How Long do Westies Live?
The average lifespan for most dogs is 10-13 years; therefore, Westies live a long life as on average they live for around 12 to 16 years and most live for around 13.4 years. Male Westies live longer than female Westies as their lifespan is 13.8 years whilst female Westies live for 12.9 years. To ensure that your Westie lives its longest life, it is vital that you choose a licensed and reputable breeder. You can find a variety of registered breeders and this will mean that you have a quality breed. When asking, how long do Westies live, taking care of every area of the Westie’s life, will increase the longevity of their life. Below are ways to give your Westie the longest and healthiest life.
Giving Your Westie The Healthiest Life
Environment
Where you are living, have you thought about how this will impact their lives and asked, how long do Westies live? The environment that you live in will have an impact on the quality of life of your Westie. Life in the country is the best life that you can give them as there is plenty of open space, it is a natural living environment and the air is clear. Westies enjoy plenty of time outside. Westies can live in apartments yet the apartment should have plenty of open space and they still need at least two to three walks per day. If you do choose for your Westie to live in your apartment then you will need to ensure that there is a calm atmosphere in the entirety of the building. Your Westie will also need to be well trained from when they first move into your apartment and this will need to be a priority so that they can live happily.
Nutritious Diet
To ensure that a Westies can live their longest life, provide them with a consistent and healthy routine. Westies need a nutritious diet that should consist of 23% protein, fruit, and vegetables. Their stomachs can be sensitive so duck and venison should be given to Westies as the main part of their diet. Westies can eat chicken but due to their sensitive stomachs, you need to know how they respond to this being in their diet. Steak, beef, and lamb can also be incorporated into their diet and this will improve the strength of their bones. It is essential that meat is cooked properly so that they have a strong stomach. The amount that your dog can eat will vary. Male Westies tend to be heavier at 10.1 kg as female Westies are 9.0 kg on average. There is lots of guidance about the amount and what your Westie needs to eat.
Regular Exercise
Westies need between two to three walks a day and they need between 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day. If you live in an apartment then a Westie may not get all of the exercise that they need indoors; therefore you may want to opt for the highest amount of exercise for a Westie. If you live in a house, this will provide the Westie with lots of room and by having a garden they will be able to get exercise throughout the day. Living in a house means that they do get exercise but having plenty of walks is still requisite for Westies.
Grooming Routine
Westies need to get used to being groomed from when they are puppies so this should be put into their routine from early on. One of the daily parts of the grooming routine is brushing the Westie regularly. Lots of different brushes are available to ensure that they have the strongest coats. Additionally, there are four main parts to the routine for grooming Westies.
The first part of the routine includes stripping the dog hair and removing a bit of the dog hair per day will make the task easier. It is essential that time is put aside for grooming your Westie as their skin is very sensitive. Stripping a Westie’s coat, this only needs to be done one to two times a year. The second part of the grooming process is trimming the Westie’s heads and their heads need to be trimmed every three to four months. Keeping the hair around the Westie’s eyes, nose, and mouth to a minimum means that it is better for drinking, eating, and vision. The third part of grooming your Westie is clipping their nails. Take time aside so that your Westie feels comfortable and they should be clipped about every six weeks.
The final part of the grooming routine is bathing. Westies tend to be quite clean dogs so they need to be bathed around every four weeks. When you bathe your Westie, they do need soap, however, this should be kept to a minimum. They also need to be towel dried so that their coats are kept in the best condition.
Going To The Vets
Westies need to be taken to the vets annually. The annual checkups will ensure that they are receiving everything that they need from the environment that they are living in, the amount of exercise that they are receiving is keeping them healthy, and their diet is providing them with the nutrients for their body and brain and they are being groomed properly. Alongside ensuring that their entire lifestyle is healthy, vets will also be able to check that there is nothing else that could put your Westie at risk. When you are asking, how long do Westies live, providing annual visits to the vests means that they will live their life to the fullest.
Increasing Westies Lifespan
By providing Westies with the best diet, the amount of exercise that they need, and a grooming routine you will see your Westie live a really happy life. Spending time with the family should be essential for your Westie as this will contribute to improving their mood and meeting all their social needs. Being around other dogs will also be positive for them and help to increase the length of their life.
Most importantly, when asking, how long do Westies live, paying attention to the individual needs of your Westie, will ensure that they live the longest and happiest life. With an average lifespan of 13.4 years but a high life expectancy of up to 16 years, providing your Westie with everything that keeps them healthy will mean that they can live for up to 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do West males live longer than West females?
- Yes, it's true, their lifespan is 13.8 years, while the female lives 12.9 years. But part of the lifespan of your pet will also depend on the reputation of your pet breeder.
