How we keep them clean
Westies are remarkably clean dogs, however true to their heritage they are terriers (meaning earth dogs) and will not think twice about wadding through a puddle or “helping” you dig a carrot or two from the garden!
Bathing your Westie will inevitably be a part of your routine as it is ours, but how often should you bathe them and with what products?
The “how often” greatly varies, but we typically bathe our Westies once a week. When deciding to bath our Westies we consider their skin and coat to choose the right product (or lack thereof). Westies can easily be cleaned with or without soap. At times we will opt for warm water and spray of diluted vinegar to their already damp coats. Vinegar works nicely to condition the coat and maintain a healthy sheen.
We also use a variety of soap-based products as needed which include sensitive skin (low odor) dog shampoos and occasionally whitening shampoos.
One of the major advantages to Westies is their minimal oil production which makes them low to nil odor. The majority of our bathes are simply due to general soiling such as dirt on the paws, or grass stains from playing on a freshly mowed lawn!
Dogs skin has a higher alkalinity than humans, and it is important to use products designed for dogs to protect their skin and coat. Bathing too frequently may also disrupt their natural pH balance and strip their coat of essential oils. Typically, similar to humans, dogs tend to have drier skin during the cold winter months and may benefit from a moisturizing sensitive skin dog shampoo to provide additional hydration.
Whitening shampoos should be used sparingly and ensure they are properly diluted. A purple or blue hue may result if the product has not been diluted enough, or left on the coat for too long. Additionally whitening shampoos are usually clarifiers which strip and dry the coat, therefore we recommend using whitening shampoos only about once a month in the summer.
Another noteworthy mention is the importance of drying the coat thoroughly. We use an air-dryer on warm setting which prevents a chill in the winter, or air-drying in the heat of the summer with the help of some cornstarch dusted in areas that stay damp.
Odd as it sounds, cornstarch is one of our favorite grooming products! It is especially beneficial for the face and feet. Word of caution when applying to the face not to get powder in your Westies eyes. Keeping a dry coat on both the face and the feet help to reduce unsightly stains. Staining has many different causes, however one such cause is associated with bacterial growth which thrives in a moist environment.
We dust cornstarch with a make-up blush brush and press it lightly on the feet and into the beard to aid in drying. Once the hair is thoroughly dried, any excess cornstarch can be blown out of the coat.
