Pier 2

On our final morning in the Charleston area, Scottie Dad and I took the fur kids to the pier in Mt. Pleasant. The sights, the smells and the noises all sparked Heather and Mr. K's interests from the moment we arrived. They walked side by side, tails pointing up to the sky, wagging back and forth as we neared closer to the pier. We stopped along the way to take these photos and just as we were about to move on down to the pier, we saw the sign: "NO PETS ALLOWED."

I was surprised by this sign. So far, Charleston and Mt. Pleasant had been very pet-friendly. Why were no dogs allowed on the pier? A German Shepherd Dad came by on bicycle only to turn around with his pup at the sighting of the sign as well. This, by far, was the biggest disappointment of the trip. We had been looking forward to showing Heather and Mr. K the pier since we hadn't gone to the beach, much to their dismay. Since there really wasn't time to do much else that day, we all jumped back into the car and began our five hour journey back to the Scottie House.

Rest assured, our trip was still a wonderful break from life in Atlanta. Our only regret was that we didn't have more time to explore. We fully expect to visit again, try new places and report our findings back to Scottie Mom friends. That being said, have you been to Charleston with your pups? What places do you recommend we stop and see next time?

The Roads thus Far...

[caption id="attachment_3494" align="alignnone" width="500"] Scottie Mom, you want us to go where? On top of that white stuff??[/caption]

When I heard snow was coming to Atlanta, I could not have been happier. Until now, Heather and Mr. K never really got to enjoy some play time in the snow together and I just knew some fantastic photos were just waiting to be taken so we could share them with our Scottie Mom friends.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as I had hoped. I wasn't home before the sun set to snap a few photos. In fact, I wasn't home for the evening walk or even for Scottie dinner time (GASP!). Despite the fact I left work around 2 p.m. and the drive is typically about 15 minutes, it took me a grand total of six hours to get home to my pups...that's longer than our trip to Charleston!

Heather and Mr. K did their best to hold their small bladders but a Scottie's gotta go when a Scottie's gotta go. I came home to a few small accidents. Almost as soon as I came through the door, we were heading back out it. Heather made it just outside the garage and onto the driveway before she couldn't hold it anymore. And Mr. K, I swear he peed for a solid five minutes.

What took so long for me to get home, you ask? Well, in a nutshell (and in case you haven't seen it all over national news today), Atlanta - the city Heather and Mr. K reside in - was and probably will always be ill-prepared for events like this. We only got two inches of snow but it was enough to shut the city down and cause a gridlock across the region. Children slept overnight in schools, drivers either slept on the highways or abandoned their vehicles to seek shelter elsewhere and it is reported there were over 1,250 accidents since the snow starting falling yesterday afternoon.

[caption id="attachment_3488" align="alignnone" width="500"] On the highway headed home yesterday at 2 p.m.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3489" align="alignnone" width="500"] After two hours on the interstate, I spent four hours in this residential neighborhood trying to get home.[/caption]

Friends, I cannot even begin to explain how stressful the past 24 hours have been. The frustration of sitting in traffic that long, the anxiety that comes with knowing you need to be somewhere but there literally is nothing you can do, and the shock and awe of watching inexperienced cold-weather drivers attempt risky and dangerous maneuvers that could put your life in jeopardy took quite the mental and emotional toll on me...hence, why we took the night off last night!

You might remember Lucky the Shih Tzu who comes over to hang out with Heather and Mr. K every once in a while. Unfortunately, his Shih Tzu Mom got stuck on another highway close to the Scottie House and had to sleep in her car under a bridge. When she woke, the people in the cars next to her hadn't moved but a few inches. All she had for dinner was a mint and some water. So, when I woke at 5:30 a.m. and found out she was still out there, I dressed in heavy layers and packed a bag full of provisions and blankets to take to her on foot.

The roads were deserted, completely covered in ice. I nearly lost my footing twice on the way there. I wasn't at all nervous until I came to the interstate ramp and saw just how many cars and trucks were stranded. It was like something out of a bad apocalypse movie. I only had food for Shih Tzu Mom, not all these people! For a brief moment, I thought about how crazy I was for doing this. What if one of these trucks didn't see me walking or a car slid toward me on the ice?

I pushed forward and shuffled my way down the highway ramp, moving between ice patches on the highway itself and snow covered sides of the road. I had to walk around abandoned cars, parked this way and that. Then, I saw the bridge and about another half mile or so later, I arrived at her car and was delivering the goods. I stayed there for a good four hours to keep Shih Tzu Mom company before making the long and slippery trek back. I tweeted a few things about the horrible conditions surrounding us and CNN called to talk to Shih Tzu Mom.

Poor Lucky was home alone all night and even much of the day today. He did have food and water, but no potty breaks or walks for over 24 hours. The amazing part: that little angel held it the whole time. When his Shih Tzu Dad finally got home, he hadn't had an accident yet and, even when he was brought outside, wasn't sure he wanted to go even after all that time because of that chilly, white stuff on the ground! After 21 hours on the road, Shih Tzu Mom finally made it home to snuggle with Lucky and Shih Tzu Dad around 3 p.m. today.

