Dear Miss Jane,
I have a seven year old westie, whom the vet says she has heartworms and would want to start treatment. I question the severity of the possibility of her getting sick while in the middle of treatment and what you think about such matters. This time last year she had a neg. to the heartworms. Plus, she is constantly having ear infections and I am needing to give her Otomax twice a day. I appreciate you time into this matter.

Cindy Jones

RE: ear infections; sometimes dogs who like to swim or are bathed a lot get constant ear infections. It depends on the type of infection or if it is a true infection and not an allergic reaction to food or inhalent. Otomax is very good, but the ear problems could be coming from a food allergy such as wheat. Check your dog food to see if it contains wheat. If so, you may want to switch to one that doesn't and see if the ear problems improve. Also have the vet check your dog's teeth to see if a molar is abcessed, that can cause ear problems too. Sometimes you have to play detective until you discover the source of a recurring problem.

Wishes for a very speedy recovery.
~Jane

Dear Miss Jane,
I have a 11 month old male Westie named Gino. He is TONS of fun. Lots of energy, in fact sometimes a little bit too much energy. Anyhow, he seems to be very lazy when it comes to housebreaking. I have to keep him in a gated up area outside during the day while I'm at work because he cannot control himself in the house. I have to constantly keep my eye on him. I cannot take a shower without having to put him in his crate in fear of him letting go in the house. He makes sure that he does it when you're not looking ... but as soon as he figures out that you found his wet spot he darts underneath the bed!

Another problem isthat every time he sees a new face walk through the door, he gets so excited that he ends up peeing on them. This has happened to every guest I have had over. He gets so much energy and excitement, it's like he can't control himself.

Another problem is that if I leave him outside for too long (when I let him out to go to the bathroom) he ends up chewing all of the flowers. If not the flowers, then something else. Can you please provide any kind of useful hints?

Thank you,
Crystal Vignola

Hello Crystal,
Thanks for writing. My biggest piece of advice to you regarding Gino is BE PATIENT. All the problems you are experiencing now end once the dog is fully mature, however, that won't be for another year! It gets better so hang in there. You are doing the right thing by confining Gino when you can't watch him. Additionally, make absolutely sure you see him potty when he is let outside. In fact it would be wise to stand by so you can praise him when he does potty. Clean the spots in the house with white vinegar or a cleaner like Nature's Miracle. Don't rely on Gino to tell you when he has to go out, YOU dictate potty times so he learns to wait and hold it. Take him out every hour or two when you are home, stand with him (put him on lead if you have to) and make sure he does something. He won't have to go so often of course, but just in case he does you are ready. Once he has pottied, then he should be pretty reliable for two to three hours unless he has total access to water, in which case you're back to taking him out more frequently. Remember what goes in, must come out.

Is he neutered? At 11 months his homones are racing. He is now sexually mature enough to start marking his territory with urine. Males who are not neutered retain urine, they never empty their bladder completely because they "need" the urine to mark territory.

I couldn't help but smile when I read about the flowers. I know he is making you crazy sometimes but Westies certainly know how to enjoy life, especially young ones, and Gino is having a ball. Still that doesn't mean he should be able to destroy anything he wants to. There are many methods you can try to keep him out of the flowers but unless you are there to enforce a command, he'll still get in them. You might want to consider a small garden fence around your flowers to give him a boundary. Also give him an interactive toy like a Buster Cube, Bully Ball, or soccer ball to amuse him in the yard. You can buy a child's wading pool and put sand in it to give him a "legal" place to dig. Hose the sand down to give resistance and place a few surprise toys in it.

Enjoy this time as much as possible. The years go by awfully fast and all these problems end up as very faded memories.

~Jane

Dear Miss Jane,
We have a 15 week old female Westie named Lucky who says she wants a brother or sister. We were wondering if you have any advice concerning a second dog. Should we get a second female or a male? When would be the best time to introduce a new puppy into the household? How old should the second puppy be? Any potential problems we should be aware of?

Thanks,
Cindy

Hello Cindy,
Thanks for writing. Westies are like potato chips, you can't have just one. I am always in favor of having two or more dogs, because dogs are such social animals and pack animals. However, with two dogs, especially young puppies, you have double everything, double the mess, double the expense, etc., but the upside is you have double the fun and the puppy has a playmate to play with which takes the load off you.

