Dog Daze....advice needed please....

Parent Cafe
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<p>Due to major pressure from the kids (who are 9 and 12) I’m thinking of getting a Westhighland Terrier. Does anyone have any good/bad stories about the breed? We have a 20 yr. old Siamese who I know will HATE not being the Queen bee, but too bad. Friends I know who have Westies love them, but they’re biased. Any feedback would be most appreciated!</p>

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<p>I can tell you westies are very, very active dogs. So make sure you can keep up with them and have the time to do so.</p>

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<p>Eeek…do they bark alot? ( I really need a dog that’s a cat…does that make sense?)</p>

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<p>Almost any terrier will be high energy, and most likely a digger. Many of the working breed dogs are cat-like in their calmness, albeit larger than you probably want.</p>

<p>Take a look at the Havanese:</p>

<p>Temperament
Playful and alert. The Havanese is both trainable and intelligent with a sweet, non-quarrelsome disposition.</p>

<p>Size, Proportion, and Substance
The height range is from 8 1/2 to 11 1/2 inches, with the ideal being between 9 and 10 1/2 inches, measured at the withers, and is slightly less than the length from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, creating a rectangular outline rather than a square one. The Havanese is a sturdy little dog, and should never appear fragile. A coarse dog with excessive bone is likewise contrary to type and therefore equally undesirable. The minimum height ranges set forth in the description above shall not apply to dogs or **<strong><em>es under twelve months of age.
Disqualification: Height at withers under 8 1/2 inches or over 11 1/2 inches, except that the minimum height ranges set forth in the description above shall not apply to dogs or *</em></strong>*es under twelve months of age.</p>

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<p>Bichon–that’s a dog that’s almost a cat. And you don’t have to do the silly Lion cut they do for the shows.</p>

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<p>dke:
We had a Westie who died 3 years ago at the age of 17. She was a wonderful dog. We bought her “used” at one year old. All terriers have a lot in common - loyal to owners, hunters, diggers, barkers, fairly high energy. Not always great with little kids. Have you owned a terrier before? They are GREAT.</p>

<p>When we bought another dog, we bought a Bedlington Terrier (and now we have two). Mostly because I just couldn’t bear to “replace” my Westie with another Westie - it somehow felt disloyal. (I know, it’s screwy.) The Bedlingtons are quite different - and indeed my two Bedlingtons have completely different personalities from each other. They bark less, are inferior hunters, and require way more grooming. They are very sweet and certainly attract a lot of attention with their beautiful looks.</p>

<p>When you choose a puppy be sure to meet the parents. They should be happy and friendly. The puppy should be tail-wagging happy to see you and inquisitive. You want a confident, happy pup. Then you want to be sure to go to obedience class (start right away) for at least a year. (No, really…)</p>

<p>Westies are great because they don’t shed or smell doggy. They are not really supposed to be clippered - the preferred grooming is plucking out hair - but that is a technique that few non-show dogs receive. When they are clippered their coat gets a little soft and loses its nice coarseness - really only an issue if you have a hunting terrier.</p>

<p>You will no longer have any squirrels, mice, voles, chipmunks, stray cats, or deer in your yard. Westies love the hunt!</p>

<p>The cat will choose whether or not they will be friends. it is never up to the dog. If they don’t get on it could get ugly - really ugly, and dangerous. You should discuss that with your breeder. You aren’t buying this dog from a pet shop I hope?</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>The Havanese is getting me thinking…I’ll research…thanks for the advice!</p>

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<p>Your welcome</p>

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<p>Dke, have you considered the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel? I hear they are absolutely wonderful lap dogs, calm and even tempered. Not especially yappy. A favorite of royalty for generations.</p>

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<p>we are extremely biased! We love our Westie! She is the D my wife never had (2 boys). Raised with 2 rough boys she will defend herself - we are always cautious with small children because if they grab her the wrong way she will growl and nip at them. Digs - yes, if given the chance. Barks - sometimes too much, truly her ONLY fault. Not overly active - she will curl up and sleep for hours at a time if you let her. Obedience training a Westie is much more challenging than, say, a golden retriever. They do have a mind of their own. </p>

<p>sweet face:
<a href=“http://home.comcast.net/~mnjack/penn2.JPG[/url]”>http://home.comcast.net/~mnjack/penn2.JPG&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>no, she doesn’t sleep on the couch… it has to be the pillow ON the couch!</p>

<p><a href=“http://home.comcast.net/~mnjack/pencouch.JPG[/url]”>http://home.comcast.net/~mnjack/pencouch.JPG&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>loves to go for rides in the car!</p>