[caption id="attachment_3490" align="alignnone" width="500"] When morning came, I set out on foot to bring relief to Lucky's Shih Tzu Mom. This was the interstate.[/caption]

I left Shih Tzu Mom on the highway around noon. We had made it to the next exit (keep in mind Shih Tzu Mom was already halfway there when I found her - it took us four hours to move a half mile). Again, I walked down the ramp but wasn't so successful in maintaining my footing. As I was on the phone with CNN once more, my feet slipped from underneath me and down I went right there on the ramp. When I got to the end of it, I couldn't believe what I was seeing: so much more ice, so many more abandoned cars and lots of people still spinning tires in place.

When I got to the street my neighborhood is on, I stopped to snap another photo of the road I had to maneuver the night before. Cars abandoned on either side of the road heading up the hill, the Scottie Mobile and I barely had enough room to make our way to the Scottie House but we had experience and good fortune on our side. It looked bad at night but it looked so much worse when I saw those dozens of cars again in the morning - one still running (but no one inside)!

[caption id="attachment_3491" align="alignnone" width="500"] Abandoned cars outside my neighborhood.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3492" align="alignnone" width="500"] On my walk home, I found these abandoned cars facing every which way.[/caption]

In closing, I wish everyone a safe, warm and comfortable night in the company of your darling pets! Heather and Mr. K really worked their magic and helped me to relax and calm down a bit once I got home last night. Scottie Dad's flight was moved so we hope to be reunited with him tomorrow. As promised, pictures from our Charleston trip will post soon as well as a few from play time in the snow I was able to snap later in the afternoon today. Much love, The Scottie Mom.

Animal Antics

As I mentioned in last night's post, just a few steps away from our hotel in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina was a pet spa and boutique. Naturally, we just had to check it out for our friends. And so, the four of us strolled over to the shop on Saturday morning hoping to score some goods. When we opened the door, we were surprised to be greeted by a beautiful (and not-so-evil as Mr. K would have you believe) C-A-T. I was ready to turn around and walk out but Scottie Dad said to have a little faith in Mr. K and keep him on a short leash. That's exactly what we did.

In fact, I'm pretty sure Mr. K thought the pretty kitty wasn't even a real C-A-T at first. That, or he was simply too distracted by all the toys and treats by which he was surrounded. Eventually, the C-A-T wandered over to say hello and Mr. K did let out a soft cry at the realization he was encountering yet another C-A-T. Despite this devastating fact, Mr. K decided to behave and the C-A-T walked his way over to the cash register to help us check out. Notice in the picture above Mr. K quickly forgot the existence of the C-A-T once he was out of sight!

We picked up a small box of treats from this cute, little store that had everything from bath products, cat and dog treats, collars, books and more. My favorite product in the shop was a blue and brown leash (that had a matching collar) that read: Warm Heart, Cold Nose. I was so tempted to pick it up but I really can't pass up the convenience of the double leash I currently use to walk my two Scotties. And, as can be expected, Heather and Mr. K absolutely refused to wait very much longer to tear into their newly found, yummy treasures!

What's next: Though it was too cold for us to venture to the beach again, Heather and Mr. K did journey to the local pier and posed for some incredible photos. Stay tuned to see those tomorrow!

Homewood Scottie Suites

If you don't find the right hotel accommodations, vacationing with fur kids can be just as stressful as having to board them if you're like me and are plagued by anxiety any time you have to leave the furry ones behind. So when Scottie Dad and I decided to have a weekend getaway and go visit friends in Charleston, South Carolina (who recently welcomed to their home a fur kid of their own!), we got to work researching dog-friendly hotels.

One chain of hotels we don't often consider, despite the fact Scottie Dad has a plethora of points, is Hilton Hotels & Resorts. Historically, we have not found many hotels in that chain to be pet-friendly and, if they are, the fees tend to be a bit outrageous. Yet, we somehow stumbled upon Homewood Suites in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina - just a few miles outside the city of Charleston. I have to admit: I owe all the credit to Scottie Dad for this great find.

The room was plenty for our small family. There was a living room and kitchen, then behind another door was the bedroom and bathroom. Heather and Mr. K slept snuggled up in their Scottie beds in the bedroom with us. And during the day, I could rest assured knowing they could roam free and not be bothered, thanks to a magnet the hotel provides that lets the staff know there are family pets inside. Surprisingly, nearly every room on our floor had the magnet displayed. It was encouraging to see so many pets vacationing with their families! Even more surprising: we never encountered any of our temporary neighbors or heard a bark from behind closed doors.

Although there weren't any pet perks (besides the comfort and pleasure of having Heather and Mr. K right there with us!) offered by the hotel itself, the location pretty much makes up for that. Not only was the area pretty quiet but this Homewood Suites is located in a cute shopping plaza which was complete with restaurants galore - where we saw a Labrador Retriever pup eating lunch with his Mom and Dad, a pet spa and boutique (more on that later!), and a V-E-T office. How comforting is it to know that help is literally a few steps away in the case anything happened?

