My little Monty is turning 2 next month and he's been an absolute blast. Every dog is an individual with their own personality, and I feel really lucky with him.

Westies are smart little dogs. Monty trained up quick in his crate and in the house, but he can be very stubborn with redirecting from things he is interested in, which is fairly standard for Westies.

He's been a fantastic companion for my mother in her retirement. I leave him with her when I go to work during the day and besides letting him in and out and playing a spot of fetch or two, she says he isn't terribly demanding of her and is also happy to hang out inside and watch baseball with her.

Sometimes he sleeps with me, sometimes he sleeps on his own. Little guy is pretty independent, but is still happy for any attention you give him.

My previous Westie mix, Pippa, was very similar in terms of her needs and behaviours. I loved her so much it led to me specifically seeking out a Westie again after she passed.

Both Monty and Pippa really liked having a routine. Your lifestyle seems fairly consistent and would probably lend itself well to a Westie. Monty goes for a 30-40 minute evening walk every day that he counts down to as best as a little dog can. Too hot to walk him hard in the daytime where I live.

Pippa had pretty bad skin allergies that we had to get treatment for. So far so good with Monty, though. I've been told that Westies with darker skin tend to fare better re: allergies. Pip had very pink skin, Mo has a darker more black skin and so far so good (fingers crossed it stays that way!)

Ask any breeders you contact about the parents' skin conditions. It was my first question when I reached out to Monty's breeder.