Thursday, March 31, 2011

Silly Puppy!

I have mentioned that Savannah has this thing about water. I thought at first it was limited to her nemesis, Mr. Polaris. How wrong I was! She goes nuts when Graham gets the watering can ready to water his tomatoes. For some reason she believes she can bite the water and... what? I'm not sure what she is trying to accomplish, but she is absolutely obsessed with trying!


Once he has emptied the contents of the watering can and she is thoroughly drenched, she takes off into the grass to "dry off" which, in Westie terms, is just rubbing all the leaves and dirt into her face! I have seen this technique in all three of my Westies, so I'm wondering if there is some "How-To" book that all baby Westies read to prepare themselves for Westiehood. They are so cute, and consequently there is never a dull moment around here!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Lovin' the Great Outdoors

Savannah had her first appointment with Dr. Earl today. I was bracing myself, knowing that he and his caring staff would remember my last visit with Treasure. And, in fact, I did tear up a little when Dr. Earl came into the exam room, looking both surprised and ear-to-ear smilingly pleased. He was more than happy to take her as his patient. After checking her over and looking through her records, he pronounced her a healthy and very lucky little dog. After we got home, Savannah requested some time in the backyard to run, bark, and tease us with her pool antics. I know as soon as swimming season is here (whenever the water is warm enough to get in!), we will be swimming with a little white dog! The first thing she does when I open the door is shoot out across the patio and race around the perimeter of the pool. Then she takes off, looking for the squirrels in the tall oak trees.
This is a rare moment captured by the camera. She is seldom still long enough for me to get a clear portrait. I'm sure she was contemplating which direction to dart off to!


There is her nemesis, Mr. Polaris! I can't let her out when that thing is going full speed. To Savannah, it is a living, breathing monster that deserves to be conquered, Westie style! I'm grateful to know that all her senses are sharp and alert. But it sure keeps me on the watch for unexpected movements. I do believe my life is undergoing another "change!" (I've already done that other change!) But I also believe that Savannah and I will age together most gracefully, just as her name demands!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Field Trip to Petco

I took Savannah to Petco this morning to broaden her horizons and to pick out a new squeaky toy. She still needs a few lessons in "manners," but is doing remarkably well on her leash and in public. She saw one little dog in the store and wanted so badly to be friends.

As we walked through the store, we picked out one tennis ball, a dental health squeaky toy that looks like a veggie tales eggplant, a hair brush, and a bag of grain-free crunchy treats. She sniffed every reachable crack and crevice that we walked past!

Her foster mom, Paula, said she loved her squeaky toy, and she was right! Here she is showing Graham just how much he loves this one! Look at that Westie smile!

We are continuing to get to know each other. Last night she came back up to my room to sleep on the bed with me. And she's getting a little better in the backyard around the pool - unless the polaris is running! I have reset its timer to run only two hours around noon. That should help a lot.

My little grandsons have given her mixed reviews! Adrian wants to see her, but doesn't want her close to him at all. Her sharp Westie bark is still a little scary. Andrew is just dying to touch her nose! He will walk up real close with his finger pointing toward it, and then pull his hand away at the last minute - sort of a Lucy maneuver when Charlie Brown tries to kick the football! In time they will get used to her and hopefully become fast friends. She has extended her paw of friendship and just waits for them to accept it.

Finally, she has laid her squeaky toy aside and is now snoozing on the floor beside me. Peace, blessed peace!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Here She Is... Sassy Savannah

We brought home a sixteen pound bundle of energy packaged in a white furry body yesterday! Meet Sassy Savannah Wilson! She is friendly, energetic, affectionate, energetic, and did I say energetic! Goodness, gracious! She is non-stop movement in every waking moment. I am learning that she needs lots of restraint while she's getting to know her new home.

She did very well in the car coming home from Houston. She loves squeaky toys and played with a couple of them for about an hour. It was her job to keep Graham awake at the wheel! After a potty stop, she dozed off and on until we got home.

She is always smiling! Her personality is very upbeat and inquisitive. There's an adventure in every moment and she means to capture every one. She's also a jumper and has mastered every piece of furniture in the house. She may be short, but there's no limit to her jumping ability!

She loves the outdoors. I discovered this morning she also loves the swimming pool! She tried to catch the polaris as it was cleaning and jumped right in after it! The good news is that she can swim and get to the steps to get out. And she loved every minute of it! Thankfully her hair is real short and she dries off quickly. She announced her arrival to all the squirrels in the area and already has set the neighboring dogs in order. Any cat who dares to come into her yard will soon be regretting that decision. So she sits on top of the couch in the patio room and watches the backyard for movement of any kind, then loudly reports her findings to the rest of the house.

She went with me to Bible study today and was royally celebrated by her new "sistas" and her new friend Jefferson Lincoln White. It may take a little while for her to settle into a calmer routine, and this senior citizen may have to double up on the vitamin regimen in the meantime to keep up with her. She is definitely my "Sassy" Savannah!

Monday, March 21, 2011

We're One Step Closer

***UPDATE***
The home visit went well and Savannah will be picked up on Wednesday!
Pictures will follow!

I have had several email "conversations" with the Houston Rescue group concerning our adoption of a darling Westie girl named Savannah. They are satisfied that we will make a great home for this Westie, and we are satisfied that Savannah will make a great companion for us. All we are waiting on now is a home visit from a volunteer from the local Scottie Club. Once that is done, we will schedule our trip to Spring, Texas to pick up our girl.

I have been very sensitive to clues that "the time is right" for this adoption. The first inquiry I made did not feel right. I had no peace about the move and we decided to wait until our remodeling was complete. Then we learned that the construction won't even start for several weeks and I began to look again. Savannah was the second dog I inquired about. It was something in her eyes in one of her pictures that pierced my heart and made me realize that this time is the right time. And then, on Saturday during our garage sale, a buyer drove up in a truck in which he had two Westies in the front seat. I went to the window to see them and immediately got Westie kisses! That was it - my confirmation!

We're just waiting now for the home visit and hopefully will have our little girl home by the weekend. Pictures to follow!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Starting the Process

I've started the ball rolling toward adopting another deserving Westie. I have been watching petfinder.com for several weeks, listening to my heart for the right moment to proceed. I had a couple of false starts while we were in the planning stage of some remodeling. But I think the time is now right and we are ready to move ahead.

This little Westie girl is called Savannah by her foster mom. I just completed the second step in the process of adoption tonight with a phone call from the Houston Rescue association. Savannah was taken in as a stray and has been in foster care for about six weeks. She has been spayed, is housebroken, gets along well with other dogs (this is important to Jefferson!), and is healthy and ready for a forever home.
Her foster mom, Paula, says she has a very sweet disposition, but is also very playful and "vocal." She appears to be around three years old. The one question I failed to ask is whether she enjoys taking daily walks. But, knowing Westies, I am sure that will become the highlight of her day!


There is something about her eyes in this picture that makes me think that Treasure is telling me that the time is right. If the next step in the process - the home inspection - goes well, we may be able to go pick her up next week. That will give her three or four weeks to adjust to her new home before the construction crew comes in. And she'll have at least one session at Bible study to get to know her new "sistas" and meet Jefferson.
So I guess it's time to go shopping for new bedding and toys, Wee Bits and some grain-free treats. I'll be back with more news as I get it. And hopefully, very soon, I can introduce you to Miss Savannah Wilson!