Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What size of soft-sided carrier should I use for "in-cabin" flights?
A. Use a soft sided carrier that is about 20 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 18 inches high. Click Here to see an example from Amazon. The brand does not matter as much as the dimensions. The more mesh that is on the sides and top, the more comfortable your new baby will be. They can get hot very easily.
Q. What’s the difference between puppies who look fluffy or smooth coated?
A. Westie puppies have two different coat types. I prefer the puppies who look smooth as puppies because they have the straight full coat as adults that are much easier to care for. The fluffier coated puppies look cuter to some as puppies. Their coats mat more easily and can have a slight wave or curl when adults. Either coat type, as an adult when groomed properly, looks almost the same with the smoother straight coats holding the full-face look a little better.
Q. Do you ship your puppies?
A. Yes we ship to USA & Canada
Q. Do you recommend pet insurance?
A. Yes. Pet insurance is very necessary in this day and age, simply because a trip to the emergency clinic can cost hundreds of dollars, and sometimes more. You get to choose a policy that is customized for your needs and budget. Pet insurance can range from $100 to $650 dollars a year.
Q. How often do you feed your puppies?
A. We use the free feed method with food and water available at all times.
Q. What toys do you recommend?
A. We suggest rope toys and soft stuffed animals for puppies. Kong toys are always great too. Balls are good as long as they are not small enough to get lodged in their throat. We do not recommend rawhide chew toys as these can become soft and break off causing choking and intestinal blockage.
Q. Would a male or a female make a better house pet?
A. If the puppy is spayed or neutered at an early age they are nearly identical in personality and traits. Males tend to carry heavier coats.
Q. If I have a dog at home can I add a new puppy of the same sex or do we need to have one of each?
A. If they have been spayed or neutered you are no longer dealing with hormonal changes and either sex would work being together, provided you are not trying to introduce two adult dogs to each other to live harmoniously. Puppies with puppies or puppies with an older dog develop their own pecking order.
Q. Have your puppies been vaccinated?
A. We vaccinate once and worm each puppy twice before they leave. You should continue a vaccination program after the puppy moves into your home.
Q. How often should we vaccinate?
A. That depends upon your veterinarian. We suggest once every three to four weeks until the puppy is five months old when its immune system is stronger, then once per year after that. Some veterinarians suggest fewer vaccinations, others agree with the above schedule.
Q. What kind of health guarantee do you offer?
A. The health guarantee is posted on the Health Guarantee page. We take pride in raising healthy puppies, less than 1% of our puppies develop health issues. This percentage is far below the national average for breeders.
Q. May we visit your kennel?
A. Sorry but no. We used to have visitors all the time but we are no longer open for public viewing. For years we allowed visitors to come see the puppies and the parents. A few years ago someone carried in a mite that spread through the kennel. We had a tough time getting rid of it. Once it was gone we agreed with our veterinarian’s decision to close our kennel to the public to ensure our puppies have had zero exposure to any type of pathogen or parasite. Thus allowing us to produce very healthy animals. Our kennel is inspected and approved by AKC.
Q. How does the pick order work?
A. When you send in a deposit you are given a pick order, for example: First deposit gets first pick, second deposit gets second pick etc. until all of the puppies are reserved.
Q. Can I purchase breeding stock from you? I’d like to raise puppies.
A. No, we only allow our puppies to become family members. We do not allow our puppies to go to brokers, breeders or pet stores.
Q. Can we see pictures of the parents?
A. Yes, as photos become available they are added to the family album page.
Q. Do you recommend crate training?
A. I personally confine my puppies to one room with lots of newspaper and puppy pads during the potty training stage. If that is not possible I recommend a double playpen. Puppies need to be taken out when they eat or drink, or get up from naps as well as during heavy play periods. We recommend removing food and water at 6pm to help aid in potty training provided the puppy is at least 10 weeks old.
Q. Help! I keep catching my dog eating his/her poop!
A. You're not alone. We recommend reading this great article by the Staff Writers over at akc.org.
Q. Why do some of the puppies have folded ears while others have perky ears?
A. All Westie puppies are born with their ears folded down and sealed. As they grow the seal breaks, the ears begin to go up. The rate depends upon the thickness of the skin on the ears and how heavy the coat is. We expect ALL of the ears to go up as they have with the parents. But, we do recommend if you have a puppy with heavy thick coats to keep the ears shaved or trimmed close to reduce the weight on the ears as the cartilage is growing to allow the ears to stand up and stay up. Some puppies have their ears up by 6 weeks, others can take up to 12 weeks. We also see during the teething phase ears can go up and down for a week or so.
Q. What kind of treats do I need for training my puppy?
A. For training treats, we recommend a tiny bit of American cheese (about the size of a pencil eraser is adequate for each command or potty praise), very small pieces of shredded chicken breast, or Fromm treats broken into bits. You want it to be just enough that they can taste it on their tongues without affecting their calories or nutritious food intake. Most doggie treats at the stores are too fatty or not healthy and can be made with grains that your Westie should not consume.
Q. Do I need to buy wet food (canned) for my puppy?
A. There is no need for wet food as the puppies have been weaned onto dry kibble when they leave us.
Q. What kind of shampoo should I use on my puppy?
A. We recommend three types of shampoo. For an every-day shampoo, use a shampoo formulated for dogs with white coats. We have tried several brands and they all perform about the same. Note: if you have children helping you bathe your puppy, stick with a "Puppy" shampoo which is a tear-less formula. It makes it less critical for you to keep the shampoo out of your new baby's eyes (sting!). The third shampoo, like the other two is not a specific brand but it does have two key ingredients. It is an anti-bacterial/anti-fungal shampoo. It is good for keeping the normal skin bacterial levels balanced. All dog breeds that can have skin allergies can also have skin "sensitivities”. Meaning - they can have an overpopulation of yeast bacteria (it can often smell like yeast) on their skin. This is not an allergy, but sure has the same symptoms. The ingredients your shampoo should contain are: Chlorhexidine Gluconate 2% (anti-bacterial) and Ketoconazole 1% (anti-fungal). Some shampoos only contain the anti-bacterial which is the more important active ingredient. Amazon.com is the easiest source for all three shampoos, but the larger pet stores will most likely have at least one choice.