what to feed your westie puppy

What Is The Best Dog Food For West Highland Terriers?

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Full Answer

What is the best dog food for a Westie?

Our pick for the best dog food for your Westie is Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition West Highland White Terrier Adult because it's specially formulated to support your dog's healthy growth and development from 10 months onward.

How much to feed a Westie puppy?

Typically, an adult Westie will east around four to six ounces of dry dog food daily. This can vary depending on the weight of your dog, the ingredients in their food and the brand you’re feeding them. For a smaller dog such as a Westie, try and divide their meals into two.

What kind of food do you feed a West Highland Terrier?

Puppies should be fed food designed with everything they need for healthy development. A puppy needs to be fed portions that are smaller more often throughout the day. West Highland Terriers are a small sized breed, so you’ll want to start mixing in adult food at eight months old. 9. Nulo Freestyle Lamb & Sweet Potato Small Breed & Puppy Recipe

What is the best food for a 10 month old Westie?

Best Overall: Royal Canin Breed Health for Westie Adults This food is specially designed to meet every nutritional need of a Westie from the ages of 10 months and up. This adult Westie food comes with a smaller kibble shape that is easy for your Westie to pick up, chew, and digest.

What is the best food to feed a West Highland terrier?

Royal Canin were the first to meet the different needs of small, medium and large breeds, and to develop breed specific foods. Suitable for West Highland White Terriers over 10 months old, Royal Canin West Highland White Terrier Adult is specially formulated with all the nutritional needs of your adult dog in mind.

What do you feed a Westie dog?

Feed your Westie a nutritionally balanced food that contains ingredients approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials to ensure it is nutritionally balanced for your dog. The first listed ingredient of a high-quality dog food should be a meat protein such as fish, chicken, beef, or lamb.

How much food should a West Highland terrier puppy eat?

Recommended daily amount: 1/2 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. For more on feeding your Westie, see our guidelines for buying the right food, feeding your puppy, and feeding your adult dog.

Can Westie drink milk?

While the occasional lick of your ice cream cone or lap from your mug should not be a big deal—unless your dog is allergic—you should avoid allowing your pet to indulge in large amounts of milk and other dairy products. “GI upset will generally occur within 12 hours or so of consuming milk,” says Brausa.

What foods are Westies allergic to?

Gastrointestinal Problems Older Westies are especially prone to food allergies. Immune responses are triggered by a variety of edibles: chicken, turkey, pork, eggs, dairy, peanuts and wheat, to name a few. Veterinarians and other scientists believe the protein content of these substances is what the dogs react to.

Is raw food good for Westies?

Raw feeding is proven to improve skin condition, and coat health, reduced irritation, itchy flaky skin, hair loss and an increased shine of fur are beautiful side-effects of a raw natural diet.

Are Westies good for first time dog owners?

Other breeds Robinson recommends for first-time dog owners include three smaller breeds – the West Highland terrier (Westie), the Cavalier King Charles spaniel and the shihtzu (pictured). She said Westies are generally sweet and petite, and they do well with obedience training. They are also nearly odorless.

Should Westies eat grain free?

There is no medical or physiologic basis to feed dogs or cats a grain-free diet. If a dog or cat has a specific food allergy there may be some medical reason to limit the carbohydrate source which can be done for some animals by feeding a grain-free food.

How often should you feed a Westie dog?

Feed your dog two meals a day. High-quality dry or wet food is best for West Highland Terriers. They should be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

How often should Westies be bathed?

Every 4-6 WeeksEvery 4-6 Weeks: If you are using a groomer and prefer a shorter cut, you will probably follow this schedule. Otherwise, your dog's haircut will grow out quite long before you get him or her in for the next bath. Less than 4 Weeks: Most agree that this may be too often for most Westies.

How long can Westies go without food?

Treatment. A dog that refuses to eat anything at all can have a serious illness. Many dogs will refuse to eat when they have upset stomachs, but that typically will only last a day or so. If your Westie won't eat for more than two days, a trip to the veterinarian might be in order.

How do I keep my Westie white?

Groom your dog daily with a brush to keep the outer coat clean and make the coat shiny. ... Dry clean your Westie with white-powdered chalk or cornstarch. ... Bathe your Westie only when necessary. ... Clean the area around the eyes. ... Wipe your dog after it drinks water. ... Provide your Westie with purified water and change it daily.More items...

