If you currently thinking about getting a dog for you and your family from an animal rescue centre then there are a few things you will want to take into consideration first.

Many people are under the impression that when dogs and animals end up at rescue centers they have done something bad or misbehaved terribly for their owner to have given them up. This is not always the case.

There are many healthy, friendly, well trained dogs just waiting in a rescue centre to be chosen by a caring human being. Some dogs may have ended up at the centres because their owner has become too poorly to look after them or maybe the family have run into difficulties so rather than see the dog suffer they have done the best thing for both them and their dog.

When you enter rescue centres, the majority have a description of the dog on board near to each dog. This board will often tell you how old the dog is (if known), male or female, whether it is well behaved, good with other pets, and any other information the centre feels that they must tell people about that particular dog.

Many rescue centres let you take the dog(s) around the complex on a lead so you can see how you both get along, and if you already have a dog at home the centre will arrange for a suitable time you can bring your current dog in and introduce it to the dog you are thinking about adopting.

I admit that when I’ve looked around dog homes / rescue centres in the past I found it very difficult. When you look at the numerous dogs behind their bars / or in their kennels, they seem to have that look in their eyes, saying “I’m over here. Please choose me”. On many occasion when I’ve been to the centres / homes I’ve come away heartbroken because I wanted to take them all home, give them lots of love, treats and cuddles.

Whatever you decide in the end, the main thing is to choose a dog suitable for you, your family and your surroundings (by that I mean, do not get a large dog if you live in a small flat, or if you are not able to sacrifice enough time to take the dog on daily walks etc).

If you love your dog to bits and want to treat them to something nice this Christmas / Thanksgiving then look no further.

We have found a selection of ‘Crunch Cards’ for your dog!

If you have a friend who also has a dog, then why not treat them as well? At this price it’s definitely worth it. Click on the image or link below and it will tell you more about the treat.

Crunch Card “Merry Christmas – Faithful Friend”

On the whole Mitzi is quite a well behaved Westie. However, she does have certain moments when she likes to misbehave.

When we are out in the local park having a run round Mitzi is well behaved. When other dogs come onto the park she will go and check them out and have a run with them too. If I shout “Mitzi come” she will be at my side within seconds. However if she see the postwoman walking past that’s it – Mitzi will then go into her own little world!

No matter how many times I shout “Mitzi come” she will pretend not to hear me. First she will look at me slowly, then the postwoman, then head straight to the fence at break neck speed so she can bark like crazy. The thing is Mitzi doesn’t want to bite the postie, she just wants to get her paws on those letters in her bag and shred them to fine pieces! When Mitzi has these moments on her it can be extremely frustrating when she just ignores you.

Mitzi has always been one for attention. If you settle down to read a book in the lounge and she’s feeling a little restless she will start to cry at the lounge door. Thinking she may need to relieve herself we get up and head towards the back door to let her out, however she doesn’t want to go anywhere. Mitzi goes straight into the kitchen and sits down at the cupboard where her chew sticks are kept and will keep crying and crying. If you ignore her and return to the living room she doesn’t like it one bit. Mitzi will then return to the same room and try to get behind the TV or maybe pull a cushion off the sofa, just so that you are giving her the attention. The best thing when she is acting like this is to either ignore her completely or put her in the back yard, she will soon stop!

Just because West Highland Terrier dogs are small and cute this does not mean you have to move them away from the larger dogs when out walking.

From day one we have always allowed Mitzi to have the opportunity to meet other dogs whilst out walking. It’s only natural that your dog will be curious when it first meets another dog in the street. Don’t pull your dog away immediately. Assess the situation first and if the other dog looks calm and the handler is confident then allow your dog to sniff the other dog, it’s only animal behaviour. I’ve found that the individuals who don’t let their dogs socialise are usually nervous people themselves, and this nervousness is passed onto the dog.

Of course if you see a huge dog coming along with the white of its eyes showing and a great big jaw snapping – don’t even go near it! These types of dogs are certain to have behavioural problems so no doubt the owner of that dog will have it on a tight leash!

We all love a good nights sleep but Mitzi does take the biscuit sometimes!

At my parents house Mitzi has her own comfy, warm bed. However when she stays at my house she won’t entertain her bed at all, why I don’t know

When Mitzi stays at my house every evening around 9pm she waits by the lounge door. At first I thought she just wanted to go for a wonder around the house so I opened it and let her go upstairs – how silly of me! After 5 minutes of hearing nothing upstairs I crept up slowly to see what she was up to. There she was, under the duvet, half of her head on my pillow getting off to sleep! Trying to move her is unbelievable. First you hear the growl, then her gums start showing as if she’s possessed then finally after a snap or two at your hand she will get up.

As seen as though Mitzi stays at my house quite regular we seem to of come to an agreement. If she won’t sleep in her bed downstairs she can either sleep at the end of my bed or under the bed. At the end of the day Mitzi has won this battle, but this arrangement keeps up both happy and stress free.

During the Summer months Mitzi likes nothing better than sleeping behind the TV during the day on the cool wooden flooring, this is a spot in the house she knows she won’t be disturbed. If it gets to warm for her there she will just flop anywhere that takes her fancy on the floor (see picture below).

West Highland Terrier dogs are prone to certain skin conditions such as dry skin and dermatitis. Therefore if you are constantly washing your dog every time it gets a little dirty then you are added to the problem.

You should brush you dog regularly which will keep the coat clean and the natural oils evenly distributed.

There are times when you have no option except to wash / bathe your dog, so when do this make sure you always use an approved dog shampoo only. Do not use shampoo which you yourself would use, this could cause serious problems for the dog and it’s skin.

Recently Mitzi went out for her usual morning walk, she noticed some horse manure on the field nearby and proceeded to roll in it – nice! This was definitely a time when I needed to wash her properly, she smelt awful!

The images below show the various stages of bath time for Mitzi.