Are Westies ok with Cats?

[Sky57]

I am thinking of getting a Westie.....but I read that because they were bred to hunt foxes, that they are no good in a household with cats.

Is this true?
Even if I got one as a puppy?


Also, are they easy to toilet train?

[Flatcoatluver]

i want a westie too and i did some reserch and i know if you get a puppy and you train him do be good with the cat inside he would be good, but if you put them both outside together a dog is a dog and he would probally chase the kitty outside because thats a dog thing. i know when i got my flat-coat she was smaller then my kitty and she never chased them because she grew up having them around.

about potty training, almost any dog could be potty trained unless the had uti i think thats what its callled

[wolf_Q]

I would think you would be able to train the dog to be around cats if it was raised as a puppy. You may be able to find one in a rescue that has been raised around cats too.

Potty training difficulty varies with the dog. Just be very consistant. My sister had a westie pup that was awful to potty train. He was from a pet store though :( which I think that was most of the problem. He was used to going potty in his cage as that's where pet store puppies are kept all the time. I could have him outside for hours and he would not go, bring him inside and the second he was in his kennel he'd go. But I'm sure other westies are not like that, just my personal experience with a westie pup (sure was a cutie...fiesty though!).

[Flatcoatluver]

were lucky where we don't have any stores where they sell pups i personally think its sad because i think they don't take care of them that much, but we have a local store that sell kittens and bunny and poultry, i think its so sad when thet have kittens in a cage and sell them for 4.99

[RobiLee]

I think you can raise your little westie pup to do fine with cats. My sister has a westie and she gets along with my mom's cat ok. The potty training issue was a bit different though. My sisters westie was difficult to train and even today if Lily gets mad at my sister she will potty in the house. Lily is a wonderful little girl though. I love westies. They are full of energy. Lily is around 12 years old now and she is just now starting to slow down a bit.

[jackie]

Westies are cute little pups, but pretty demanding. My mom's friend has a westie, and she is pretty hard to potty train. She is over one year now and still has accidents.

[Becki]

We have a Westie that we acquired when he was nine weeks old. He was not raised with cats, but we adopted two kittens when he was six. He did not bat an eye at them. We currently have four cats and he still doesn't care.

Housebreaking was not an issue with him. Marking, however, can be. We have another dog who, for various reasons, has never been reliable at housetraining. The Westie will mark over him but does not urinate due to lack of bladder control, if you are following me. He has been neutered more than 10 years now, and that part has just never left him.

[Sky57]

Well I got a Westie! I nearly didn't...but I had made an enquiry with a breeder, and I called her to say I decided against it. We had a discussion about what our lifestyle is like, and what we were looking for, including the cat issue, and the breeder was sure she had a 14 week old girl that would suit us really well. I was assured she had been really well socialised. So I agreed to go take a look. I'm the sort of person who can;t take any animal, just because its cute...for me there has be the right 'feeling'.

Anyway, I got that feeling with her and brought her home. She fell asleep on my lap in the evening with was very endearing. She is a complete angel. No complaining, no barking, very settled, yet strong willed, but well behaved. She had only been on a lead once before I met her and she spends alot of time on it here since I want the cats not to feel threatened....and she is soooo good. I am crate training her and that has gone perfectly so far. She spent lats night in the crate in my bedroom..I got up every 3-4 hours to take her out to do her thing, and did it every time.

With the cats, she does not bark or growl at them...they growl at her and she is letting them take their time to get used to her.

Today I bought a 'pen' so she stays confined unless fully supervised. She is terrific in it and again, it allows the cats to have run of the house while get used to her. Our other dog a bit jealous, but they have had a couple of good play sessions together, so I'm sure all is going really well and I'm tickled pink with this little girl.

She has no name yet...any suggestions are welcome.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/Blink57/030905NewPuppy004.jpg

[Den Anne Pen]

Congratlaions on the new pup How old is she?
my suggestion for a name would be ummmmm
Madison
I have a thing with city names though i have Cheyanne , Aspen and Phoenix :)

Have fun with the new family member :)

[Sky57]

She is 14 weeks (I just edited my post to add that in). I like city names too. Thanks for the suggestion.

[jackie]

She looks like a Millie or Jenny to me.

She is very cute btw. :D

[wolf_Q]

Congratulations on the new addition! She's really cute! I hope you continue to update us on her and post pics! The name Mckenzie would be cute, whatever you name her will be cute I'm sure.

[Flatcoatluver]

she is cute, when i was going to get my baby, i had so many ideas in mind, but then when i meet my baby i'm like i dunno why but she's a zoey to me!! good luck on name hunting