West Highland Terriers - Any Advice???

[Crazydazy]

We have just been given one as the owner was too ill to look after it, he's seven months old and his name is Maxie. He is chewing everything in sight and just seems so excited!!! Mind you he comes from a home without children and he usually sleeps in a shed at night

Just not really a dog lover and am finding it hard to get used to him, my daughter (7) loves him to death already so I have to try but have never had a dog and not keen on the way they jump and lick you.

Any advice about these kind of dogs?

Hi CD, we've also just got a dog. He's not a Westie, and I also am no dog expert, but we hired a dog trainer to come and give us a session on how to handle the dog. It was a real help. Some of the advice she gave us was a) when the dog jumps up, he's looking for attention and so the best thing to do is not give him attention i.e. turn your back and ignore him. He only gets attention when he's being good. (Also liberal praise when he is being good). It reminded me of how to treat a tantruming toddler LOL b) when you first come in the door, IGNORE him. It is natural to want to greet the dog, but he will then just feel like he's the most important being in the house. First speak to your husband/daughter, whoever else is there. When the dog has finally given up trying to get your attention, then you can call him over and give him strokes etc. c) Another suggestion was that when you feed him, you eat something over his bowl before giving him his feed, then he knows you're the boss (like the alpha dog) - then give him his feed. A lot of this seems to be about establishing your position as the boss in the family, and his position as below you and your dh/kids. Hope this helps. Also, hope I haven't said anything contentious- I'm sure there are other things you can do too/alternative ways of doing things. Good luck.

The trainer was 15 an hour, but I think it was money really well spent - gave me a lot more confidence in what I was doing.

Thanks for that scotsgirl, some good advice there