Once you have decided that you will be able to handle, timewise and financially (not just the price of the dog, but grooming, vet visits, food, etc.) the addition of a second dog then you need to determine which gender you want, assuming you want another Westie. The choice is really up to you. Male and female are the best combination, then two females. I have always had females, because I was afraid of the house marking that males did, but then a male came into my life and he is wonderful. Females aren't going to have the urge to urinate and mark territory like males do, but if a male is neutered by six months of age you shouldn't have that problem. Females can be more moody at times and aren't quite as loving as males. So really, it's just a personal preference.

I think anytime you want to add another puppy to the family is fine. Two of my Westies are only five months apart, they are now almost ten years old and still play like puppies. I would avoid introducing a puppy to the household during Lucky's adolescent months, 7-12 months of age. Before or after adolescence is fine. Dogs are like teenage kids during that period of time, they get moody and grumpy quite easily.

You ask about potential problems...usually young dogs don't have the territorial issues more mature dogs have. A youngster Lucky's age will happily accept a new puppy. With Westies, as with all terriers, expect the rough play and growling that terriers are known for. Two Westies will spar (play fight) with each other. Most people get used to it straightaway, and some people can never handle it. The dogs are not going to kill each other, it is simply how they handle each other. Sparring occurs throughout a
terrier's life so it's not something they outgrow.

Here is the most important thing to remember when living with more than one dog of any breed or mix, PACK ORDER. Though dogs are very social creatures they practice a strict hierarchy of leadership. One dog will be leader of the pack and the other dog(s) follow in line. Lucky will not necessarily be pack leader just because she was there first or is oldest, pack order is decided by dominance. Dogs don't share, they only give up what no longer holds value to them. However, if an Alpha (leader) wants a toy that a subordinate has, he/she goes and takes it from the subordinate, no questions asked, and the subordinate dog understands completely. It is the human members of the family who are left clueless. Don't worry, the dogs will sort it all out for you.

I wish you the best of luck locating a nice puppy for Lucky.
~Jane

Dear Miss Jane,
My Westie, Mercedes, is almost 5 years old. And for the last 2-3 years all she likes to do is suck. She'll get a blanket, pillow, or anything that is soft enough for her to grab between here teeth and suck it. Just like a baby, she'll use it to pacify herself. She usually does this when it's time for her to go to sleep. I know of no one who's dog does this. Another thing she'll do is lick. She'll just lick the furniture in certain spots. Can you tell me what's wrong. Some people will say she was weaned too soon, or that she's lacking something. This drives me crazy.

Thanks,
Diane

Hello Diane,
There are many dogs who like to suck on fabrics and toys and no, it's not a sign of being weaned too early, it is a habit and it is soothing to them. I really wouldn't worry too much about it but let me tell you about stress and calming signals.

Dogs, just like people, get stressed. Now before you think it's something you have done, just remember, stress is a natural part of life, it helps us cope, no creature on this earth is stress free. Licking is just one of the many ways dogs calm themselves. You say it began about 2-3 years ago, did something occur at that time which could have bothered Mercedes, perhaps only briefly, that caused her to begin licking so often? One of my own Westies will lick the wooden arms of my sofa when she is calming herself, usually after a skirmish with her equally dominant Westie housemate.

I'll name some things that might have changed over the past few years and perhaps you can pinpoint a factor. A move to a new home, new neighbors, an additional animal or the loss of an animal in the family, the break-up of a relationship or the presence of someone new, a baby in the family - not necessarily your baby, new or longer hours at work or other changes in your daily schedule, etc., etc.

It's very easy to remedy the situation but you have to find the time to do it. Mercedes may simply be bored, dogs do a lot of licking out of boredom, sometimes on themselves or objects like furniture and walls. At five years of age, Mercedes is in the prime of her life, and is still healthy and active enough to get out and move around. Take her on daily walks, this will help stimulate her brain and give her a natural calm. Does she like to play with balls? Try it! A tennis ball is a perfect toy for a Westie. You don't have to just play outside, toss it down a hallway or roll it across the floor. If that goes over well, buy a soccer ball and really watch the fun begin. Is she food motivated? There is a great interactive toy on the market called a Buster Cube. You place food treats inside and the dog rolls the cube and is treated to food surprises ever so often. If she likes to chew, buy several safe new toys, not latex, but hard rubber toys like a Kong or Gumabone but switch them out every few days so they stay exciting. A Kong is a bee-hive shaped toy that has a large hole in one end where you can put loose pieces of treats, stuff it, then seal it shut with cream cheese or peanut butter. A stuffed Kong can amuse a dog for quite a while. If you don't know what a Kong toy is, just ask at your local pet supply shop, they'll know.

Just relax, enjoy getting Mercedes stimulated and her mind working and above all, have fun.

~Jane

Copyright © 2001 Jane Fink and Westie World.