Dress Down

Scottie Mom always wears nice dresses to work. But at home, those nice dresses get in the way of my play time. Sometimes, she can't run after me or crawl toward me when she's wearing one. Other times, my paws aren't even allowed on her lap because they might dirty the nice fabric. So I wait until she changes. Today, Scottie Mom came home late from work and wanted to relax...a no-no in my opinion. So, I decided to teach Scottie Mom a valuable lesson: when you come home from work, change immediately into comfy clothes that allow for play time activities including running, crawling, chasing and tugging...or else.

How did I do this, you ask? Well, when she went to sit down, I jumped up and grabbed the bow on the back of the nice dress. It didn't stay a bow for long. In fact, it suddenly became a tug toy! So that's why Scottie Mom wears nice dresses...they are actually equipped with hidden tug toys!! If I had known this sooner, we could have had lots more play time together all along. And I wouldn't object to her wearing them all the time. Silly Scottie Mom! Why keep this a secret? At first, I could tell Scottie Mom wasn't as happy as I was that the secret was out but all it took was me flashing my winning Scottie smile at her and she was laughing again. With how easy it is to make her smile with my mischief, me thinks it's time to play more tricks! Stay tuned for more. Until next time, dear friends. Yours truly, Mischievous Mr. K.

Scottie House Decals

Scottie Mom and family went out and about this weekend and discovered these great Scottie plaques for the home at Uptown Pups. At just $10 each, only one question remains: which of the three should make it home to The Scottie House? Tell us which you like best.

50 Shades of Going Grey

Relax, Scottie Moms. This isn't some freaky Scottie love story. No, this is just a tale of the 50 shades of grey that are emerging on Mr. K's beard. When I first saw them, I was startled. What does a young fellow like him have grey hairs for? It seems like just yesterday was the day I met this spirited three-and-a-half-year-old. So, how can my baby boy be getting grey? Adding more to the confusion is seeing how gracefully my girl Heather aged. She didn't have a grey hair on her body. Mr. K is two years younger and yet, it appears he'll be sporting a fully grey beard within the next year or so.

With every day that passes, another shade of grey appears. At first, it worried me. No, I thought, this cannot be happening. Time is going by too fast and he cannot be getting old on me. However, in time, I learned to love every little piece of grey hair that appears. You know why? Because that means he's lived another day and that's another day he's had to leave his paw print on my heart with his shenanigans. And who doesn't love Mr. K's shenanigans?! I consider it a privilege to be the one Mr. K chooses to play his pranks on, to be the one whose lap he decides to jump on top of for a nightly cuddle and to be the one who has the honor of being called his Scottie Mom.

This newfound respect for the shades of grey reminded me of the pups who are Mr. K's age or older and still looking for a forever home to spend their golden (or should we say grey?) years. Every day, I see photos on Scottie rescue Facebook pages of pups who have found themselves in unfortunate situations and even some who have been given up because of the 50 shades of grey that have made their way to the infamous Scottie beard. Sad, I know but think of the opportunity that lies ahead for those pups and all the memories they are waiting to bring to the right families!

So here's to getting grey and never slowing down. Here's to staying active and celebrating the time we have with our beloved fur kids. And, if you have room in your heart and home for another, to embracing the adventures that are coming your way. Because, in the end, it's all worth it!

Capture the Clicker

I stole the remote. It was getting in the way. You see, there's a certain amount of required Scottie time that hasn't been happening lately and it was time to take action. So, I rebelled.

It started when we moved to the Scottie House. There was this big empty, zoomie space. Slowly but surely, it disappeared. But it took a lot of Scottie Mom and Dad's time to make it disappear. They work during the week and on weekends, they go out in the Scottie Mobile and come back with more stuff to fill what was left of the empty space. Sometimes, all they do is plop their new stuff and get back to the important stuff: playing with me. Others, like today, they have lots of boxes to unpack and then, hours of reading and assembling more things that take away my empty, zoomie space.

And when they are done, they are too tired to entertain me. So, I try to entertain them. They toss a toy back and forth a few times and it is great. Then, they go back to relaxing on the couch and pick up the remote. Don't get me wrong. We still get our walkies four times a day but a Scottie like me needs so much more than a walk. I need undivided attention, lots of play time, and belly rubs and ear scratches until I fall asleep.

And, since that wasn't happening, I staged an intervention. I jumped up and acted like I was going to chill on the couch, too. Then, when they put down the clicker, I snatched it up and took it into the Scottie room (which doubles as a guest bedroom). After a few chomps, I heard Scottie Mom coming and decided to play innocent and roll over. I figured she would get a few laughs when she saw I was giving her a peace offering. I'd forgive her after a few belly rubs and, in return for some extra attention, she could get her remote back.

Sure enough, Scottie Mom laughed when she saw me and I got my belly rub. She told me I communicate very well for a Scottie and that my message came across loud and clear. She promised me that next weekend she would give me and Heather a surprise and that there wouldn't be any housework. I jumped up right away. That sounds more like it! Looks like my plan worked. Now, the question is: what do you think our surprise is?!

The Treat Master

A knock on the door. Who could it be? Scottie Mom's already home. And Scottie Dad just left. The door opens. In walks Scottie Grandpadre. Mr. K lets out a cry of happiness - a strange sort of sound Scottie Mom never heard until today - and starts jumping around. Heather wags her tail furiously and dashes down the stairs to meet Scottie Grandpadre as he makes it to the top of the stairs. Together, they race into the kitchen. Here comes the best part. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the coveted treats. He asks them to sit and it takes every once of self control for Heather and Mr. K to stay still.