What food is best for Westies?

We recommend a high quality lamb/rice, chicken/rice, fish/potato or duck/potato based premium kibble with limited ingredients containing USDA human...

What can Westies eat?

Feed your Westie a nutritionally balanced food that contains ingredients approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials to ensure i...

Are Westies good dogs?

The West Highland White Terrier is a loving dog who is good with older children. This dog can snap if annoyed — but if child and dog are properly s...

Do Westies like long walks?

Generally, the Westie really is the perfect all rounder: they make good family dogs, getting along tremendously with children, adults and other dog...

What can Westies eat?

The first listed ingredient of a high-quality dog food should be a meat protein such as fish, chicken, beef, or lamb.

What food is best for Westies?

We recommend a high quality lamb/rice, chicken/rice, fish/potato or duck/potato based premium kibble with limited ingredients containing USDA human grade ingredients with animal proteins listed in the first two ingredients, with plenty of good natural preservatives such as rosemary, citric acid, vitamins A & C.

Do Westies like long walks?

Generally, the Westie really is the perfect all rounder: they make good family dogs, getting along tremendously with children, adults and other dogs and love walks as much as cuddles. She loves attention, fuss and cuddles, food, and long walks.

What is Nulo dog food?

Nulo has several lines of dog and cat foods as well as meal mixers. Their mission is to provide high-quality food made with real ingredients. They chose quality animal-based proteins to help build muscle and help your active West Highland Terrier keep a healthy weight.

What is a West Highland Terrier?

The West Highland Terriers are quite a popular dog breed from Scotland. They are more commonly known as the Westie. The West Highland Terrier is a small to medium sized terrier. Its distinctive round face is covered in white fur. They have a white, double coat of fur that flows down to their legs.

What is Blue Buffalo dog food?

From prescription formulas to grain-free recipes, Blue Buffalo seeks to give every pup healthy, wholesome meals developed by leading animal nutritionists and veterinarians. The brand sticks to all natural ingredients that are a precise blend of pure meaty goodness, flavorful taste, and complete balanced nutrition.

How much protein is in beef dog food?

Using beef as its main source of animal protein, this formula contains 32% protein and 14% fat.

How Much Should You Feed Westie?

When your Westie dog is a puppy, you should feed it four small meals per day for the first three months then reduce to three meals per day.

What is the best food for a small breed dog?

Other beneficial ingredients to look for in small breed dog food include fresh fruits and vegetables, probiotics, and chelated minerals. Fruits and veggies provide natural sources of key nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Chelated minerals are synthetic supplements, but they are highly bioavailable.

What does it mean when a Westie has ear infections?

If your Westie has skin problems or recurrent ear infections, however, it is a potential indication that something is not right with its food.

How many calories should a white terrier eat?

Your White Terrier dog may need anywhere from 30 to 40 calories per pound of body weight to keep up with its metabolism.

Why is dry food good for dogs?

Good Dry food is preferable to wet food for small dogs because it helps clean plaque and tartar off their teeth.

Why is a dog's food high in moisture?

Because it is a fresh food product, it is also high in moisture to support your dog’s hydration and digestion. It also retains more of its original nutritional integrity because it hasn’t been cooked at high temperatures.

Why do puppies need protein?

Protein fuels your puppy’s growth and development then helps it maintain its lean muscle mass as an adult.

How much food should a Westie eat?

On average, an adult Westie needs between ½ cup to 1 ½ cups of food, or 4-6 ounces, per day. It is widely recommended that this food is split into two or even three meals daily. Depending on the age, this amount could increase or decrease.

How to manage a Westie's weight?

Managing your Westie’s weight will be much easier by limiting their calorie intake. But exactly how much should your dog weigh?

How much food should a 7 week old dog eat?

Around 7 to 8 weeks old, a Westie pup should be eating approximately 3-4 ounces of food a day, split into two or three meals. This is on the lower end of what an adult dog should be eating. A young dog does not need as much food but is also growing quickly so it will still need a lot of energy.

Why is it important to keep a dog healthy?

Helping your dog maintain a healthy weight is important because it can prevent obesity and other health problems. It will also be very evident that something may be wrong with them if they are turning down food.

