Arlington Pet of the Week: Duncan

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Duncan, a squirrel-chasing Westie with an Instagram following of thousands.

Here’s what owner Rick had to say about his hunting hound:

Duncan is a West Highland Terrier with a mission to chase every single squirrel out of Arlington County.

Duncan entered our life in November 2011 as a 5 month old. He is almost entirely white, with some streaks of beige along his back. He is a fit and energetic dog that loves long walks with lots of sniffing. He is always happy to say hi to other dogs and he is very gentle with children. He also just loves to be chased — by humans and (especially) other dogs.

Duncan’s favorite place to go is the Glencarlyn Dog Park. Nothing makes him happier than to be running off-leash in the woods. Woe be it to the squirrels in his field of vision for they will be chased (although never actually caught). He also loves to walk in the stream and run around with the big dogs, because he is a huge dog in a little dog’s body.

Of course, there are things Duncan does not love. He doesn’t like Arlington’s hot and humid July and August — it never gets that hot in the West Highlands! He also has a bitter history with the foxes in Lubber Run Park.

A lot of Duncan’s time is taken up with his Instagram community commitments. @duncan_the_westie has (literally) thousands of followers around the globe. It can be taxing being fabulous on a daily basis, but he seems to be handling the pressure well. He is trying to stay grounded and avoid the traps of fame.

We didn’t really know what to expect when this little guy entered our lives, but now we can’t imagine life without him.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.