Here it comes. Closer and closer yet. Finally, the treat is within snatching distance. Neither Scottie can wait any longer. Down goes the first treat. And just in time for the second one! They look up from snacking on goodness to smile at Scottie Grandpadre and shuffle their paws indicating they are ready for more. What's that? Pockets empty? No! Scottie Grandpadre has gotten Heather and Mr. K trained all right. He visits a few times every week and his visit has become the highlight of these Scotties' week. Mr. K has learned that all knocks on the door aren't a challenge issued by a threatening stranger on the other side. In fact, sometimes those knocks bring him an extra special treat. Heather has learned that it always pays to make friends and treats are always a good thing!

What Scottie Moms are Good for...

Ever wonder what your Scottish Terrier thinks of you? Whether they notice all the effort, sweat and even tears that come with being a devoted Scottie Mom? Not a day goes by that I don't see gratitude in each of my Scotties' eyes. They are genuinely happy and loving life. So I sat them down and had them come up with a list of things they think Scottie Moms are good for in an effort to make Scottie Moms everywhere feel more appreciated and proud of the work they do. Enjoy!

Captivating Audiences. Need to try out a new trick to make humans smile? Perhaps bust a zoomie move? Whatever you do, Scottie Moms will be there to cheer you on and capture every moment with a camera.

Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. They say food is the way to a man's heart. Obviously, whoever wrote that confused man with Scottish Terrier.



And dessert. Can't forget those treats Scottie Moms are notorious for handing out "just because."



Back scratchings. You scratch my back and we'll scratch yours, Scottie Moms! Who needs a trip to the spa when you've got a willing Scottie Mom masseuse at home?

Solving Scottie Crimes. Did your Scottie Mom go to detective school? We're pretty sure ours did...There isn't a single prank we pull that she doesn't figure out which of us is guilty of committing.



Picking up Poo. Need we say more? Scottie Moms get extra points for this job well done.



Belly rubs. Yes, please!



Embarrassment. Have you ever listened to a Scottie Mom talk? They share every detail of our lives. Don't get us wrong: the things we do are very important. We get it, you're proud (and why wouldn't you be?). Let's agree to keep some things to ourselves.

Keeping up Appearances. Scottie Moms keep us bathed, groomed and sometimes dressed in our very best. It's like having our own team of round-the-clock stylists.

Us. Last but certainly not least, Scottie Moms are good for us Scotties. Without a doubt, we wouldn't be the Scotties we are today without our Scottie Moms. Keep up the good work!

Be Inspired by a Scottie: McTavish

Losing a Scottie must be one of the hardest experiences. My heart goes out to those Scottie Moms and Dads who have dealt with that loss already. One of the first Scottie Moms I heard from after we announced the Be Inspired by a Scottie series was Scottie Mom Pam. She owned (or was owned by) a little, black Scottish Terrier named McTavish.

McTavish was a lady of many hobbies: she loved chasing her Scottie Mom's C-A-T Sophie, snacking on treats like scrambled eggs, corn bread and popcorn (in moderation and only with Scottie Mom's permission) and cuddling up with Scottie Mom Pam at the end of a long day. In many ways, McTavish was her Scottie Mom's soul mate. Each morning, she would go to her laundry bin full of toys and pull out her favorites so that she and Scottie Mom Pam could start off the day on a playful note. And each evening, McTavish would greet her Scottie Mom and hop on the sofa, ready for a hug.

When she was 12 years old, McTavish found herself struggling with Cushing's disease and congestive heart failure. However, that didn't stop this brave, little girl from being by her Scottie Mom's side. After all, they were soul mates. In December 2009, McTavish welcomed another soul mate into the family as her Scottie Mom said, "I do" to McTavish's Scottie Dad. Just two short months later, knowing her Scottie Mom was safe in the care of another soul mate, McTavish went to sleep one last time and headed out over the rainbow bridge.

Heartbroken, Scottie Mom Pam sought out projects around the house to stay busy so she wouldn't be completely overwhelmed with the loss of her fur baby. She and her new husband had said their goodbyes to sweet McTavish and had buried her in the backyard where they set up a memorial for her. Scottie Mom Pam pulled out a large Ziploc bag full of cancelled postage stamps she used to make jewelry and started sorting through them. To her astonishment, she pulled out a stamp with an image of the largest natural bridge with its name written clearly below: "Rainbow Bridge." In that moment, Scottie Mom Pam knew her sweet McTavish was sending her a message letting her know she had arrived safely on the other side.

Scottie Love like the kind McTavish and her Scottie Mom Pam share is a rare bond that stands both the test of time and spans across dimensions. There is no doubt in my mind what these two shared then (and still share today) is an inspiration for us all to live each moment like it is our last and to love and cherish every moment we have with our four-legged friends. Scottie Mom Pam and her husband have since welcomed another Scottie named Rosie into their home. Rosie turned two just last month. Many thanks to Scottie Mom Pam for sharing her precious McTavish's story and much love goes out to you from the Scottie Mom community.

If you're interested in submitting your Scottie's story for consideration as a Be Inspired by a Scottie piece, please send an email to thescottiemom(at)gmail(dot)com.