with us when we travel with an allergic Westie (Sami):
Honestly it’s work. 😊 and it can be a problem because it takes time and money. And there’s no way to know which Westies will be allergic and which not. Sami’s parents I was told had no allergies 🤷🏻♀️ Other Westies I know have never had allergies. So you can’t know unless you adopt an older Westie.
So I’d say get a Westie as long as you’re prepared to deal with this in case your dog is allergic. They are amazing dogs, so smart and so funny and loyal ❤️ But they have this skin sensitivity and it can be overwhelming sometimes, so you need to know beforehand to know what to expect.
In my case, Sami is my first dog and he’s the best dog ever. I never once regretted choosing him and I can’t imagine life without him ❤️🥰 But also, I have the time to take care of him, I work from home and my hours are flexible which makes a huge difference.
So, I hope it helps somewhat. Sorry if it wasn’t what you hoped to hear 😊 let me know if you have any more questions!
