Westie cartoon: Christmas turkey

Westie cartoon: Christmas turkey

Woofings, furiends!

This month’s westie cartoon is loosely based on my sailing adventures! (Remember, here in New Zealand, Christmas falls in the summer holidays, because we are in the Southern Hemisphere and the seasons are reversed.)

Yes, there really are wild turkeys… *drools*… Unfortunately I have never been up close to one, as mum and dad won’t let me chase them. Spoilsports!

Minnie The Westie cartoon: Christmas turkey

Minnie The Westie - Sailor Dog Vacation: The Adventures Of A Cartoon West Highland Terrier Cartoon Dog At Sea!

Do you like this westie cartoon?

There are more westie smiles where this came from!

This cartoon is from my book ‘Minnie The Westie – Sailor Dog Vacation’… check it out on Amazon.com and other online bookstores!

(In the book, you’ll find out if I got turkey for Christmas or not!)

Wags ‘n’ nose licks,

Minnie x

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/westie-cartoon-christmas-turkey

 


 

Do you enjoy Minnie the Westie cartoons?

Treat yourself (or a loved one) to a book full of smiles!

Go on, buy someone a smile today! 🙂

 

Westie cartoon: It’s Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!

Westie cartoon: It’s Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!

OMD, it’s nearly my favourite day of the year… it’s Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day on 23rd February!

(So now’s a great time to use your hypnotise-eyes to get your humans to stock up on your favourite noms!)

Minnie The Westie Cartoon #0060

Minnie’s top tip: Give your humans a lovely nose lick to reward their good behaviour. Training them in this way will encourage them to give you more noms!

Till next time!

Love ‘n’ nose licks,

Minnie x

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/westie-cartoon-its-dog-biscuit-appreciation-day

 


 

Do you enjoy Minnie the Westie cartoons?

Treat yourself (or a loved one) to a book full of smiles!

Go on, buy someone a smile today! 🙂

West highland terrier temperament: What are Westies really like?

West highland terrier temperament: What are Westies really like?

This is something mum is often asked when she’s walking me. People give me a pat (or sometimes even a belly rub!) and then ask what the west highland terrier temperament is like, as they are thinking of getting a dog. Here is my view of the west highland terrier temperament, based on the Westies I have known and sniffed. 🙂

When you’re a Westie, everyone is a friend you haven’t met before

The most well-known aspect of the west highland terrier temperament is a Westie’s friendly nature. I’ve met many Westies, and they all love humans.

Why do we love humans? Because they give such pawsome belly rubs! Collecting belly rubs is my favourite hobby!

West highland terrier temperament: we love belly rubs!

What are Westies like with other dogs?

To be honest, that depends on the Westie: the west highland terrier temperament varies here, and also depends on our formative years.

Me, I was the runt of the litter, so I’ve always been non-assertive with other dogs. And I got attacked by some big dogs a couple of times. I am now very selective who I hang out with. My favourite furiend is my boyfriend Morris. He lives next door, and we spend time together regularly. I love Morris, he is pawsome!

My boyfriend, Morris, also a westie, is my bestie!

My boyfriend, Morris, also a westie, is my bestie!

 

West highland terriers love human companionship

Us Westies do like company. We like to be part of the (human) family, so we’ll happily go for rides in the car, plane, or boat with you. Being with our human pack is very impawtant.

My humans take me sailing, and I love it! Though the best thing about it is being with my humans. 🙂

Because west highland white terriers do like human company so much, don’t get a Westie if you’re going to leave him home alone every day while you’re at work. Your poor doggy will be miserable without you, and barking may become a problem.

Does that mean that Westies yap a lot?

No, Westies aren’t generally yappy dogs. They will bark if they are unhappy, for example if you leave them all day.

If persistent barking is a problem, that’s a training issue. You need to show the dog what’s acceptable behaviour and what isn’t.

Me, I only bark when people come to the front door. And then I bark with a very deep ‘woof’. People are often a little scared and expecting a big dog based on my big, deep woof! BOL!

Alert and good watch dogs… but terrible guard dogs

Most Westies will woof when someone approaches the front door. We are very alert, and it only takes the tiniest sound to rouse us from the deepest of sleeps.

However, as soon as the door is open, we wag our tails and hope to score a belly rub from the visitor. So if you want a dog that’ll put the bitey on intruders, the west highland terrier will disappoint you!

