How To Select A West Highland White Terrier Puppy

There is more to picking a westie puppy than simply choosing the cutest looking pup of a litter.   The dog’s initial appearance is not all that you should be taking into account.  You should also be checking out there mental disposition, as well as their pedigree.   Hence, every aspect of a west highland white terrier puppy, from their parents to how they were raised to their individual physical and mental characteristics, should be analyzed before you take your pick.
The following are the steps you need to put into practice when making your westie puppy selection:
Step 1 – Decide whether or not you want to obtain a pooch for showing purposes/professional competitions or a simple family pet.  If you are looking for a show companion, the breed standard matters.  This means the west highland white terrier puppy must meet all of the criteria and have no faults for which they can be disqualified.  They must also be obtained from a breeder that breeds champions.
Step 2 – Determine if you would like a male or female westie puppy.  Both have their positive and negative traits.  For instance, some people prefer females because they are typically less aggressive than males.
Step 3 – Investigate the breeding grounds and the breeder.  The dog you are looking for should come from a healthy sire and dam of strong pedigree and you should be provided with their background information.  The environment where the puppies are born and raised must be clean and comfortable.  You should be allowed to visit your west highland white terrier puppy and encouraged to ask questions prior to adoption.
Step 4 – Observe all pups.  Depending on from whom you choose to adopt, you may not have a choice of pup, particularly if you are only looking for a west highland terrier as a family companion.   In fact, in the case of many reputable breeders, most of their litter is spoken for before they are even born.  However, if the breeder provides you with more than one westie puppy to choose from, you should carefully observe each one.
Any west highland white terrier puppy should be ready to explore their surroundings between the ages of 7 – 10 weeks.  You will want to examine how they react to their environment, littermates and to you.  For example, roll a ball near the one that interests you and see how they react.  Since westies are not retrievers they may not chase, catch or return the object to you.  That said, they should show some interest in it.  You will want to avoid the dog that is uninterested in the objects, you or anything else.  These dogs are likely to have social issues.  An easy going doggie is often the better option.
In addition, you will want to observe the dam and even the sire if they are both present.  Observing their temperaments will give you a good induction as to the type of traits they have passed to their westie puppy.
Step 5 – Interact with the canines.  Physically pick up and examine the terrier.  They should be firm and muscular to the touch, not pot-bellied.  Coat should be white, thick and clean.  Their eyes, ears and nose should be clear of irritation, discharge or any other signs of problems. Gums should be pink, not pale in color.  They should also be quite active when you first hold them up; however, the squirmy westie puppy should finally relax and submit to being held and cuddled for a short time.  Remember to check the breed standard to know what you should watch for.

source : http://www.westiesavvy.com/breed-info/westie-puppy/