Raising Westies
Not just passion
If I were to describe how to raise Westies I would have to go back to the memory of a 13-year-old adopting his first Westie.
It was from that age that I started to become passionate about this breed. I soon discovered that to be a Breeder (with a capital A) passion alone is not enough, especially with such a complicated breed. It requires specific care and knowledge that is not written in any book and that few experienced people are willing to teach you.
This knowledge can range from choosing the right pedigrees, grooming, specific care for their bodies, and feeding.
It is very important to have a clear idea of the breed standard of this dog, that is, the typical construction of the westie and a good knowledge of the bloodlines in order to think about breeding for breed improvement.
Research bloodlines
"The basis of my breeding"
The search for the right bloodlines has taken me across borders. To get a clear idea of what my ideal westie was supposed to look like, I traveled extensively in Europe, visiting the most important and historic west highland white terrier breeders.
On my first trips to England I began to form in my head what I still try to achieve today when I look at my dogs. I am looking for a specific type of westie: strong, with a nice head, a compact but functional body, nice angles. A dog that when it moves seems to fly.
I realized that the typicality of the breed lies not only in the physical construction but also in the typical character of the Westie which, let us not forget, is a Terrier! A very balanced but energetic dog, always ready to throw himself into any new endeavor with his own childlike enthusiasm.
You will have realized that a Westie puppy with an important genetic background and a typical, balanced character is NOT a lucky coincidence at all but involves hard work in selection and socialization. A tender puppy bought in a store or from inexperienced hands cannot offer the same guarantees of balance, health and typicality as a puppy selected in a serious kennel. For this reason I pay special attention to socialization while my puppies are growing up, so that when they leave my home they are able to live a peaceful life and be perfect companions for their new families just as their parents are for mine.
It is also my priority to conduct official health tests on my dogs before choosing them as breeding stock.
The breed can only be perpetuated and improved by breeding carefully selected individuals.
Care
My commitment is the all-around care of my dogs, the place where they live, proper nutrition, extreme hygiene and expert grooming hands is important. It is precisely these special attentions that have led me and my dogs to achieve excellent results in shows in Italy, including a couple of times being awarded the title dog of the year (TOP DOG), and countless European championships all the way across the ocean to Thailand and America.
I try to foster my puppies to safe and reliable people, and I am always available to follow up with prospective owners. Their well-being and health, physically and mentally, is an unavoidable priority.