This message appeared on the notice board at Chris' work and I'm trying to work out what would be the best thing all round.

FREE TO GOOD HOME - WESTHIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER Full pedigree, 4 years old. We took two dogs on at Christmas and they are brothers. They are beautiful friendly dogs, but being brothers they bicker!! Jealousy!!! We had them neutered in March to see if that would calm them down, but to no avail. Unfortunately as I have two small children (aged 2 and 3) I can not risk the dogs having a squabble, as being small dogs they are on my children's face level. The vet has advised that the only way to calm them down would be to separate them. We have done this at home and apart they are perfectly behaved lap dogs, but this is obviously not a practical situation at home. Therefore we have made the heartbreaking decision to let one of the dogs go.

What would people suggest? I've passed on the phone number for Mags Evans but the owner doesn't want the dog to go to rescue - she's worried he'd end up in kennels waiting for a new home. She took the dogs on because they'd been snappy in their previous home.

Can anyone offer any advice?

Thanks,

Fiona
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Hi Fiona :-)

I don't know if this is much help or not but Independant Weimaraner Rescue prefers it if the dog can stay in it's own home whilst waiting for a new home to be found, rather than having the dogs put in kennels or stay with someone strange. Possibly the Westie rescue will be the same ? Might be worth the lady checking it out and she may also receive some good advice from a person experienced in the breed which might just help her out until a new home can be found.

Just a thought :-)

Hi Fiona, Please tell the owner of the dogs that Westie Rescue is NOT a kennels, it is a group of individual people all over the u.k. who take the "rescue dogs" into their own homes to re-socialise them, and prospective purchasers have got to be very well vetted BEFORE rescue will let the dog go into the new "owners" home, if she wishes to ask about Westie Rescue, Mags Evans is the right person to get in touch with, I am sure she will give this lady some very good information, I have westies and when mine are playing, sometimes you really would think they are fighting with all the noise that they make, but, they are just playing, again I can understand this lady's concerns as she has two very young children, and another point, Westie Rescue, would NOT place the dogs into a home with very young children. Hope something works out. from Irene-Westyholm Westies

Hi, Fiona,
Please tell the owner to contact Mags, Westie Rescue will NOT kennel this dog, he will be accessed in a foster home, and the right home then found for him, he will not be placed in a home with young children, I am a member of the westie rescue, and can assure you he will not be placed in kennels, and she will find Mags very helpful, and the right home will be found. I do home visit's for the rescue so I know new owners are carefully checked and vetted.
I hope it all works out ok for him.
Good luck and please let us know how you go on.
Kat

Surely if she was really upset at parting with them she would keep one and try to rehome the other - this would prevent the squabbling problem?

Christine

That's what she wants to do Christine.

Fiona
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Oh dear - what a sad situation :-( What a shame she had them BOTH neutered - if the more 'submissive' one had been 'done' I doubt this situation would have gone this far :-( Hindsight is a wonderful thing huh? I hope it all works out for the best, sorry I have no other words of advice - a good behaviourist would possibly be able to help - do we know where this family live? Would they be prepared to go down that route?

I know someone who would probably take one of these dogs, e-mail me on celia@dawsholm.fsnet.co.uk. I have had the same problem with terriers - I castrated one to no avail - something I always regret. Please hang on to them til a home is found! Celia

I am looking for another Westie. I already have a female who would love a companian. I am willing to have a house check.

Please email me on steveself@tiscali.co.uk

Best wishes

Samantha Self

The original message is nearly a year old - I expect it's already been sorted.....

Unfortunately this was sorted out by both dogs being put to sleep :( They had a very serious fight which resulted in each dog suffering terrible injuries and the pair of them had to be destroyed.

Very sad,

Fiona
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