Editor’s note: Dr. Sara Ochoa, DVM is a graduate of St. George’s University with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine. She shares her advice on the best dog food for West Highland Terriers below.
Are you looking for the best dog food for your Westie? While there are many different brands of dog food, there are some foods that are better than others for your dog.
There is no one diet that can be best for every West Highland Terrier, as some Westies may have health issues that would require them to have a specialized diet. These are some of the best dog foods that you can feed your Westie.
- Best Overall Dog Food for Westies
- Best Dog Food for Westie Puppy
- Best Dog Food for Westies with Skin Allergies
- Best Dog Food for Westies with Sensitive Stomachs
- Much Food Should I Feed My Westie?
- How Long Should My Westie Wait After Eating to Exercise?
Best Overall Dog Food for Westies
Royal Canin makes a dog food formulated specifically for Westies. This is one of our first recommendations for you to feed your adult Westie.
This diet has small bite-sized kibble for your dog to easily be able to chew and enjoy their food.
There are added ingredients such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin to help protect your Westies joints. It also contains Omega fatty acids to help protect your dog’s skin from any allergies that they come into contact with. This will help keep their coats shiny and white.
Royal Canin is a great diet to feed your Westie each day for them to stay healthy, happy, and live a long life.
Pros:
- Formulated exclusively for Westies
- Small size kibble
- Supports healthy skin and coat
- Very palliative
Cons:
- Cost
- Chicken is the main protein that can cause food allergies
Best Dog Food for Westie Puppy
Westie puppies will need to eat a different diet when they are puppies. Eukanuba makes a great puppy food that you can feed to your Westie.
Eukanuba puppy food contains a high-quality protein that is needed to help your Westie fully grow and develop. This diet also contains DHA, which supports a healthy brain function and development.
It contains the appropriate amount of protein and fats that are needed to help keep up with the high energy demands of your new puppy.
Pros:
- Developed for puppies
- Supports muscle, bone, and brain development
- Provides energy for your growing puppy
Cons:
- Contains chicken by-products
- Contains grains
Best Dog Food for Westies with Skin Allergies
Westies are prone to allergies and skin infections. Many times, these allergies are due to the diet that you are feeding your Westie. Nutro Limited Ingredient diet will help prevent your Westie from developing skin allergies.
The main protein found in this diet is salmon. Most dogs who are allergic to a specific protein are usually allergic to chicken or beef. Making sure that your Westies diet does not contain one of these proteins will help.
This diet also only contains a limited number of ingredients to help decrease the number of foods that your Westie can be allergic to. The 10 main ingredients found in this diet are great to help keep your dog’s skin healthy and shiny.
Pros:
- Salmon as the main ingredient
- No grains, artificial colors, or fillers
- Help promote a healthy, shiny coat
- Helps support a healthy GI tract
Cons:
- Some picky dogs do not like this diet
- Pieces of kibble may be big for very small Westies
Best Dog Food for Westies with Sensitive Stomachs
Some Westies can have a very sensitive stomach. Anytime they try new food, or a new diet can develop diarrhea. Feeding your Westie a sensitive stomach diet can help prevent many GI issues.
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive stomach diet also contains probiotics that will help treat and prevent many GI issues.
Most dogs who have a sensitive stomach can also have a food allergy. Trying a different protein such as salmon can often help your dog who may have chronic GI issues.
This diet contains all the needed vitamins and minerals to help keep your Westie healthy and happy as well as support a healthy GI system.
Pros:
- Contains probiotics to help with digestion and immune support
- High protein diet with salmon as the first ingredient
- Formulated to meet your small dog’s high energy level
Cons:
- Contains grains that can cause issues for dogs with grain allergies
How Much Food Should I Feed My Westie?
West Highland White Terriers, also known as Westies, are smaller high-energy dogs. These dogs are known for having allergies and digestive issues, which is why we added some of these recommendations for feeding your Westie.
Feeding an Adult Westie
Most adult Westies weigh about 15 to 20 pounds fully grown. Young adult Westies will have a higher energy level than older Westies and will need to eat more.
A good rule to follow is to feed your Westie about 1 cup of food for every 15 to 20 pounds of body weight. Spreading the food out into two smaller meals is better for your dog than a single meal per day.
Feeding a Senior Westie
Once your dog becomes a senior, they may not be as active, and you will need to decrease their food intake to prevent them from becoming overweight.
Older Westies may not have great teeth or have lost a few teeth as they get older and need to eat a wet food diet. Some Westies can also be very picky eaters and will benefit from adding a small amount of canned food to the top of their kibble to help entice them to eat.
What about treats?
We all love to give our dogs a treat. When adding treats to your dog’s diet, you need to only give these in moderation. If you are giving many treats each day, your Westie can become overweight.
When giving a lot of treats, especially if your dog is in training, it is best to decrease the amount of kibble they are eating each day to offset the calories they are eating from their treats. You may also want to consider training treats.
How Long Should My Westie Wait After Eating to Exercise?
Dogs who run around on a full stomach risk bloat, also known as a twisted stomach. It is best to wait two hours after eating before allowing your Westie to exercise or go swimming.
In addition, you should also wait to feed your dog for 30 minutes after exercising.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a great diet for your Westie, consider these diets to help keep your Westie healthy and happy.
While there are many great diets that you can feed your Westie, these are some that are easy to find at all pet stores or online retailers that are formulated to help keep your Westie looking and feeling their best.
Also Read:
- Best Dog Food for Jack Russell Terriers [Veterinarian Approved Jack Russell Feeding Guide]
- Best Dog Food for Pit Bulls [Veterinarian Approved Pit Bull Feeding Guide]
- Best Dog Food for Bull Terriers [Veterinarian Approved Bull Terrier Feeding Guide]
- Best Dog Food For Boston Terriers [Veterinarian Approved Boston Terrier Feeding Guide]
- Best Dog Food For Scottish Terriers [Veterinarian Approved Scottie Feeding Guide]