We chase things… like cats

Now there’s one kind of intruder that I’m very good at dealing with: cats! If a kitty cat ventures into my garden, I will give it a good chase. My motto is, “if it runs, chase it”… and all my Westie furiends are the same. My English furiends even get to chase things like squirrels and rabbits, lucky dogs!

Why do Westies chase other animals? Well, we were bread to hunt and kill rodents, so that is an ingrained part of the west highland terrier temperament. You will need to work hard with your Westie to train it not to chase furry critters.

Westies have terrible road sense

Because of our inclination to chase furry things at a moment’s notice, west highland white terriers have terrible road sense. Our reactions are generally a lot quicker than humans, so please, never let a Westie off the lead anywhere near a road.

If Westies chase animals, can they live with cats?

Despite our fondness of chasing furry critters, yes, we can live happily with cats. We quickly learn that cats have sharp, pointy claws – so please, protect your young pup’s eyes and nose in the early days.

The cat quickly becomes top dog in the household. Believe me, I’ve experienced it. I respect the claw!

Got a cat already? Westies will learn to 'respect the claw' very quickly!

Got a cat already? Westies will learn to ‘respect the claw’ very quickly!

 

Are Westies good with children?

This is a trickier question to answer, as it depends on the Westie, the parents, and the children. Generally, the Westies I know are very good with children, but (and this is a big but) the kids need to be trained how to handle and act around the dog.

Many dogs hate the sudden, jerky movements children make – they feel threatened, and may snap. This is just their self-preservation. Likewise, any dog might get a bit grumpy if its ears are pulled, fur is yanked, or things waved in front of its eyes. In particular, make sure children are careful around a dog’s food. Dogs may snap or bite if they think their food is being threatened, especially if a stranger (e.g. visiting child) goes near it.

For any dog to be part of a happy home, it means training both the dog and all the humans.

Training your Westie

The west highland terrier temperament is known as being a little, um, stubborn. So I shall write more about training your Westie another time. For now, all I’ll say is that you must plan on spending time training your Westie puppy each day, and puppy obedience classes are a very good idea.

Food

Me, I looooove food *drools at the thought*. My boyfriend, Morris, has a healthy appetite too. We will do anything we can to score some noms from you, and I have pawfected the art of using my ‘hypnotise-eyes’!

Westietude: Look deep into my eyes... feed me... feed me...

But other Westies I know are picky eaters. I think we’re all a bit different in this regard. However, I am doing my best to teach everyone my hypnotise-eyes tricks, there is a Minnie Merchandise range to help them with that!

Do Westies need much exercise?

Even though west highland white terriers are small dogs, we are not lap dogs. We like daily exercise, thank you very much! I sometimes see overweight Westies, and that makes me sad. Our daily walks and sniffs are impawtant to us. If you are not willing to walk a dog each day, the west highland terrier is not the dog for you.

Westies love discovering new sniffs!

Westies love discovering new sniffs!

 

Napping

Most Westies will enjoy some naps throughout the day. Being this cute is tiring, y’know!

Oh, and our favourite napping position? Your bed. 😉 You can always rely on a Westie to find the comfiest spot in the house, even if you don’t approve of it!

West highland terriers like a comfy bed (ideally yours!)

Skin issues and allergies in Westies

Yes, it is true that many Westies are prone to skin issues: I have had skin problems myself. There seem to be as many remedies as there are Westie owners; there is no hard-and-fast solution! Be prepared for some vets bills; and also the time to treat your Westie if a skin condition develops. Believe me, your Westie will repay you with love if you can make his skin comfy for him. 🙂

Here is my own experience of Westie allergies.

Grooming your Westie

Westies have hair, rather than fur, and it grows at about the same rate as human hair. Therefore your Westie will need to be groomed regularly. Me, I get groomed every 4-6 weeks in summer, and every 6-10 weeks in winter. As well as getting a bath and hair cut, my groomer also clips my nails and cleans out my anal gland. Not all groomers provide the same, comprehensive so don’t assume that all groomers will do this – ask!

If you don’t want to pay for someone to groom your Westie, you could learn to do it yourself.

In between grooms, your Westie will also need its hair brushed and maybe the occasional bath. (Me, I get a shower every week or two… I actually quite like it, and it soothes my skin!)

