The moment I walked in the door, I knew these two would be a challenge. First of all, this was a big dog household. The dog who already lived there was big. The food and water bowls were big, the collars were big, the leashes were long, the dog bed was huge, the chew toys were enormous. And here I am weighing in at a mere twenty pounds. I had my work cut out for me.
Everything I owned fit in one sack. Rubber toys, chew bones, a couple of stuffed animals, a leash, a raincoat embroidered with my name, a bandana, a few miniature Westie figurines, and a couple of bowls. They found it all very entertaining. “Look how small everything is!”
First things first. They carried me out the back door into the yard. I have a yard! I ran and rolled and panted and peed. This was going to be great. But it would be a lot of work to keep my space lizard and squirrel free. Fortunately, I could walk the landscape wall to keep an eye on my domain.
I simply wanted to make the place feel like home, so I sprinkled a few corners and rugs in the house. For some reason that didn’t go over well. Come on, guys, it’s not that much. I got the folks to pay attention to my subtle woof when I needed to go outside.
Checking out the inside of the house was as awesome as the outside. I couldn’t believe how many toys were scattered around. I sank my teeth into a plastic apple, purple Lego brick, miniature Pokemon character, a colored pencil, a sock, and a Hot Wheels car. None of that was well-received either. I got the folks to organize and store up the grandkids toys they didn’t me to chew in plastic totes.
My first few weeks here were amazing. I had so much energy. I just loved zooming around, jumping up on things, barking at dogs walking by on the street, and scattering my toys around the house. I got the folks to take me for nice long walks around the block every morning and evening to meet the neighbors, the neighbors’s dogs, and check out the neighbors’ mailbox posts. It’s my job to keep them active. After all, they aren’t getting any younger.
Okay, so just because I’m a white (West Highland Terrier) dog doesn’t mean that’s my favorite color. I like to dig till my snout and feet are brown. I like to sniff around until my face is covered with green hitchhikers. The folks finally figured out that I needed to be combed and brushed every day.
Let me tell you, the food here is great. Kibble? My favorite. They even mix it with some canned food and a little bone broth. Biscuits? There are plenty. Rawhide sticks? As many as I want. Cheese? I always get a bite of the folks’ cheese sticks. I told the folks not to worry. I work off all those calories on my twice daily walks.
Every once in a while, big dogs come over to play. And I mean big. And brown. Kennedy and Rex tower over me. I love to chase them around the yard. The folks don’t worry about me. They know I can handle myself and run with the big boys.
But one day, Brodie came over. He’s a Westie, too. It was like looking in a mirror. Everyone has a Doppelgänger, right? We’ve got a few things to work out, but we’re learning to be good friends. Bailey lives across the street. She’s a little bigger than me, and cute, but she always stays in her own yard. The folks know I can handle myself around the little guys, too.
Speaking of little guys, all these kids come over to the house from time to time. They are so much fun. They scream when I jump on them or chase them or take their toys. They always let food drop to the floor so I can have some. They taught me how to climb up into the play fort and go down the slide. The folks got a gate to keep us apart so they don’t bug me too much. Works for me.
A couple of months after I moved in, the old brown dog who lived here had to leave. I hardly got to know him. But the folks really loved him. They seemed so sad, so I was glad I could cheer them up with cuddles, kisses, and barking.
So I’ve lived about half my life here, and the folks are doing well. They know my favorite spot to hang out is in their lap or on one of the love seats. They let me nap with them in the afternoon. They get all my toys out from underneath the furniture. They often leave the back door open so I can come and go as I please. And I get to play with any lizards or snakes who happen to wander into the back porch.
They still have a few things to work on. They wake me up too early in the morning. Come on, I need my sleep. They need more practice combing and brushing all the stuff out of my coat. Come on, that hurts! I’d like to go for a few more rides in the car. Let’s go! It’s one of my favorite things to do.
I’ll tell you, it is a full time job keeping an eye on these two. But hey, that’s my job.
Waite for it... 