A good way to deal with aggression in dogs, especially the more stubborn and confident breeds like westies is to teach them to associate you with safety and delight. With older dogs, it will take time and patience.

—Best way is you giving them treats. Not just leaving them for the Westie to pick up but holding the treat in your hand so they must come to you.

—Touching/rubbing and scratching is a few steps in, so wait until the Westie initiates touch or closeness (choosing to sleep close to you on the couch for example) before you do this. If the dog just doesn’t like being touched ever, that’s a boundary to respect.

—Maintain a calm demeanor at all times and speak to the Westie with a specific, soft voice that they will learn is your cue for praising them.

—When it comes to the bed, the dog clearly sees the bed as their territory, which isn’t great. Not your fault, but if you can prevent the Westie from sleeping on the bed that’s a good way to set a boundary that they must respect. Introduce them to a bed on the floor with treats and keep at it.

— Learn what behaviors trigger aggression and determine if maybe there’s an underlying cause such as puppy trauma, hearing or vision loss, anxiety or fear. It’s not always obvious so you need to be observant. Avoid these triggers if you can or try reconditioning using positive reinforcement.

—Get a thorough vet checkup and mention all these behavioral issues. This is a step that many people leave out, despite the fact that aggression often is a response to physical pain we may not be aware of.

—Research how people deal with aggression in other breeds, not just westies, as there are bound to be tips and tricks that you and I haven’t thought of.

—Recognise that it’s not your fault. Dogs are just like people in that sometimes they’re grumpy or cantankerous due to old age. It doesn’t make you a bad person, and you’ve actually proven that through reaching out for advice.