Need some advice on breeds... Havanese or Westie?

I am getting a puppy and have narrowed it down to a Havanese or Westie. If you have personal experiences with either of these dogs, what are some of their pros/cons, and which breed would be the best?

Also, I am not going to a shelter and I am not looking for info cut and pasted from the internet... I can do that. Just interested in opinions from people who have actually owned one or the other. Thanks!

Bexx... seriously, save it.

Well I have a Bichon, which is in the Havanese family. But, personally, I like the Westie alot better. Actually, i wanted a Westie but ended up getting a Bichon becasue they don't shed. Havanese dont really shed eaither.

Theres alot of pros and cons. It really depends on what you can provide for the dog. What kind of environment you have, ect.

Havanese (and Bichons) are good with children. They are playful and generally relaxed. (Although, ANY puppy is going to have alot of energy, as they grow older, they will calm down). Normally, they don't bite. There the type of dogs that will fall asleep next to you and sit on your lap. Really, my Bichon, who is a couple of years old, just mopes around. But he'll play with you when you offer to play with him.

Westies are hunting dogs, so there going to want to run around and play. Do you have room for them to do that?? I mean, you should have alot of room for any dog, but Westies will generally run around more than the other dogs, so they don't do so great in apartments. Westies are good with children and other animal.
Westies also have alot of energy and personality.

I think your going to have fun with any dog you get. I like the Westie better for their personality and loyalty. But again, it depends on what YOU can give the dog. If you take care of a dog and give it what it needs, both of you will have fun. So just do some reasearch on what each dog likes and see which is better for you.

P.S.- when you first bring your new dog/puppy into ur home, don't force it. My Bichon hid under a table for an hour.lol. Don't grab it and force it out, just give it time, and pretend to ignore it. It'll get curious and come out when its ready. (My aunt came to visit my new puppy, she went into another room and sat on the floor and my Bichon slowly crept into her lap.)

P.S. (again) Bexx, i think she is thinking the right thing NOT going to a shelter. I mean, yea, they do need a home, but who knows how they have been treated previously. Some of them make great pets and others don't. When you got to a shelter, you have to take a chance. And obviously, if they ended up in a shelter, some of them didn't have such a great experience with the last owner. My firend's next door neighbor got a dog (a pretty big one too) from a shelter. All it does is bark and destroy the fence. Twice it jumped over the fence and tried to bite us, once it succeeded and another one of my firends had to go to the hospital. I got my Bichon from a Bichon breeder. Some shelter dogs are great, but for a first-time dog owner (especially) its not a good idea.

You'll have fun and Good Luck!

Yea if you want a more relaxed dog, the Havanese would be the one. Its part of the poodle family, you know how poodles act,like royalty,fancy dogs,show dogs
The Westies are more of a hunting dog with alot of energy. I mean, they'll calm down also but there going to need more play time and room Report It

well I had a westie several yrs ago and they are great dogs and excellent watch dogs and will defiantly let you know when someone is around that does not belong there . they are good with kids and very hardy little dogs although the breed itself does tend to suffer from allergies of the hair kind and sometimes it gets so bad that they loose their hair due to the allergy . if you do get a westie I would reccomend you putting them on a hollistic diet and sticking to it . good luck .

I see that you don't care in the least about adopting a shelter pet who desperately needs a home, but I couldn't live with myself unless I put my two cents in. Please adopt. You will be saving a life that would otherwise be killed.

www.petfinder.com

It will help your conscience.