They see us rollin'...

[caption id="attachment_2210" align="aligncenter" width="500"] This land's not big enough for the two of us to roll around...[/caption]

...they laughin'. They be tryin' to catch us rollin' dirty! And when they were "caught" on camera, Mr. K reacted as if he wasn't sure what to think of the goings-on around him. Sometimes, there are just no words to describe pictures like these despite the laughs that come about as a result of them. What do you suppose Heather and Mr. K were thinking when this photo was taken? Happy Wordless Wednesday from two silly Scotties!

The Big Blue Blob

[caption id="attachment_2203" align="aligncenter" width="500"] It's coming for me...can't you see it?[/caption]

Mr. K is fearless. Ask any toy who has ripped it apart or the vacuum who has been chasing and barking at it and they'll tell you: the mischievous Mr. K. In his life, Mr. K's known to have taken on an air matress, unapproved house guests and any large dog who dares to belittle him. On his own terms, he takes down his opponents one by one. It apppears, however, that after all these years of claiming the undefeated title that Mr. K may have finally met his match: the big blue blob.

It lives in Heather and Mr. K's room at Scottie Grandmadre's house. Until recently, it stayed quietly in a corner and never bothered to introduce itself or attempt to play. Mr. K barely noted its existence as it wasn't much of a threat. During our last visit, however, the big blue blob emerged for the first time and Mr. K saw the immediate danger and set out to do something about it to protect his beloved Scottie Mom and family. First, a warning growl emerged. Then, a crisp Aaarf-Aaarf! Still, the big blue blob moved closer, seemingly unaffected by Mr. K's repeated warnings.

Finally, as the big blue blob arrived just inches from Mr. K, he decided he needed to do more. But what would he do? He had already done his best signature growl but to no avail. At the very last possible second, Mr. K decided for the first time in his life that this may not be a fight worth fighting as the big blue blob appeared to be more than five times his size. Instead of sinking his teeth into the rubbery exterior of the big blue blob, he opted to high-tail it out of there and seek refuge behind the couch, making this the first time he would opt for flight over fight.

From his refuge, Mr. K would keep an eye on the big blue blob that would finally leave the center of Heather and Mr. K's room and retreat back to its corner. Then, and only then, would Mr. K emerge and resume play time. If the big blue blob even showed a hint of being on the move again, he would quickly dodge out of the way, leaving every toy behind in pursuit of a safe place. Poor Mr. K. Is his quest for the undefeated title gone forever or is he strategizing on a bigger and better master plan to get to the heart of this very important matter: the big blue blob?

Scottie Duty

It's official: Miss Heather is now staple-free (again!). Let's hope she stays that way. Her eye is all better now, too, and her energy abounds. It is good to see her smile and cruise across the park with her head to the ground and her butt up in the air before flopping over and giving herself a good back-scratching courtesy of the green grass below. Yes, my little girl is happy -- and healthy -- again.

This weekend, she got to spend some quality time with Scottie Dad, who was on Scottie Duty this weekend while I was away. And as evidence in the recycle bin suggests, she and her brother got some treats Scottie Mom didn't approve or anticipate in the form of yummy Filet Mignon moist food. Looks like this little girl's got her daddy wrapped around her paw! Not only did he buy her dinner, he surprised her with a beautiful new, purple leash when tragedy struck and the double leash we bought last year went for its very last walk.

Heather Beather returned Scottie Dad's random acts of kindness by peeing on the couch during my absence twice and one additional time in the elevator, much to Scottie Dad's dismay. Alas, that did not stop him from trying his best to keep her safe and happy as I enjoyed some R&R in San Antonio, Texas. Needless to say, with health troubles seemingly behind us, perhaps it is time for us to again consider some sort of training with special Scottie Dad and daughter bonding time so we aren't mopping the floors everytime Heather sees her favorite man (besides Mr. K, that is).

And so, I open up the floor to you, fellow Scottie Moms and Dads. What are your suggestions to curb submissive urination? Can these accidents be avoided with time, patience and practice or does this Scottie Mom have to race Scottie Dad home every night to ensure we don't have any more accidents? And lastly, to sign up Scottie Dad and daughter for behavioral training, or no?

Give a Dog a Bone

Once. That's the number of times I've ever seen Heather play with a toy in the two years I've known her. It came as a surprise, really. We had had Heather for only a few months when it happened. Scottie Dad was playing tug with Mr. K and his Skinneez Beaver toy. Heather, always one to steal the show, came up to Scottie Dad to nuzzle his legs while the boys were playing. Scottie Dad looked down and said, "Do you want to play, too?"

He took the Skinneez Beaver away from Mr. K and held it in front of Heather. Much to our surprise, she grabbed hold of it and started playing tug (very lightly and ladylike, of course). She didn't thrash her head back and forth or scoot her bottom to the floor to anchor herself down like Mr. K does but she did offer a few good tugs and Scottie Dad and I applauded her the whole time. A few minutes later, play time was over and Heather took the Skinneez Beaver away happily. Of course, Mr. K followed and snatched it up as soon as it hit the floor.

