Planning to buy a West Highland White Terrier is a huge decision, one that you must not enter into lightly. Owning a Westie is a huge financial responsibility. People often only think of a small cute puppy and forget that one day this will be a full-grown animal that needs plenty of attention, training, food, and medical care. All these can cost a lot of money.
Want to know how much a West Highland White Terrier costs? Read on: we have the West Highland White Terrie price estimates for you.
West Highland White Terrier Price
Given the popularity of small dogs in the United States, West Highland White Terrier puppies from reputed breeders can cost between $1000 and $5000! Show-quality Westies can cost even more.
The first-year cost of owning this gorgeous white dog is between $1500 to $2500 (lower end of the estimate). After the first year, your West Highland White Terrier might cost between $1000 and $1750 to raise (averages to $1375 a year). Since Westies live for 12-16 years, expect to pay between $16,000 and $27,000 over your dog’s lifetime.
West Highland White Terrier Initial Costs
West Highland White Terrier Puppy Price
After you have decided that a West Highland White Terrier is right for you, you need to start researching for a healthy puppy. You can buy your Westie puppy from one of the top West Highland White Terrier breeders in the USA, pet shops, private sellers, backyard breeders, puppy farms, or animal adoption homes. This decision will impact your puppy’s price.
The minimum cost of a West Highland White Terrier puppy from a top breeder is between $1000 and $5000. The national average cost of a Westie is $1950 with limited AKC registration and $2750 with unlimited AKC registration.
You can also consider adopting a West Highland White Terrier from a rescue home. Animal rescue shelters charge between $300-$600 for re-homing dogs and this cost sometimes covers initial vaccinations, deworming, and spay/neuter surgery as well.
Basic Equipment for West Highland White Terrier
Whether you purchase a Westie puppy or an adult Westie, you will need some basic equipment to make it more comfortable. Here are some supplies to buy in advance for your pup:
- Bowls for food and water – $10-$25
- Teething toys – $5 to $20
- Outdoor toys like balls, discs, etc – $10 to $20
- Leash, collar – $10-$20
- Crate – $50 to $200
- Bed – $20-$50
West Highland White Terrier Medical Costs
The overall medical costs or vet bills for most West Highland White Terrier owners (including dental costs, preventive care, vaccinations, etc.) can fall between $200 and $1000 a year. Here is a cost break up for reference:
- Routine checkup – $40 to $200
- Microchipping – $25
- Vaccines – $15 to $35 per shot
- Dental cleaning – up to $400
- Heartworm test – $45
- Allergy test – $100 to $200
- De-worming – $8 to $55 for 3 months
- Flea and tick prevention – between $50 and $200 per year
- Blood tests – $80-$150
- Emergency surgery – $1000 to $5000
- Spay/neuter surgery – $100 to $500
Westies purchased from reputed breeders are generally healthy dogs that live for 12-16 years. Some common health issues seen in the breed are allergies, skin issues, patellar luxation, eye problems like dry eye, Legg-Perthes disease, etc. These can cost thousands of dollars to treat.
By investing in pet insurance, you can cover some or all of these costs. Pet insurance costs between $30 and $50 a month depending on the plans and coverage. It is a good idea to shop around for pet insurance so you can get the best deal.
West Highland White Terrier Training Costs
You can have the well-behaved West Highland White Terrier puppy you have always wanted by enrolling it in private or group training classes. Different kinds of dog training are priced differently. Here are some basic costs/training packages:
Private training
This can include anything from basic consultation to simple obedience to advanced training to behavioral modification. One-hour puppy consultation costs around $150. Basic obedience training for 4 lessons of one hour each is around $500 (depending on the area you live in and the trainer’s expertise). Behavioral modification costs around $1000 for 8 lessons of 1 hour each.
Group Training
You can also enroll your dog in training classes offered by PetCo or PetSmart. Group dog training classes are affordable and also help your West Highland White Terrier puppy meet and socialize with other puppies. Expect to pay between $80 and $150 for 6-8 classes.
Board-and-Train
This option is great if you don’t mind sending your Westie to live with the trainer for up to a week. Your dog will be potty trained and might also learn basic obedience and manners. The charges for board-and-train vary from state to state. Expect to pay between $500 and $2000 per week.
What to Feed Your West Highland White Terrier? Dog Food Costs
Your spunky little dog loves food. Its dietary needs will change based on its age and activity. If your West Highland White Terrier participates in agility, it will certainly need a lot more energy!
Luckily, there are many varieties of dog food available commercially and you have myriad options before you.
Dry dog food or kibble is convenient to feed, good for your small dog’s teeth (this breed is prone to dental issues!), and also has a longer shelf-life. Expect to pay between $20 to $50 a month for kibble depending on the quality. This brings the annual cost to $300 to $600 on dog food alone.
Wet or canned food is another option. Most pet parents spend an average of $400 to $800 per year on this type of food.
Dog treats are another expense to consider. You can always bake dog treats at home or spend $10-$50 a month on buying them.
If your Westie has food allergies or needs a special diet or prescription dog food, then the food costs can go over $1000 a year.
Other Costs of Owning a West Highland White Terrier
In addition to medical costs, dog food costs, training, and other costs, here are some other costs you could incur over your pet’s lifetime:
- Grooming – Westies are fairly easy to groom and you can take care of grooming at home. However, many Westie owners prefer getting their dogs clipped by a professional groomer. Expect to pay between $30-$50 for basic grooming/stripping.
- Travel or pet boarding – West Highland Terriers are easy to travel with. If you travel by air, expect to pay between $250-$400 for a round trip depending on the distance. In case you choose to board your dog, you might end up paying $30-$65 a night.
- Pet sitter – if you work all day long, your Westie can get bored or depressed if left alone at home. You can hire a pet sitter to drop in a couple of times a day. Drop-in charges for pet sitters are $30-$55 an hour. If your sitter stays the night, they might charge nearly $50-$75 per night.
- Dog walker – Westies don’t need too much exercise but they still need to be walked a couple of times a day. If you are too busy for that, hire a dog walker for $200-$600 a month (since most dog walkers charge $10-$30 per walk for 20-30 minutes).
Summary – West Highland White Terrier Price
The initial cost of buying a West Highland White Terrier can fall between $1000 and $5000 but you can always adopt one for about $500.
You can expect the monthly cost of owning a Westie to be at least $200 (mainly on dog food, tick and flea prevention, and pet insurance). If you opt for premium food and services like dog walking, then the monthly cost can go over $800 to $1000!
The annual cost of owning a West Highland White Terrier in the first year is around $2500 (neutering, vaccinations, food, training, etc). Note that this estimate does not include additional costs like initial cost/puppy price, travel/boarding, dog walker charges, etc.
After the first year, most Westie owners spend an average of $1375 per year (on food, pet insurance, vet bills, etc). Again, this is the lower end of the estimate that does not include the miscellaneous costs. Over your pet’s lifetime of 12-16 years, you can expect to pay between $16,000 and $27,000.
Please note that all of the above are just rough estimates and the costs can increase/decrease based on where you live, your Westie’s health, and your lifestyle.
