Dear Miss Jane,
I have a year old Westie with skin allergy. He is not experiencing runny nose or scratchy eyes. So I believe it to have something to do with diet. He is on Eukanaba Fish and Potato hard kibbles, with instructions not to indroduce any other protiens into his diet. This food is pricey, but worth it if it would work. I have also been told to try Showcoat by Fred Meyers. I don't bathe him very much, and I read your last e-mail with tips about the
Primrose and Garlic. Any reccommendations for diet that might help???
Thank you for your advice.
~ Lisa

Be mindful that you aren't giving other meat sources too such as raw hide chews, chew hooves, pig ears, snouts, etc. If you are attempting to keep the dog on an allergy diet, but then turn around and give it another animal product, you aren't going to get the full benefit of the diet. Raw carrots make nice chews sticks, as well as a Kong toy stuffed with lamb baby food. Dogs love grapes and apples too. Many dogs, like humans, are allergic and can not digest dairy products such as cheese.

Food allergies can be handled quite easily once you become an expert label reader.

Good luck!
~Jane Fink

Dear Miss Jane,
I'm thinking about getting a Westie. In general ... how do Westies get along with children? I have a 4 year old son and a 1 year old daughter. Will a Westie get along with them? Any insight will be appreciated.
~ WMNichol@xxx.xxx

Hi!
There are two schools of thought on Westies and children, obviously one is "yes, children and westies are quite compatible" the other is "Westies do not get along with young children."

My personal opinion, and the experience I've had as a trainer and consultant is, NO they do not mix well, especially with children as young as 1 and 4. The Westie was developed to exterminate vermin. That required a quick, agile, no nonsense dog who could grab up a rat or badger and with one or two bites snap the neck, thereby dispatching the animal. Westies can get along with children for a time but tend to be more stressed whereupon if a child makes a sudden movement towards the dog, or grabs the dog quickly, a very serious bite could occur. Westies aren't a tolerant and forgiving breed like the Golden Retriever. Westies are keenly alert, looking for something to chase or bark at; the family cat, the neighbor's dog, squirrels, etc. I know of a Westie who bit a young child simply because the child tried to pet the dog while the
dog was at a sliding glass door, barking at a squirrel. The dog was on alert, geared up to do the job it was bred for and was startled by the child. Sadly, the parents did not understand the breed, and the dog was euthanized because of it's actions.

Older children who are more mature and less rambunctious, say over the age of 10, make excellent playmates, but with younger children it is a gamble and one I wouldn't advise taking.
~ Jane Fink

Copyright © 2001 Jane Fink and Westie World.