Scottie Mom

Emma's Story

Emma before she found her forever home.

On a very special #TooCuteTuesday a good while ago, a rescue group named Wag N Train Terrier Rescue posted this darling picture of sweet Emma on the Scottie Mom Facebook page asking us to help find her a forever home. Within a few hours of us posting her picture, I heard from Emma's future Scottie Mom saying this sweet girl was getting the forever home of her dreams!

Up until that point, Emma led a very difficult life. A puppy mill Scottie, Emma didn't know what it was like to be loved and treated right by the people she encountered. And so, she was very shy and kept to herself. In fact, it wasn't until recently that she began feeling safe and comfortable enough to enjoy the simple pleasures in a Scottie's life like sitting on the couch and celebrating barkdays.

Just six weeks ago, I heard from Emma's Scottie Mom letting me know their other Scottie Baxter, who proudly served as Emma's adoptive Scottie brother, passed away suddenly from cancer - or as we call it, the evil "c." He was sick for only a few days. Our hearts sank. Then, I learned yesterday that tragedy had once again struck her Scottie House. Sweet Emma also has been diagnosed with the evil "c" and is expected to meet her brother Baxter over the rainbow bridge any day now.

Emma's story breaks our hearts and I can only imagine the pain her family is experiencing right now. Please join us in expressing our unconditional Scottie Love and support for Emma and her family in the comments section below. So many of our Scots are gone too soon because of the evil "C." Think about it: how many dogs have you known that have battled canine cancer? And so many animals - Scots and mixed breeds alike - have stories similar to that of Emma's past. Thanks to her Scottie Mom and family, Emma found love and is living out the rest of her days with her humans by her side.

Emma soaking up the sun at home.

Emma celebrating her 8th barkday!

No Fisherman's Tale

I caught a fish!

Even Heather, who refuses to play with toys, wanted to have a taste...

Nobody is stealing this great catch from me!

Let's take a quick poll: how many toys have your Scotties gone through in the past year? And, on average, how long does it take your Scotties to destroy a new toy? If they are anything like Mr. K, the number of toys they can go through in a year can be quite high. For Mr K, it can be close to two dozen, if we were to only buy his favorite (yet, very easily destructible) squeaky tennis balls and strictly supervise his play time. But the time it takes Mr. K to destroy a toy without being interrupted? That number is incredibly low...just under five minutes, in fact!

When I was a younger, less experienced Scottie Mom to 3.5-year-old Mr. K, I bought every toy I could find, determined to find one he couldn't destroy. Some lasted longer than others but I soon realized it wasn't because they were more durable; it was only because Mr. K was less interested in those. Now, I hardly ever buy toys...except around the holidays when I like to surprise Mr. K with a stocking full of his favorite squeaky tennis balls. (Watch him react to this gift of a lifetime here!)

For long-time Scottie Mom readers, you might remember that we took Heather and Mr. K to Savannah, Ga. with us last spring. We stopped at a local shop called The Grateful Hound and discovered a new toy we thought was worth trying. (Read all about our visit here.) This toy, affectionately called "Mr. Bunny" in the Scottie House, was a constant companion to Mr. K for nearly a year before his time with us was up. I expected Mr. Bunny to last a few months at best - but nearly a full year? Never in my happiest dreams! I was sad to see him go...

A Fluff & Tuff toy, Mr. Bunny - whose retail name is Walter the Wabbit - cost us about $20. A pricey gamble for a toy I wasn't sure would stand the test of the Scottie jaw but I got lucky! Now, with Mr. Bunny gone, we were left to choose a replacement. And so, Ruby the Rainbow Trout, another Fluff & Tuff toy, entered our lives. Mr. K has had Ruby for only a few weeks but just as the case was with Mr. Bunny, the squeaker remains intact and there are no puncture wounds. We're optimistic Ruby will be with us for a whole year but even if she comes up just shy of the one-year mark like Mr. Bunny did, we think these Fluff & Tuff toys are really a great catch. And that's no fisherman's tale!

Photos: Scottie Mom Wedding

The night of the Scottie Mom Wedding, there was dinner and dancing, and for Heather and Mr. K, a quiet night in overlooking the beautiful view of New York City at Le Parker Meridien. Don't get upset thinking that they missed out on all the fun after the ceremony, though. After all, this wasn't Heather and Mr. K's first time in the big city (see photos from their first visit here) and they knew exactly where they wanted to spend most of their time: in the Central Park of Squirrels!

And so, several times throughout the evening, the overtreater (also known as Scottie Grandpadre) came to visit Heather and Mr. K to take them downstairs and around the block to their desired destination. I have no doubt that Heather and Mr. K were given more than their fair share of treats that night as well...especially when the after-party wrapped up and Heather's first true love (Scottie Dad's best man) showed up at the door to bid her good night with yet another kiss.