It was such a happy few minutes and we really thought this was a sign she was becoming comfortable enough to play. Turns out, that would be the only time we would ever see her play with a toy. She's just not a fan of them. Perhaps she's too mature. Or maybe she just doesn't understand a toy's purpose since she spent a good while on the streets and frequented trash cans for fun (and food) instead. Either way, I always felt guilty going to the store and picking out toys for Mr. K and never getting something for Heather. Yes, there are always treats but I really try not to overdo those!

One day, I came across Nylabone and decided to give it a try. Mr. K had long given up on one I bought him years ago but who's to say Heather wouldn't like it? Sure enough, she grabbed the bone out of my hand and dragged it away, chewing it until she got bored and Mr. K would snatch it from her. (Because, as all Scottie Moms have witnessed, it is absolute torture for a Scottie to see something they ordinarily wouldn't have interest in in the paws of another dog!)

Still, Heather only goes to her bone when I pick it up and hand it to her. I think she thinks it is brand new when I do that. Her friends Syd and Oz's Scottie Mom gave her some sort of rawhide chew that she absolutely loves to chomp on. We keep it under the hooman bed and every morning she rediscovers it (once Scottie Dad has left, of course!) like a long lost treasure.

Caption the Scottie

It's Wordless Wednesday...you know what that means: time to caption another silly Scottie photo! What do you suppose Mr. K is thinking/doing in this action shot? Trying to walk like a human? Surrendering to the Scottie Police for stealing from the treat bin? Your guess is as good as mine. Happy Wordless Wednesday, friends!

Here Kitty, Kitty...

There comes a point in every Scottie dog's life when he or she must encounter the evil C-A-T. For a lucky, select few, all goes well and the two animals can live in peace. But, for those Scotties like Mr. K whose heart starts pumping fast and whose body gets the shakes at the mere sight of a feline "friend," let's just say there is no peace...only war.

When I adopted Mr. K, the shelter told me three things about him: 1) that he wasn't house-trained (not  true); 2) that he didn't get along with other dogs (mostly true); and 3) he hated cats (definitely true). I cannot remember the first time I saw just how much he disliked C-A-T-S. Perhaps it was while we were still in the shelter and when we walked by the C-A-T ward and he freaked out...or maybe it was that time an outdoor C-A-T sprung across the apartment complex lawn and Mr. K trapped me with his leash in his valiant attempt to catch the poor thing. Whatever it was, nothing solidified my fear he would never befriend Scottie Grandmadre's beloved (albeit evil, according to Mr. K) C-A-T-S like the time we attempted to "socialize" them.

We set up the crate Scottie Grandmadre uses for the C-A-T-S' annual vet visits so Mr. K could hang out with us downstairs and get used to being around the "evil" C-A-T-S without putting them at risk. He was quite happy not to be confined all alone upstairs (this was before Heather came in the picture) and that happy little tongue dangled out of his smiling mouth. That's when one of the C-A-T-S ventured into the living room and Mr. K's mouth clamped shut. As the C-A-T moved and Mr. K confirmed in his mind that this thing was indeed a live C-A-T, he quite literally flipped out. He whined and whined, clawing at the crate to get out and even started knocking it from side to side in an attempt to get that evil C-A-T. Of course, the C-A-T was spooked and ran away but that didn't stop Mr. K. He had all the evidence he needed and now, he knows trouble is lurking around every corner whenever we visit.

These days, Heather and Mr. K hang out together in the upstairs family room when we visit Scottie Grandmadre. Together, they rule over the room and claim whichever couch they please, often taking post near the windows to keep watch over the neighborhood. They are quite happy and content to be on their own. The C-A-T-S, on the other hand, have gotten curious about these furry creatures and have come to learn that what's behind those closed doors may not be the friendliest of encounters but we all know what's to be said about curiosity and the C-A-T...This past weekend, I learned just how evil the C-A-T-S can be when I opened the door to leave Heather and Mr. K's domain and not one, not two but all three C-A-T-S were flaunting their presence and driving Mr. K crazy by lounging about in front of his door! Alas, they too are pretty darned cute  and I couldn't help but go over to the dark side and pet them a bit, too...just don't tell Mr. K. He'd be heartbroken to learn these "evil" C-A-T-S were in this Scottie Mom's heart long before he or Heather was even born!

Blueberry Morning

For generations, moms everywhere have said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That's why Scottie Grandmadre and I got up early and set to work on a special breakfast treat for Heather and Mr. K after their morning walk. We gave them their usual Blue Basics - Salmon and Potato dry food so they wouldn't go hungry while we finished cooking up their special treat and just under an hour later, they feasted their eyes (and their snouts!) on some yummy doggie blueberry muffins!

I found the recipe in The Good Treats Cookbook for Dogs written by Barbara Burg, the owner of Canine Cafe Charlotte. I met Barbara when I picked up Heather and Mr. K's birthday cakes back in October. I was absolutely enchanted (as were Heather and Mr. K) by her assortment of treats and, knowing I wouldn't be able to make frequent visits to the store since we live out of town, I bought a copy of her book so Heather and Mr. K could relive their Canine Cafe Charlotte experience again and again. Of course, being the busy Scottie Mom I am, it took me a while to produce some of the yummy goods but I think Heather and Mr. K would agree it was well worth the wait!

To see more of Barbara's treats Heather, Mr. K and their birthday pawty guests enjoyed back in October, click here.