Puppies should be fed three to four times a day so they can get enough nutrients and calories to grow strong and healthy. Their small tummies can’t handle big meals, but once they reach full size you can reduce mealtimes to twice per day and increase the portion size. 

Westies can be fussy eaters,  so finding a kibble or wet food your dog likes will make mealtimes more enjoyable. The recommended portion sizes will be printed on the packaging. Make sure to give your dog the right amount of food for its weight and try to avoid giving your Westie too many treats, which could put them off their food. 

Westies have a double coat, meaning the undercoat is short and close to the body to regulate their temperature, and the outercoat is longer and coarser to provide protection from the elements. A weekly brush with a grooming mitt or brush should help keep their coat shiny and tangle-free, and prevent their fur shedding around the house.

Although small, West Highland Terriers still have plenty of energy. As working dogs, they were bred to be active and to dig . This can be a problem if your garden isn’t secure, and something to watch out for in public parks. If you’re able to, Westies love nothing more than hunting for buried treasure – a sandpit can give them an outlet for this activity without damaging your plants. Hide some treats or toys in there to keep them entertained for hours.  

Aside from digging, Westies can be walked for 60-90 minutes each day, broken up into several trips. They will be happy on or off lead, but if you’re letting them roam in a public place make sure they have strong recall to prevent them from getting up to mischief. 

Quick to learn and eager to please, Westies pick up training fast. Clicker training is particularly effective with West Highland Terriers as they respond well to praise. 

While smaller breeds might not be as difficult to handle as larger dogs, untrained Westies can bark a lot. Socialisation from a young age will help them learn to behave around other dogs without reacting by barking.

Westies are friendly and outgoing, without being boisterous or aggressive. This makes them great family pets and suitable for children of all ages. But it’s important to never leave a dog unsupervised with children, and to teach children how to respect animals so they get along well.

Like many terrier breeds, Westies can be very vocal. It’s important to socialise them from a young age so they don’t react to other dogs by barking. However, Westies are intelligent and easy to train, so with consistency and positive reinforcement it is possible to train this undesirable trait out of them.

Westies love to cuddle with their owners and will be happy to curl up on the sofa with you. But unlike lots of small dog breeds, Westies are independent and can be quite content left to their own devices, which is great if you know you will need to leave them home alone from time to time.