...first time pet owner?children? thanks everone so far. This helps out a lot.

Westies are good little dogs but they tend to have alot of skin problems. This can be very expensive and if not handled properly the dog can be in alot of pain. While they are good with kids if brought up with them there are other breeds that might be better. Cavalier King Charles are the best with kids and are still a little dog. Westies are terriers and while I don't have anything against them and I am sure there are Many owners out there with kids and westies, they will also tell you that they will only put up with so much from kids. Don't be put off having one though as I have a Cattle dog in the suburbs and he loves kids to death. Try talking to breeders and maybe the canine association to get a better look at the westie.

You might want to think about getting a maltese or a lhasa apso. Both are very loving towards children and do not shed. Bellow is a link to animal planets dog breed selector. Use that page to learn more about the breeds before buying,































animal.discovery.com

I don't know so much about Westies but we have 3 Boston Terriers and they are terrific with children let alone a great companion for an adult. In all, my husband and I have had a total of 6. We've been married 21 years and they are all the children we have-and they act just like children. Read up on them and see what you think.