The nonrefundable pet fee for Homewood Suites in Mt. Pleasant was $75. When compared to the cost of keeping Heather and Mr. K at their favorite boarding facility Pet Paradise (which typically runs me $105 a night for both Scotties to sit pretty in the presidential suite), it doesn't look so bad! Although, I think there's a strong possibility Mr. K might actually prefer to be boarded there as it comes with an abundance of play time, an ice cream treat and did I mention lots of new fur-iends? Heather, on the other hand, definitely prefers to stay by her Scottie Mom's side.

Stay tuned for more stories and lots of fantastic photos from our weekend getaway in Charleston!

Miniature Goodness

Scottie Moms, beware: Walkers Shortbread has done it again! I think they've caught on to our obsession with Scottie dogs and our innate desire to buy up everything Scottie. After the Scottie dog-shaped shortbread cookie proved to be one of their most popular products, they introduced the chocolate variation (my personal favorite!). Now, they've recently announced they intend to unveil Scottie dog "puppies" - a miniature version of the larger Scottie dog shortbread cookie. Well, at least this time, they're being considerate of our hips!

According to the release, there will be 42 bite-sized shortbread cookies in each re-sealable “grab and go” bag. The new cookies retail for $3.49 each and will be available for purchase beginning February 1, 2014 on the Walkers Shortbread website and in select specialty retailers throughout the United States. (Scottie Dads, take note: Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Why not surprise the Scottie Mom in your life with a bag of these new "puppies" or make a cookie bouquet of the larger Scottie cookies?) - No, Walkers Shortbread did not pay us to write that. We're just trying to help increase the Scottie Love in your household!

Apparently, Walkers Shortbread underestimated the high regard we Scottie Moms hold for our precious pups and anything designed with their likeness when they first came out with the Scottie dog cookie. In their recent news release, they discuss what was behind their decision to create the "puppies." All I have to say is: they better get baking! February 1 is just around the corner...

When we introduced the original Scottie Dog shape in 2012, we never imagined that little dog would quickly become one of our best selling items; it was only natural for us to expand the line to include a chocolate version and now a mini-version,” said Lisa Sherman, brand manager at Walkers Shortbread. “These Mini-Scottie Dog ‘puppies’ are a perfect snack for kids and adults who are looking for a fun way to satisfy their cookie cravings."

In with the Old

Who says newer is always better? Antique Scottie finds can be just as fun! Recently, Heather and Mr. K's Scottie Great-Grandma sent us this tie rack and figurine (pictured above) that she came across at what she affectionately calls her local "junky junk shop." She stumbled across these two Scottie finds and immediately thought of Heather and Mr. K. So, she scooped them up and sent them on their way. Upon opening the package, Heather knew right away that the figurine represented her and gave it a kiss on the face! Mr. K hasn't decided what to thing of the tie rack yet but he did propose two potential plans for its use...let us know which one you think is best!

1) As you know, Heather and Mr. K are not allowed in the master bedroom (unless, of course, Scottie Dad just happens to be away...!). But there is no rule saying they can't be represented in their absence! Mr. K's first idea was to hang the tie rack in the master bedroom closet - you might remember us unveiling the newly designed feature in Project Runway: Scottie Edition - so that every morning when Scottie Dad goes to grab a tie for work, he is reminded of his precious furkids!

2) Now, the problem with Mr. K's first idea is that the Scottie cuteness wouldn't be displayed for all the world to see as people enter The Scottie House. The tie rack could easily be converted to hang Heather and Mr. K's assortment of leashes by the front door. Not only would that be a reinforcement of the Scottie image right there as you walk through the door, but everyone would know whose house this really is! Hmmm...decisions, decisions! What do you think?

Dinner for Two

[caption id="attachment_3414" align="alignnone" width="500"] Scottie Mom bought us an extra special dinner for two...just because.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3415" align="alignnone" width="500"] She let me get a sniff but I decided I needed a tasting.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3416" align="alignnone" width="500"] The anticipation of yumminess nearly drove us crazy![/caption]

Scottie Mom cut it close tonight. That's right - not only had she let the kibble run dangerously low (and by dangerously low, we mean less than enough to feed us until our tummies are content) but she also came home late from work. All we have to say about that is: a Scottie's gotta piddle when a Scottie's gotta piddle. So, we did our usual dance number when Scottie Mom came up the stairs and hurried out the door in our rain gear for our evening walk. That's when Scottie Mom surprised us and let us jump in the Scottie Mobile for a ride.

Turns out, we took a field trip to the local pet store and she let us select our dinner with our snouts. We just had to go with a moist food option this once! Scottie Mom didn't put up a fight and bought us a can of moist food along with a new bag of kibble. She must have been feeling extra guilty. Apparently, the lady at the checkout was feeling guilty, too - or maybe Scottie Mom bribed her? - because she offered treats without us asking! She said we looked darling in our raincoats that she just had to give us a little something. Hmm. Maybe we're on to something there. Wear a cute raincoat = get extra treats and a special dinner for two? Yes, please!