What are the problems dogs have with their stomachs?

Stomach and Bowel Problems. For dogs, this can include throwing up, diarrhea, and abundant flatulence.

Does age matter for Westie?

Your Westie’s age does matter when it comes to their food portions. If a well matured Westie needs less food than one in its prime, then it brings up questions about feeding a dog on the other end of the age spectrum.

Can a Westie eat extra food?

Just like humans, overeating can result in many health problems, but the difference is, your Westie relies on you to help him or her with this part of their health. Dogs will rarely say no to extra food. Just by being aware and responsible with the amount of food served to your dog you will greatly improve their quality of life and their length of life.

Eating Habits

Feeding the appropriate amount of food for their life stage is important for development.

Dietary Needs For Each Life Stage

Your dog’s nutritional needs change throughout its lifetime, and these depend on several different factors. This section goes over what each life stage needs, whether puppy, adult, or senior. A good diet is essential to your Westie preserving their best quality of health.

Stomach Sensitivities

Unfortunately, your West Highland White Terrier is more prone to food sensitivities than most breeds. If you find them developing allergies or stomach upset, it may be a good idea to look into a limited ingredient diet. Always select minimally processed food to keep your dog’s digestive health in the best shape.

Feed Them Well

We only ever promote the best premium quality food, placing a special emphasis on natural ingredients. Veterinarians and canine nutritionists agree that feeding your dog the best food provides complete, balanced nutrients without any guesswork.

What To Feed Your Westie

Feeding your Westie a well-balanced diet is crucial to their health and quality of life. This contains important components you should prioritize. Here are some of the ingredients every good diet needs for your dog’s best health.

What Foods Should You Avoid?

Now that you know which ingredients to prioritize when selecting food for your Westie, here are some ingredients you must avoid. These ingredients have very little nutritional value and may even be detrimental to your dog’s health.

How To Choose The Best

Choosing dog food for your beloved West Highland White Terrier is a lot of research, so we have decided to remove the guesswork for you. We have listed some of the best dog food products available from brands beloved the world over. These are sure to give your dog optimum nutrition throughout each life stage.

How many meals should a Westie eat a day?

Westie puppies should get three meals a day from the age of six to eight weeks, and you can cut this back to two meals a day when your puppy hits eight weeks old. Senior dogs should get smaller portions because it’s easier for your dog to digest them because their metabolism slows down.

What are the best supplements for dogs?

There is L-Carnitine, glucosamine, and chondroitin that supports healthy muscles, joint health, mobility, and carbs to give your dog energy to keep them active, slim, and healthy well into their old age.

What is the purpose of deboned beef dog food?

This dog food comes specifically crafted to feed to smaller dogs like Westies, and it has real deboned beef listed as the first ingredient on the bag to help boost the protein content.

What is the best protein for dogs?

The combined protein sources give your dog holistic and natural ingredients that ensure your dog has the best amino acid levels possible while tasting great, and it provides 100% balanced and complete nutrition to help maintain adult dogs. It has pasture-fed lamb, farm-raised chicken, and salmon as the protein sources, and they promote lean and strong muscles, healthy joints, and skin and coat health.

How to keep a dog's coat healthy?

Skin – This dog has softer skin, and you have to keep the skin healthy to keep the coat healthy. Try to avoid food that has ingredients that can cause skin allergies or sensitivities. So, try to avoid grains and make sure the food has DHA and EPA to boost skin health.

Does K9 meat have probiotics?

The omega fatty acids promote excellent skin and coat health throughout your dog’s life, and it has species-specific K9 Strain Proprietary Probiotics with antioxidants that support a healthy immune system, digestion, and overall wellness and health.

Does dog food help with skin?

The omega fatty acids in this dog food help to promote healthy skin and a shiny coat, and there are also chelated minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants to give your dog’s immune system a boost to keep them healthy.

What do dogs need to eat?

It will need to have carbohydrates, proteins, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins.

What is free feeding for dogs?

Free feeding is used for many dogs. It is simply placing an automatic feeder or bowl of food out for the dog, so they may access exercise choice of when and how much to eat. This is a good way to feed if the dog is not a glutton, or if there are dogs that get along well together.

What to check on dog food bag?