<p><a href=“http://home.comcast.net/~mnjack/pennypassenger.JPG[/url]”>http://home.comcast.net/~mnjack/pennypassenger.JPG&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Westies dig. A lot. Also, being the “tough guys” of the dog species, they are rather inclined to pick fights…including with much bigger dogs. </p>

<p>Havaneses are great dogs but fairly rare and extremely expensive ($1000 or more).</p>

<p>A bichon is a good choice. Although they can be very hard to housebreak, they shed very little, which is a definite plus.</p>

<p>Personally, I would suggest a soft-coated wheaten terrier. They’re very active dogs, but mild-natured, and they shed very little. </p>

<p>If you want a dog like a cat, I suggest a sighthound like an Afghan, Basenji, whippet, etc. </p>

<p>I suggest you consider:
[A</a> website that can match you to a dog](<a href=“http://www.glowdog.com/bestdog/bestdog.pl?action=Done]A”>http://www.glowdog.com/bestdog/bestdog.pl?action=Done)
[AKC:</a> info AND videos!](<a href=“http://www.akc.org%5DAKC:”>www.akc.org)
Paws to consider: choosing the right dog for you and your family, a very helpful book</p>

<p>weenie-Where on EARTH did you find a Bedlington terrier? There’s like two breeders in the whole U.S.?!?!?</p>

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<p>this is great…thanks all so much…</p>

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<p>warblersrule:
Actually I bought them from two different breeders in Pennsylvania (did college trips while picking up the pups - no kidding). There is a good Bedlington club through which you can find breeders. </p>

<p>My 2 year old is a bit of a psycho dog (but she is incredibly sweet), hence the change in breeder. My second dog (1 year old male) is absolutely the perfect Bedlington. Bedlingtons carry a bad inheritied disease (copper toxicosis) and that is why they lost popularity awhile ago. Subsequently, they developed a DNA test for it and the breed has much improved. </p>

<p>They are really the most wonderful dog, really much more relaxed than most terriers (the British think this is a fault), but because of the amount of grooming they require I would hesitate to recommend them to just anybody. (Acutally I’d be fussy about grooming on a Wheaton too.) I taught myself how to groom them (with help from a video tape that a well-known Bedlie show-er distributes) so that has saved me a lot of money. (Although they are certainly not show quality in my hands! Ha!)</p>

<p>I can barely take them to a crowded place because so many people want to know what they are. Lots of people guess “Airedale” (a 70 pound dog!), others ask, “part poodle part what else?” One person I know who has a Bedlie got asked if it was a miniature llama. Of course everyone comments on their likeness to lambs.</p>

<p>There are 6 Bedlingtons in thie region - and we all know each other from obedience class or word of mouth.</p>

<p>I will reiterate though, my Westie was wonderful!</p>

<p>Link to my Bedlingtons’ photo
<a href=“http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1&Uc=x43zpxh.22n3dd1x&Uy=-qwi0ju&Ux=0[/url]”>http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&conn_speed=1&Uc=x43zpxh.22n3dd1x&Uy=-qwi0ju&Ux=0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>“part poodle part what else?”
HA! From the photo, I would have guessed Bichon/Greyhound. :)</p>

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<p>The Bichon part is probably just bad grooming… ;)</p>

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<p>Gotta love that beautiful terrier face. (My poodle plays with 2 Airedales (everyone’s neutered) and I’ve learned a lot about terriers from their mom.)</p>

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<p>Dog like a cat? A greyhound!! They are known as the 50 mile an hour couch potatoes. Despite their size and reputation as runners they are quiet, virtually no barking, indoor dogs. They do not pace inside. They are affectionate without being slobbering, and smart enough to be interesting but not troublesome. Because their bodies are so flexible, they can get themselves into small spaces. The best place for them is in front of a window–they are after all sight hounds.</p>

<p>Some can get along with cats; some see any small furry thing as something to chase down. They have virtually no body fat so there is little doggy smell. A white greyhound we had was a major shedder with skin problems. The black greyhound hardly shed at all. </p>

<p>You can only adopt retired racing greyhounds. They are not available from breeders as pets. They will usually come to you fixed. If interested search the websites for the adoption groups in your state and details on the breed and their care. They have some special medical needs. They may be prone to cancer–both of our dogs died of that, but the evidence is primarily anecdotal for the breed as a whole.</p>

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<p>I did a quiz online where they match you up with a breed…and it said something about Westies not being that great around kids and being temperamental. My husband had one growing up in a family of 6 kids and said that wasn’t true in his experience. Aren’t Westies family dogs? Also, there’s an obedience issue with them?</p>

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<p>If you are not overwhelmed and in a dog daze by now with all this advice, one more breed that may meet your criteria, albeit a little yappy…mini schnauzer</p>

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<p>I’m not too big on barking. When I call my friend on the phone who has a papillon it sounds like a vet’s office!</p>