As Scottie Mom followers well know, sweet Heather Beather served as maid of honor and was responsible for making sure all the little details - from the flowers to the dinner menu - came together just so for the Scottie Mom Wedding. It was a lot for one doggie to handle but her masterpiece is evidenced by the photos above. Don't you think she did a spectacular job? Now that the Scottie Mom Wedding is over, there's only one more thing left to plan: the honeymoon we hope to take this fall. Where would you recommend we travel to for this occasion, friends?

A Very Scottie Wedding

The Scottie Mom Wedding. It seems like just yesterday but already, so much time has passed. And I know you've been waiting to hear all the details! There is a lot to tell but I think these incredible photos our friends at A Day of Bliss Photography took tell the best pre-nuptials story.

Heather and Mr. K were with us every step of the way on the big day. And, for the most part, they loved every minute of it (especially when the camera was turned toward them). Needless to say, they stole the show...and they looked so good doing it, too! Don't you think?

I found Mr. K's adorable tie at Pooch N Paws a few weeks before the Scottie Mom Wedding. Heather's dress continued to elude me and I feared all hope of finding the perfect dress was lost until her Scottie Great-Grandma alerted me of an outfit she thought might be the right fit for my sweet girl.

And so, lucky for me, one day before we left for New York, I walked into Petco and said "yes" to Heather's dress! (I also happened to score a gorgeous and extremely fashionable winter coat from Pooch N Paws for Heather to wear when she made her grand entrance at Le Parker Meridien.)

Stay tuned for more Scottie Mom Wedding stories to come. In the meantime, if you like our friends at A Day of Bliss Photography's work capturing Heather and Mr. K on the special day, why not send them a little Scottie Love in the comments section below? Much love, The Scottie Mom.

Scottish Terriers of Instagram

Can't get enough #TooCuteTuesday? Feast your eyes upon these irresistibly cute Scottish Terriers on Instagram! Still want more? Follow @TheScottieMom and all our friends on Instagram for a true cuteness overload. Don't forget to share your own photos with us using #ScottishTerriersofInstagram!

Still looking for more Scottie Love? Check out other Scottish Terriers of Instagram on Pinterest!

The Lap Dog

When Heather first entered our lives, she kept mostly to herself. She was super friendly to anyone she met and always volunteered to be a test subject for back scratches but she opted not to hang around longer than what it would take to score some treats and a few pats on the back. Then, as quickly as she came, Heather would set out for a corner in the far end of the room to rest her head upon her paws. Never completely out of sight but just far enough to satisfy her independent self, anyone who was seated nearby could see her sly (but shy!) Scottie eye keeping watch over all in the room.

For years, this has been Heather's signature move: to go somewhere not too close, but never too far. The behavior might seem a little bizarre to some but to rescue moms everywhere, it probably doesn't come as a shock. One can't help but wonder what it was that these pups went through to lead them to develop such habits. They say all it takes is love and patience to restore a dog's faith in humanity - and this is most certainly true - but even I found myself wondering just a few months ago if I'll ever get the chance to snuggle with my baby girl the way I get to daily with the mischievous Mr. K.

One night, Scottie Dad and I were watching TV. Heather and Mr. K were finishing up their dinner for two. After they each inspected the other's bowl to make sure no scraps were left behind, Heather and Mr. K trotted over to see what the humans were up to (and hoped one of us would have dessert ready in the form of a treat!). Instead of sitting at the edge of the couch as she normally does, Heather jumped up next to me and Mr. K. There, she settled in and I tried my best not to get too excited over the fact I had both Scottie dogs next to me for the first time. Alas, the bliss was short-lived and Heather returned to her spot at the other end of the couch not more than 5-10 minutes later.

And so this pattern continued every other night or so for quite some time. I dared not move a muscle every time she did this because I had waited too long to know what it would be like to cuddle with my girl and feared the slightest movement would send her away. Before long, she propped herself up in my lap as Mr. K habitually does. You could see the grave concern in Mr. K's eyes when he saw this occur (for he was sure he lost his spot forever) but he was kind enough to permit this temporary closeness as long as Heather eventually returned to her spot at the other end of the couch.

The more frequently Heather jumps up to be with me and the longer she stays each time, I'm fully encouraged that she has once again found a way to put the past behind her and enjoy life as we know it. I have no doubt she has felt comfortable with us in the Scottie House for quite some time but it is always rewarding to see her settle in at a deeper level with little moments like this. Is your dog a rescue? Tell us about his or her story and share any tips you've learned for fellow rescue moms in the comments section below! P.S. Guess who has been sitting in my lap while I write this post?

Scottish Terriers of Instagram

Can't wait any longer for #TooCuteTuesday? Don't worry - we've got you covered. Here are this week's Scottish Terriers of Instagram to give you that cuteness fix! Still want more? Follow @TheScottieMom and all our Scottie friends on Instagram for a true cuteness overload. Don't forget to share your photos using #ScottishTerriersofInstagram for your chance to be featured here on ScottieMom.com!