Wow, I hope you enjoyed this information on the west highland terrier temperament. Talking about Westies is one of my favourite subjects!

For a light-hearted look at the Westie’s attitude, check out my series on Westietude!

Love ‘n’ licks,

Minnie x

To link to this post use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/west-highland-terrier-temperament-what-are-westies-really-like

Minnie The Westie - book coverAbout Minnie The Westie:

Minnie The Westie is the star of the dog cartoon book, Minnie The Westie: The Adventures Of A Cartoon West Highland Terrier Cartoon Dog. It’s available as a Paperback book from online bookstores, and Kindle eBook from Amazon. It contains 85 black-and-white Minnie The Westie cartoons.

Shop for Minnie The Westie’s book at Amazon.comAmazon.co.uk and The Book Depository (with free shipping worldwide).


Next step:

Get a Minnie The Westie cartoon emailed to you each month with Minnie Mail – it’s free and fun! You can sign up here (or click here for more details):

 

Westietude: A full belly = a great day!

Westietude: A full belly = a great day!

My wish is that all Westies enjoy full bellies and comfy snoozes. *wags*

Westietude: a full belly = a great day!

(Just don’t overdo the noms… or if you do, make sure your humans take you for nice, long walks!)

Wags ‘n’ nose licks,

Minnie x

To link to this post use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/westietude-a-full-belly-a-great-day

 

Cartoon of the month: Minnie-Matic has many uses

Cartoon of the month: Minnie-Matic has many uses

A Westie is an indespensable part of any household: we are very useful pets…

Minnie The Westie cartoon of the month July 2012: Minnie-Matic

In case you’re wondering, one of my nicknames at home really is “Minnie-Matic”!

If dad drops food on the floor when he’s cooking (and yes, it usually is dad who does the food-dropping in this house), the Minnie-Matic gets summoned! I have a very fast response time. 😉

And as you can see, Minnie-Matic has many uses!

Till next time! I hope you manage to score some bonus noms too!

Love ‘n’ nose licks,

Minnie x

 

PS. Would you like to use Minnie The Westie dog cartoons? Click here to read about cartoon licensing.

Hint: using my dog cartoons is free for non-commercial blogs and organisations such as dog clubs and dog rescues!

To link to this post use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/cartoon-of-the-month-july-2012

 

Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day

Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day

The 23 February of each year is international Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, us doggies appreciate biscuits every single day, but if humans are going to give us extra noms, we’re quite happy about that!

The most impawtant thing is to make sure that your humans do know that it’s Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. I have trained mum to write it on her calendar every year – I encourage you to train your humans too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So how was my Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day?

My day was utterly wonderful and nommy! By sheer coincidence, I got groomed today. I go to Auntie Briar’s Dog Grooming in Sandringham, Auckland.

What makes the visits there extra special is that Auntie Briar bakes her own range of healthy dog biscuits! Mum always stocks up on dog biscuits when we visit Auntie Briar. (Auntie Briar ships the biscuits throughout New Zealand, call 09 849 8127 to order.)

Mum and I at Auntie Briar's... Auntie Briar grooms me and also bakes healthy dog biscuits. *drools!*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bone-shaped dog biscuits baked by Auntie Briar. *slurps!*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nom nom nom nom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As well as nomming on these bone-shaped biscuits myself, I also gave biscuits to my boyfriend, Morris, and to my furiend, Daisy. Gotta share the Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day tail-wags, I reckon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope your day is as pawsome as mine!

Love ‘n’ biscuit-flavoured licks,

Minnie x

 

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/dog-biscuit-appreciation-day

 

Westie Walk with the Westie Club NZ

Westie Walk with the Westie Club NZ

Being a member of the Westie Club NZ is fun! One of the events they organise each year is a Westie Walk in Cornwall Park, Auckland, New Zealand.

Cornwall Park is beautifully landscaped and incorporates the famous One Tree Hill. The park covers an area of about 120 hectares (296.5 acres), some of which is run as a farm. Yep, there are sheep and moo moos right in the middle of the Auckland urban sprawl!

The 2011 Westie Walk

This year’s Westie Walk was on Sunday 13 November, which is Spring time in New Zealand. A nice time of year for a walk!

Here are my photos from the day. And yes, you might spot the occasional Scottie too; they are part of the clan after all!

