Sunday, October 23, 2011

Westie Bible: A New Owner's Guide to Adopting, Feeding, Grooming, Caring for and Living with a West Highland Terrier

Gotta LOVE this book! Shows you exactly what to do if you're interested in adopting or purchasing a West Highland Terrier. Find your new family member -- post a pic!

Rescue ME.


It all started about 10 years ago when we were still living in the DFW area of Texas. Our beloved family friend, a mixed terrier (part Westie - part "Benjie") who had been with us for over 19 years, had passed away 2 years prior, and we were ready to begin our search. We went to local pounds weekly for several months each time walking away without a dog. Finally, one day, a wonderful lady who had been watching us come and go, stopped us asking if we were looking for a specific breed. We let her know we were looking for a Westie.

Letting us know that there were rescue organizations for most all breeds, she directed us to a bulletin board where we saw exactly what we needed--the contact information for Marv, in Dallas, the organizer of North Texas Westie Rescue. Quickly jotting down his number and practically tripping over each other in our excitement, my daughter and I went out to the car to make the call. He answered on the 2nd ring.

Marv was so kind, but he let us know that our request of a Westie puppy, would not be quick in being fulfilled. Because we knew we were in the right place at the right time, we told him we would wait for his call. And he did. Five long weeks later, the phone rang. It was Marv letting us know that he wanted us to come and meet him so he could show us "Harley". She was six months old and in need of a new home. We quickly drove over to Dallas and fell in love with Harley at first sight. She was perfect.

10 years later, we feel really blessed to have had her in our family. She's amazing--such a comfort, a great companion, a "ferocious" watch dog, and ironically, she is also exactly what Marv said she NEVER would be---a lap dog! Westies do not typically like to sit in your lap curling up for a snooze . . . but ours does! She can go from 75 mph to a full, snoring deep sleep in about 2 minutes . . .

We love her.

There are most ALWAYS West Highland Terriers in need of adoption. Google "West Highland Terrier Rescue + Your City" or "Westie Rescue + Your City", and see if there is a new family member anxiously awaiting YOUR call!

Westie Bible

Our first book ---it's done; it's up; it's published! Most anything you would need to know if you are thinking of purchasing or adopting a West Highland Terrier can be found in this handy Kindle eBook!

If you are already an expert on dog training, professionally show dogs, or breed and raise Westies, well . . . this is just NOT the book for you! BUT if you're looking for a "just-the-facts-ma'am" easy to read, no nonsense book written for people who just LOVE Westies, well---this is THE book you need! Go to Amazon. Search for WESTIE BIBLE. Get it.


You'll be glad you did!

Harley, the Heroic

It started with a bang and ended with a bang. The first bang - me knocking my iphone onto the floor when the alarm stunned me into a semi-wakeful state. The last bang - fireworks gone bad.

After more than a decade of traveling the first week of July, this is the first that I've actually been home for the 4th of July (Independence Day in the US).  For the previous 13 years, my 4th of July holidays were spent in Southern California either in Anaheim or Long Beach where I have had the pleasure of slipping out of meetings to view fireworks either at Disneyland or at the QE2, which is docked in Long Beach near the hotel where I was staying. GREAT fireworks, both places,  but my favorite was Disneyland . . . until now.

I lamented to my husband, Darin, that although I was really glad to be home, I would miss the SoCal fireworks displays. His response? "Ahhh, just go sit on the back deck and prepare to be amazed!" I was skeptical, but I positioned myself on the back deck "protected" by my dog, Harley, a West Highland Terrier.

You see, the people of North Carolina take the fourth very seriously in a "winner takes all" kind of mentality where neighbors try to out-do one another with their individual fireworks displays. Our neighborhood is set up with large back gardens (about an acre each) facing one another. With few trees in between the homes, it is the perfect setting for a fireworks bonanza unlike anything I've seen elsewhere.

It started at twilight . . . the time, NOT the movie. As the sky began to darken just after 9:00 PM, a few timid shots were heard signaling the invitations for neighbors to begin their "can-you-top-THIS" displays of visual prowess in pyrotechnics. I had a 180-degree view of fireworks - to the right, to the left, and in stereo, I could hear (but could not see) the cacophony of displays going on behind me. It was like having 3-D glasses on . . . I was in the MIDDLE of it ALL!

Now understand, these were not just bottle rockets, Roman candles, fire crackers and small fare types of fireworks . . . these were the BIG GUNS rivaling any that I have seen at the QE2 or Disneyland (sans the hearts & Mickey ears seen there). YIKES! I was actually pretty shocked!  At that point, I began to question whether I should draw closer or retreat as some of the displays seemed to be fairly close with debris raining down.

About that time my question was answered . A rogue 7-shot display from my next door neighbor, shot horizontally instead of its expected vertical trajectory which sent it skimming across my back garden about 2 feet off of the ground and only about 15 feet from my back deck. It was a LOUD one!  I jumped to my feet and ran down the steps to grab the garden hose just in case. There was no need . . . it fizzled before it could sizzle . . . or so I thought.

About ten minutes later, my dog started barking on the opposite side of the deck behind me. When I turned to calm her, I was quite surprised to see the flames that she was trying to show me! Sparks from the earlier shot had quietly ignited my neighbor's pine straw mulch and one of his tall Leland cypress trees! The rogue neighbors on the opposite side of our property noticed the flames about the same time, vaulted over the fence between our properties, and grabbed my garden hose extinguishing the blaze before it was able to do much damage to the tree. Our adventure ended with raking and soaking the area to make sure that no other sparks had the opportunity to advance into anything other than what was intended in the first place.

After turning on my sprinklers, Harley, the heroic, and I enjoyed the rest of the displays going on around us . . . these went on for another hour exceeding most anything I've ever seen! All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend an evening celebrating Independence Day from the comfort of my own home, and it will definitely NOT be forgotten!