Children and dogs go great together.
Not only is it an added layer of companionship for both parties, but it creates lasting lifelong memories that your children will always have.
It's also great to introduce small responsibilities at a young age as it will work in good routines and concepts for later in life.
But there are other considerations to getting a dog, and whether a dog does or doesn't work well with children is more a side constraint than anything else.
I'll explain: essentially, you don't decide on the dog breed if it's good at interacting with children.
But what you'll do is discount the dog breed you have in mind if it is bad with children.
In that way, it's not a 'positive' attribute in the sense that it only acts as a basic qualifier for getting a dog.
What's more, your going to want a dog that is an all rounder, as eventually children grow up, so compatibility is only ever a temporary concern.
On Westies in particular, they make great candidates for a dog to have with a child.
Their size is one of the many advantages they hold.
Being small means that the over-excitement that all dogs are prone to is incredibly unlikely to do any harm, and instead means they're a lot more manageable by the children themselves.
As they get older, you'll be able to trust them with Westie's to go on walsk knowing that they're not going to be overpowered should the dog suddenly have a different want.
Another way Westies make great dogs to have with children is their independence they have.
Whilst they crave love and affection like any dog, their character is made so distinctive by their ability to be satisfied without the constant praise from their owners.
It also makes them less tiresome: when you're tired, they'll fit in and lounge about with you, but when you're ready to give them attention and play with them, they'll match your energy levels as well.
All in all, they make fantastic, loyal pets.
They're great with children too, but formal training should never be discounted with any breed of dog.