Has the Westie been tested around actual small animals, or are they considering cats as small animals? (some places lump them together)
I only ask because you've said you do rat rescue, and as the owner of a terrier, I can say that few things can bring out the terrier in an otherwise docile dog like rodents. I had rats for many many years, along with my terrier (with nary an incident), but they did have to be completely separate. Where my other dogs couldn't have cared less about the fuzzies, Jules took any opportunity he could find to spin in front of their cages.
I only ask because you've said you do rat rescue, and as the owner of a terrier, I can say that few things can bring out the terrier in an otherwise docile dog like rodents. I had rats for many many years, along with my terrier (with nary an incident), but they did have to be completely separate. Where my other dogs couldn't have cared less about the fuzzies, Jules took any opportunity he could find to spin in front of their cages.