So we have a 9 year old Cairn Terrier. Basically, a Westie whose color has not been bread out. Same dog. Everyone who meets him says he is the sweetest dog they have ever met. He is so very bright!
They are very terrier-torial (territorial) so he barks when someone approaches the door, or property (we have a high long thin deck on our second story and he even barks at airplanes that "invade his space" -- it's hilarious.)
You really cannot have them off-leash. They will bound after things and not mind. (we have leash laws here anyway, so it makes no difference to us). All terriers are pretty much like that -- not obedient. But they know when they have done something wrong. They are very very sensitive, so harsh and demanding owners are not a good mix.
I recommend a male, regardless. For some reason, the females are, in fact, *******! Ours is truly sweet and cuddly. Our breeders said that they are most like a cat than any other kind of dog.
Oh, and they are waterproof and don't shed!!! True show dogs need to be "plucked" and "rolled" but we have never done that with our dog. His coat is beautiful and I just take him to a groomer every 3-4 months. He rarely needs a bath (maybe once a month) unless he's been into something stinky. Our breeder said he shouldn't be bathed that often. He has developed sensitive skin and is on Hill's Z/D ultra diet. He has developed Cushings but that is not typical of the breed. He is not on any meds yet -- we discovered it when we were trying to figure out why he was having skin eruptions. He is incredibly exuberant and healthy and strong for a 9 year old. And still so adorable like a puppy in personality (although he can get abit cranky at night!)
If you go to
www.youtube.com you can watch the antics of so many westies and so many cairns. Owners are very adoring of these dogs. You might find a rescue close by, too, if you type "rescue westies ontario" or cairn into the search.
Her is a photo of my little love.
Good luck! My breeder might be able to help you with Cairns as they go to a lot of shows...though we're west coast. I can try to get in touch with them if you'd like.
Marguerite