Westie Terrier Blog

I came across this article on the web today. The site is called Terrier Grooming. Its totally devoted to grooming all kinds of terriers and it contains a wealth of information. I’ll give you the article first, then add my two cents.

When grooming any dog it’s important to familiarize them with the grooming process from the time you get them, especially if you get your dog as a puppy. Most groomers can handle whatever you throw their way but if you plan to do it yourself you should familiarize yourself as well as the dog with the process.

A good place to start is just getting them to stand still on your grooming table or a flat surface, if your dog is already trained to follow commands it will help to aid in keeping him still. Gently brush them to get them accustomed to the process. Using a stand with a collar may or may not help, it all depends on your dogs temperament and how you feel about it.

Maintaining the Coat of Your Westie

When grooming a West Highland Terrier there’s two ways you can do it, to maintain a coat for a household pet or a coat for shows, they should have a dual coat but this can only be achieved through proper grooming which shouldn’t be too much hassle because their coats are fairly easy to clean.

A few tools you should have to get started are:

• Grooming table
• Scissors
• A 2-in-1 de-shedder and rake
• A slicker brush
• Body brush with shampoo applicator
• De-shedding kit
• De-Shedder tool
• Eye cleaner
• Ear cleaner

When trimming with scissors be sure to trim their ears to a point and be sure that the hair on their head is never as tall as their ears, the shape of their head should be round when you’re done. Be careful around the eyes, some dogs don’t like scissors that close to their face (my dog hates it!) and can jump away if you get too close, having your dog comfortable with the grooming process ahead of time will help with this. When trimming the feet be sure to get the hair under the pads so that it doesn’t become matted, also pay close attention to their behind, shorter hair means less chance of feces getting stuck.

Keeping a West Highland White Terrier White

Because West Highland Terriers are white, keeping them clean isn’t always the easiest task especially if yours is a household pet that runs around the yard. Their fur is like a magnet for debris and if it’s not groomed every day can be prone to matting, using a brush with stiff bristles will help get through any tangles so that you can remove any debris that gets tangled in your dogs fur. Having the hair trimmed around their eyes and ears should happen as often as they need it, your groomer should be able to suggest when to have it done and a full body trim should be done only a few times a year.

Not a bad overview. The list of tools was pretty extensive. You could certainly use all that stuff from time to time, but, if you groom every day its a way more than you need. All we ever use on Willow is a lady’s hairbrush with plastic teeth and knobs on the end and the comb I carry in my back pocket. I brush her out with the hair brush first. That busts out any large tangles. Then I go over her again with the comb, and that leaves her looking pretty good. We use a wood TV tray on wheels for a grooming stand when we bother with it. That usually only happens after a bath. Our more normal drill is simply to have her lie on one side. That lets us do a good job on the upper side and doesn’t stress Willow the way standing on a grooming stand would. Next, we roll her onto her back so we can do the chest and the inside of the legs. Finally, roll her over and comb out the side she was lying on to start. While this certainly doesn’t give her the same quality of grooming that she would get on a stand, I think its good enough for everyday. The main thing you’re after is to ensure that all the hairs are separated and no mats are forming. I usually do this while watching TV and its a relaxing ritual for everybody.

I also have to take issue with what they said in the article about Westies being hard to keep clean. Maybe we’re just lucky and Willow has some unusual type of coat, but our little Westie is the closest thing I’ve ever seen to a self-cleaning dog. Even after a trip to the dog park where she comes back with a lot of mud on her, it seems that once she dries the dirt just falls off. Anything that doesn’t comes out when we comb her. This is especially nice, because it means we don’t need to be constantly bathing her. Too much bathing compromises the natural oils on the skin and coat that help protect the dog and keep it waterproof.

Everything I said here supposes that your Westie is just a family dog. If you are showing things are entirely different. Then you need all the tools and a fair degree of skill as well, because the name of the game is looking good according to an external standard and winning those ribbons. If you aren’t in that particular orbit, though, all that stuff isn’t needed. The main object of a casual groom is simply to prevent mats and to give you a chance to go over your whole dog so you can spot any developing problems. Do it right and everybody involved will enjoy it.

Every pet owner may face a couple of the same expenses: the purchase of a dog kennel and the fees for monthly grooming of the pet. Providing the pet a safe place to stay is of utmost importance, especially if the owner has to leave for a short time. Use of a plastic dog kennel is sometimes an unavoidable way to protect the dog, but it is possible to save your cash by learning to trim your own dog’s fur.

When shopping for professional dog clippers, consumers are advised to purchase the best set within their budget. Features that the pet owner chooses will depend on the particular breed and temperament that is owned. Better cutters will offer blades that are interchangeable and good quality construction as well.

Use of the changeable blades makes trimming the dog much easier. These blades make it possible to easily give your pet a professional trim without injury. It is possible to trim the fur from delicate areas near the pads of the paw as while using one of the blades and then change to a blade that can trim the tougher fur located on the dog’s back as well. A trimmer that is equipped with a storage case makes it easier to find the correct tool quickly to give a professional trim.

Choosing the rechargeable clippers can make it easier to deal with trimming the pet and not having to deal with a cord. If you have a larger dog then you may need to choose the corded models to prevent running out of power half way through the clip. In addition, the corded models have more power so that they can cut through rough fur. The vacuum systems offer features that help to control shedding and remove pet dander.

Purchasing and learning to use dog grooming clippers can make the whole process a lot less stressful on a pet that already loves and trusts you. You will easily be able to keep the dog clean and healthy and looking great. With your own dog clippers, the dog can quickly be trimmed as needed so that there is always a fresh looking haircut. Grooming time can become another time that you and your dog bond and become closer.

An itching and scratching dog is not a happy pet.  It can literally drive them crazy as they constantly try to stop the irritation by scratching at their skin making the situation even worse.  If your dog suffers from a heightened amount of skin irritation they may be suffering from seborrhea, a skin ailment that affect both animals and humans.  This medical condition can be the problem if he or she has flaky skin.  The skin may also appear unnaturally dry or unnaturally oily depending on the breed and genetic makeup of your pet.  This problem will not go away by itself so it is up to you to offer treatment.

If it gets too bad, seborrhea can cause balding in spots that show great irritation.

Seborrhea can be caused by heredity genetics but it is more likely that the cause is an allergic reaction to a yeast infection or bacteria and fungi.  You should check with your veterinarian because the treatments can be different depending on what the actual cause is.  If it is an infection then the problem can be alleviated and removed with the application of a pet shampoo.

Malaseb medicated pet shampoo is formulated to take care of the skin irritation by removing the infecting agents.  It has a special chemical makeup which acts as an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.  There are also additives which can remove the yeast infection which is derived from the ears if this is a problem.

To use this shampoo start by rinsing your pet with water to remove any dust and dirt.  Next, apply the shampoo and rub it into the coat being very careful to keep it out of the eyes and ears.  Let it set for a minimum of ten minutes in order to have an effect.  Then just rinse it out.  You can repeat this procedure twice a week until the irritation is brought under control.  If you don’t see any relief then visit your vet because the cause may be more dramatic.