Westie Walk 2011

Who says it's just dogs that are food obsessed? The humans huddle around the BBQ... and that's before the walk has even started!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk 2011

The walk gets underway! There are Westies in front of me...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Club Walk 2011

... and there are even more Westies behind me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk

Me, I have to stop and sniff every tree. This is hard work; there are a lot of trees in this park!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk 2011

The Westie Walk is a great way to meet new friends. Here I am, playing with a new furiend. Sadly I didn't catch her name, we were too busy running running running!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk 2011

Of course, it's good to see old friends on the walk too. That's me, Minnie on the right. In the middle of the photo is my boyfriend, Morris. And on the left is Magnum, another Westie furiend that I see most weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk 2011

We stop for some water... it is a hot day! The stairs also make a good photo opawtunity. I am in there somewhere with mum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sheep in Cornwall Park

Amazing! There are white, fluffy things in the park that aren't Westies!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Club Walk 2011

After the walk, the dogs and humans alike relax in the shade and enjoy some noms. There's a sausage sizzle for the humans (though I did get a small bit of sausage too!). And there were some free dried chicken necks for the doggies. Nom nom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tired westie

I was soooo tired after the walk, I fell asleep as soon as I got in the car!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tired Westie after Westie Walk

When I got home, I had a snooze as soon as I got through the front door! I didn't even make it onto the couch or bed! Or into the kitchen (where the humans were doing food things)... now THAT'S a tired Westie!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m looking forward to the Westie Club’s next event already!

Love ‘n’ licks,

Minnie x

 

 

 

To link to this post, use:  https://www.minniethewestie.com/westie-walk-with-the-westie-club-nz

 

“Fetch”! … What happens next?

“Fetch”! … What happens next?

Do you like to throw balls and toys for your dog – and expect them to “fetch”?

Yeah, my humans do that sometimes.

And sometimes it’s fun… like, when there are noms involved. So my rule is “no noms, no fetch!” Simple.

Fetch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even then, I do the fetching on my own turns. Running with a full belly isn’t very comfortable, so I’ll only fetch until I’m all nommed out.

You have to make these things work for you, y’know!

Nose licks (nom-scented ones),

Love from

Minnie x

 

 

PS. Mum used to have a Scottie dog when she was younger. She says that the Scottie could NEVER be bribed into fetching. Whenever mum threw a ball, the Scottie would give her an indignant look, saying “well, if you want the ball, you shouldn’t have thrown it, you silly woman. Get it yourself!”

BOL!!! I think this Scottie was wise too! Us terriers are very wise!

 

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/fetch-what-happens-next

 

Special talent: Hypnotise-eyes

Special talent: Hypnotise-eyes

Hello my furiends!

Recently I told you about my special talent as a “Minnie-Matic“, which is a great way of getting extra noms.

But the problem with that approach is that it’s a little bit reactive, and totally reliant on the humans dropping food on the floor.

So when I have an extra hunger going (which is, um, quite often!), I have a more proactive approach to securing extra noms.

The secret? My hypnotise-eyes!

Hypnotise-eyes... "look deep into my eyes... feed me... feed me..."The hypnotise-eyes work a treat on my dad… unfortunately mum is a little bit more resilient! But if I work it hard enough, even she will cave in. 😉

I hope the hypnotise-eyes trick works as well for you as it does for me, my nom-loving friends!

Love ‘n’ licks,

Minnie x

 

 

 

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/special-talent-hypnotise-eyes

 

Cartoon of the month: Hypnotise-eyes

Cartoon of the month: Hypnotise-eyes

Nom nom nom!

I do like my food, and like to try all sorts of tricks to increase my daily doggy dietary intake.

This particular “hypnotise-eyes” trick works very well with dad, but not quite so well with mum!

Minnie The Westie cartoon #0031

By the way, if you like my dog cartoons you can get the latest Minnie The Westie cartoon directly in your email In Box each month when you sign up for Minnie Mail… it’s free!

Anyway, all this talk of food is making me hungry… must go and find some snacks!

Till next time,

Love ‘n’ licks,

Minnie x

 

 

 

PS. Would you like to use Minnie The Westie dog cartoons? Click here to read about cartoon licensing. Hint: using my dog cartoons is free for non-commercial blogs and organisations!

 

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/cartoon-of-the-month-september-2011