Check that veterinarians or breeders approve the food that you are using. This is usually indicated on the dog food bag. Your local veterinarians will be able to provide a list of premium dog food brands available in your location.

Why is my dog eating wet food?

Dogs that are fed only wet food often have issues with producing excessive amounts of gas and needing to go outside often to defecate. Dry food is often rather unpalatable to a dog, particularly if they have previously been fed a diet of wet food.

How long does a dog have to be fed?

This simply means that the food is presented to the dog for up to twenty minutes and then is removed, whether eaten or not.

Why do puppies need to be fed more?

A young puppy must be fed more often, because it has a smaller stomach and is growing at a very fast pace.

Can you feed a dog that is dominant?

If you have a dominant dog, it may prevent other dogs from accessing the feed, or may eat until it is stuffed to prevent others from getting any food! This is unhealthy for both the dominant and the submissive animals. Avoid feeding dogs together if they are in anyway aggressive towards each other.

How many times a day should a puppy eat?

A toy puppy younger than 4 months old should be fed four to five times a day and allowed to eat as much as he wants. From about 4 to 7 months of age, he can eat four times a day; from 7 to 9 months of age, three times a day; and by the time he’s 12 months of age, twice a day.

What happens if a puppy doesn't eat?

If he doesn’t eat, the condition can progress to seizures, loss of consciousness, and even death.

How to help a puppy with hypoglycemia?

Avoid foods with simple sugars, such as sweets and semi-moist foods. Simple sugars tend to cause a rollercoaster effect with blood sugar levels, initially raising them but then causing them to plummet to a state of hypoglycemia. Feed meals fairly high in protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates. Also, toy puppies have little teeth, so they do better if fed a small-kibble food. Your best bet is to buy a commercial food specially formulated to meet the needs of small-breed puppies.

Why do puppies run out of energy?

When that happens, the body starts breaking down body fat for energy. But because small puppies have so little body fat, that energy source soon runs out. The body runs out of sufficient energy, and the brain, which is highly dependent on glucose, is one of the first systems to fail.

What happens when a large breed puppy grows too fast?

But when a large-breed puppy grows too quickly, we learned, he can develop problems in the bones and joints. Consider the following:

How much does a puppy weigh at birth?

Consider this: A newborn Chihuahua may weigh only three ounces at birth and three pounds at maturity. A newborn Great Dane, however, may weigh only one pound at birth and 100 pounds at maturity.

Do toy breed puppies grow fast?

Owners of toy-breed puppies don’t have to worry about them growing too big too fast, but they do need to make sure the puppies are eating regular meals to stave off hypoglycemia, a potentially fatal condition.

How to train a Westie puppy?

Train your puppy in a quiet location without any distractions , as dogs tend to lose focus quickly. As your Westie learns the commands, take him to a location such as a park where there are several distractions and train him there.

What to do if you don't have time to train a Westie puppy?

If you don’t have time or the patience to train your Westie puppy, find out about the obedience training classes being offered in your area, which is what I did when I was trying to find Sami a trainer.

How to teach a puppy to come?

Teach your puppy to “Come” by giving him a treat for listening to you when you call him. My trainer told me to practice this at home and told me to start indoors before moving outdoors. For a few months, I practiced this command indoors before going to the park and then the beach. Just always have treats on you, so you can give him one when he listens to the command. Practice at intervals when you’re outside with him.

What to do when your Westie goes into the crate?

When your puppy goes into his crate, praise him and give him a treat for listening. However, you should never scold your Westie and use the crate to punish him, as it’s not for that. I started training Sami for the crate when he was 6 months and older.

How to teach a Westie to sit down?

The next command to teach your Westie is “Down.” Hold a treat in front of your puppy when he’s sitting down and say, “Down.” Hold the treat closer to the floor, but pull your hand back. This gives your puppy enough space to go down and take it. When your puppy goes down, praise him and give him the treat.

Do Westies bark?

Westies love to bark, hence making this command an important one to teach him. Trust me, there’s no Westie owner who will say that their Westie does not bark excessively. You can curb that behavior by teaching them the “Quiet” command.

Can a Westie use a bathroom?

Generally, Westie puppies have a small bladder and will need to use the bathroom a lot, so accidents are prone to happen. You can also train your puppy to use a part of your home with dog potty pads.