Any tips on how to train a dog to "leave it"? I tried shaking a bottle with pebbles in it, he will shriek a little, and will leave. But with just voice command "leave it", he will not leave the toy wor. Instead he will run away, asking us to chase him. How to re-train this bugger ah?

Try using treats, like when it fetches sumthing in his mouth...cal him politely, dun like shout or using a stern voice at him or chase him coz he will think that u r playing wit him. If he comes to you, use the command 'leave it' or 'let go'...then show him the treats. He will then automatically put it down coz got things to makan. Try doin it few times at the command wit him and see how it goes. Make sure there is something in his mouth oni u show him the treat, dun frm far when he is chewing something in his mouth then u adi show him the treats...do it when u have contact wit him. Westies are fast learner, they r juz to playful oni.

I normally play fetch wit them, so when they bring me the ball...i'll hold the ball in their mouth and said 'let go' and i'll show them the treat. So everytime i said 'let go' or 'leave it', they'll eventually understand. How old is ur westie now, if its still puppy then they'll be playful abit.

This post has been edited by larryho: Oct 25 2008, 03:03 PM

hey larry, i found casper's dr grace. she does seem nice and pretty
i told her casper introduce, and immediately she knows it's LARRY's dog wor
so looks like i will be bringing my scubby to her soon

This post has been edited by benjac: Oct 25 2008, 03:05 PM

I just brought Casper there today, but it seems that casper still need to be on medication. So u went there without bringing ur westie, u gonna bring back ur westie 2mr rite?

Anyway, she's a good doctor...im not saying because she is beautiful tats y she is good ah. She has been following up casper skin prob frm time to time, tats y i quite trust he expertise.

Hey fren i oso just back from petcare wor.. i meet up wit dr ho, she nice too. I manage to have a glance on dr grace.. so at least i know who lor...

Benjac u go meet dr grace for wat???interview her 1st before u send scubby there ar??ahaha

Larryho...u said 11.30am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we're collecting scubby next sunday. so will bring him to her maybe the following saturday for a general check-up

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Added on October 25, 2008, 4:12 pmnot interview mah. just want to kepoh see where exactly is the vet. and so ngam she came out from inside so we spoke to her lo.

asked her about neutering, so she also recommend best to do it after 6mths. if later, after he got "experience" it would be difficult

This post has been edited by benjac: Oct 25 2008, 04:12 PM

I went there around 11.50am, coz i was eating my breakfast earlier then hav to wait for my sis summo. So sorry...nex time v'll try to meet up ok...v meet up together wit scubby.

This post has been edited by larryho: Oct 25 2008, 06:25 PM

Woww... awesome. Westies are hunting dogs in the past so it's only natural that he went after the mice. Glad he can drop it and they dont normally eat their prey. That part you dont have to worry. This is instinct la.

My dogs never killed anything... Hahahaha... I think they will probably be afraid of cockcroaches as well. Moonie does bark at lizards from time to time though but sometimes when you dont see those lizards, it's as though she's barking at something behind you... something beyond human comprehension... the terror just freaks us out some times but now we got used to it.

Oh yeah forgot to mention, snowball has killed probably 5 lizards already, even those really small ones, like 5cm long also no chance to survive


Haha yes dogs can see what human can't see.... if they're growling at the middle of the night... something is really wrong there...

Haha....ur rumah got hantu ah, well...if they get used to barking then they will bark 1 lar. Casper aso the same, alwaz run out the house to see whether got lizard anot, if there got lizard then he will bark...even dun hav aso sometime he juz bark once or twice then chow....its his habit.

Choi! My house no hantu la, been living there safely for 11 years! Just that rumor say that dogs eye can see what humans cannot. So the fear is instilled in our human hearts when you hear them bark at something you cannot see. Bark is ok, growl like a wolf is even worse but my dogs dont do that.

Yesterday, my cousin went to Muar, so he said he will only be back tonight and want to tumpang is 3 months old Miniature Schnauzzer at my house. His name is Harley. Brought him back to put him in Casper old cage. Put in all also, my God!! Synchronized barking + whining at near midnight!!

Basically I keep my dogs in the living hall. Current house no space la, so when I move to my new house will have more space. I will probably keep them outside, locked.

I had my contractor built up a huge 10x10ft bricked area up to 5ft height. My washing machine, broom, gas tank and etc will be there, so will the dogs. Above the 5ft wall are all grill and a safety door. I intend to put those magnetic mosquitoes netting there as well.

My current concern is Casper. When I washed him yesterday, I noticed his fur been shedding a lot and his back is filled with red dots like pimples. Not sure if the food is too heaty for him but he seldom drink his water as well. How much water does a dog really need?

Why want to put them outside? Westies are indoor dogs, no? Where will you be shifting by the way? Next time open house we ramai ramai bring our westies celebrate together hehe


I think Casper has some rashes? Probably weather too hot. Or as I was told by my vet, maybe bathe too often, or maybe also the shampoo was not washed off properly.


My dog drinks about 2 cups of water a day. Not included the water he drinks himself from the pond in the garden. I make him run alot in the house lah, like play fetch. So during meal time he drinks a lot. I think dogs don't really need too much water, if they do drink a lot, got problem already, like kidney problem.

This post has been edited by wzseow: Oct 26 2008, 02:24 PM

Westies are indoor dogs but my new house dont have dogs indoor, or we're trying not keep them indoor. Actually, the area I'm going to keep them is considered indoor but just separate from the mainhouse but is attached near the kitchen.

If I dont bath him, he has strong doggy odour. I feel Westie are smell stronger than other breeds. Do you guys think so?

Let them loose and play around the whole house lah. Haha.

I let my dog go everywhere in the house, including all the rooms. So when he's lonely, he'll come and sleep with us now and then


Hmm, the odour starts to develop after 4 days or so. But to me it's not those really smelly, unbearable smell. Snowball smells like pandan to me

Marquis smell like Coke.

I dont let them run around the house because I dont have maid to clean up the house after their poo / pee / fur.

That is why I keep them in their own house outside.

i didn't know westie smells like pandan and coke

hey what brand of shampoo you guys use for your westies? serious question ok

Your dogs should be house trained already right? Or you're afraid they're not used to the new environment and simply poo everywhere?

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Added on October 26, 2008, 6:38 pm Pandan smell is to me and my family lah. If other people smell, sure say it's dog odour


Snowball is currently using Snow Pearl dog shampoo, it has whitening and conditioning effect. Once this bottle finishes I'll change to another one, forgot what's the name, but it's 50bucks a bottle, meant for white dogs, used by professionals

This post has been edited by wzseow: Oct 26 2008, 06:38 PM

i have 2 shampoos and rotate them as and when required. one is whitening, and the other is oatmeal based as whitening shampoos can cause drying of the skin and hence make them scratch more.

kamsiah lu

i read in a westie forum in puppy.com that one of the owners there uses johnson & johnson baby shampoo on her westie for 17years. she said it is very good for her westie because it has skin problem. and also won't irritate the eyes because it is no tear shampoo.

what do you guys think?

I use All System #1 (forgot which one exactly) but I usually buy 1 litre so I can use them for a long time. I buy once a year or less only.

Moonie is house trained to do it in the toilet. Casper will whack around the dustbin. So, I cannot let them out unsupervised. It's a lot of work for a house without maid to maintain the dogs and Casper marks, that's one of the main reason why I want to neuter him.

They are still doggy odour regardless if its coke or pandan.

I think the person who wrote that was ERN, was it? I think it's reliable and true. If the shampoo wont harm a baby, it shouldnt do much harm on a dog / puppy.