Are Westies Smart? Facts About West Highland Terrier Intelligence

Westie Highland White Terrier is the official name of the breed. In terms of popularity in the U.S., these cute friends are ranked 46th. This breed is notable for its small size. Their height can reach a maximum of 11 inches. Their weight barely reaches 20 pounds. They are small white dogs, but they cannot be considered tiny.

The breed was bred in Scotland in the 1800s. Therefore, they have an outward resemblance to Scottish terriers. This breed was originally bred to catch mice and rats on farms. Some farmers in the United States to this day breed Westies for this purpose. Westies understand their purpose in life. Maybe that's why they are so tough and strong, despite their small size.

But what about Westie's mental capacity and intelligence? How will she behave in a family environment? Let's talk about that today.

Westie's intelligence

Westie's are very active. They have intelligent eyes and a generally intelligent appearance. If you decide to get a cute Westie, be prepared to devote quite a bit of time to training. Training should begin at an early age for your cute friend. If you train him consistently, he will be able to grow up to be a friendly friend to your family members.

In particular, he should be trained to respond adequately to noise. For example, to the noise of traffic or people passing by. Westie is very free-spirited and likes to bark when they have nothing to do. Therefore, they should know not to respond to habitual noise.

Start active training with the Westie when he is three months old. At this time, they should be used to walking with a collar. They are already able to respond to their nickname. You can easily teach him not to lie on the bed with children or ask for food from the table.

He may learn his first commands at only ten months of age. At that age you can take Westie to the dog park. If you can't manage to correct his behavior yourself, be prepared to ask professional trainers for an individualized training program.

In general, they train well. In spite of this, they often do things on their own due to their natural stubbornness. Westie can successfully participate in sporting events. If your cute friend does not obey your commands, you should not punish him physically. They do not tolerate it.

If it is not possible to reach an understanding with your Westie, it is prudent to give him some time for a break and start training again.

You should remember that Westies do not like to be left alone. If it's not for long, he'll somehow tolerate it. But if you leave him alone and go away for the weekend, expect noise complaints from your neighbors very soon. Westie is about to start whining and barking. When you return home after a long absence, make sure you are prepared to clean up after him. Westie can do this alone.

What are the benefits?

But this impatience can also be a plus. Westies are active but not aggressive. They are very friendly to their family members. Their high sensitivity to noise makes them alert. They will alert the entire neighborhood with their barking if there are strange noises or people on the horizon. If they see fit, they may even attack an enemy even if its size is much larger than the Westie itself.

They may also have moments of food aggression. You should warn your children not to interfere with Westie's food intake. At this point, he may become angry and start giggling. Some Westie specimens show a tendency to dominate other dogs.

Relationship with children

As a friend for young children, the Westie is not the most suitable option. Much depends on the age of your children, though. Young children who are not aware of their actions may unknowingly hurt the dog. Westie will not be silent in response. He may also express aggression sharply, thereby frightening your toddler. Westie does not recognize little people as authoritative to him. If the child is older, he may get along well with the four-legged friend.

Westie may aggressively accept your other small pets. He is, after all, designed to catch small creatures in the wild. So don't leave your guinea pig, canary or pet hamster alone with Westie. He might mistake them for prey. If you have another dog or cat living in the house, Westie is quite friendly with them. Westie's other passion is digging in the loosened soil. On a walk, you have to hold him tightly and not let him into the beds and seedbeds. Otherwise, he'll tumble all over the place. You may lose control of Westie if he sees a small animal outside. As we wrote above, Westie is impatient. When he sees prey, he will immediately try to get it in his paws.

Westie behaves calmly only when he has eaten, walked, and rested. If he lacks one of these items, he may take over your belongings, scattering them and dragging them around the house. Westie is very exemplary and shows his most admirable behavior when he is busy doing interesting things. And he's interested in hunting small animals and guarding your vegetable garden or home.

What do Westie owners say about? Reviews

Owners note Westie as being kind and affectionate friends. Some Westie babies are able to manipulate their owners. They are not picky about food. They can eat vegetables, fruit, dog food, host food, and your slippers. When it comes to slippers, it is wise to donate a pair for Westie right away. All owners of this breed note that they have failed to keep their personal belongings safe. The flighty lovable dog will find the time and occasion to chew on anything in the house.

Dogs of this breed are trained to use the litter box. Easy to remember commands, although they do not always follow them. They are not allergic to food or anything else. During the summer, the Westie breed grows hair on the underside of their belly. You will have to bathe him every day during this period, as he collects a lot of dust. His coat is usually snow-white.

The cost of keeping a Westie is quite high. If your friend has a sporting career and regularly participates in shows and competitions, the costs will increase even more. All in all, this is a pretty smart dog for the home that can both guard the house if necessary, attract the attention of the neighbors, give you cute slipper recovery worries and bring rodents into the house if you don't walk him long enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are westies smart?

Definitely this is a smart dog, but in any case, it needs to be dealt with, trained and developed. Then you can better show the potential of your pet.