Mr. Mischief

It's hard to make some mischief when your partner in crime is on bed rest! Mr. K's given up much of his play time this week to help Scottie Mom watch over his sister Heather as she recovers from surgery. Now, he can start getting back to his Scottie pranks and silliness knowing his "other half" will soon be able to join him in his merry ways! What do you suppose he'll do first: raid the laundry bin, launch an attack on the vaccuum or figure out a way to smuggle extra treats?

Heather 1, Cancer 0

Go away, cancer - and don't come back!

Step aside, cancer. There's no room for you here in this Scottie Mom household and Heather won't be having anymore of your foolishness. Her vet successfully took away your nasty tumor embedded deep in her muscle and seemingly left no traces of your evilness behind. Pathologists confirmed you were a malignant strain of localized cancer but your strength was no match for my baby girl's! You're gone now and you better stay that way. There's no need for further treatment but we'll certainly be looking out for any sign of your return and we'll make sure you're banished again if you dare try to reclaim a spot in Heather's body! ArRRrOo!

The Road to Recovery (so far)

The morning of Heather's surgery was surreal. Prior to, I had no idea how I was going to deal with having to hand her off to a vet who I don't particularly care for but I knew was more than capable of handling the case. I kept telling myself: it's only a dental. Heather's energy and enthusiasm that morning was above and beyond her usual happy self. She was so playful, I was convinced this was her way of telling me everything was going to be all right and there was no reason to worry. And so, I left my home with Heather and Mr. K in tow and with a happy heart, expecting nothing more than news of a possible tooth extraction at some point later that morning.

We had a quick consult with the vet before Heather went in for surgery. I pointed out the benign tumors that were to be removed while she was asleep and after the dental was complete. Then, I showed the vet what I had thought would turn out to be one of those fatty deposits that develop in old age. But, never wanting to assume anything, I asked she take a quick look at it and give me her opinion. The vet felt it and said, "Wow, that is hard!" She took two needles and quickly tapped into the spot. A few (what appeared to be) dried blood particles were retrieved. She said she doesn't usually get blood in the syringe for these kinds of tests and wanted to take a closer look. When she came back, she said the mass had to be removed that day but she couldn't say for sure whether the tumor was benign or malignant.

I thought: ok, I can handle this. I wasn't expecting this but all the vet needs to do is scoop it out and Heather will be just fine. I gave the vet my blessing and told her that the tumors were top priority and not to worry if we had to reschedule the dental. I left the office feeling sad but confident that all was being done that could be done and my girl would return home to me just the same later that night. How quickly after I left the vet, however, did that resolve fade and panic set in. The more I talked about what I had discovered that morning, the heavier reality set in. I was distraught. I wasn't ready to face "the big C," if that was, in fact, what Heather was battling. I had read plenty of my readers' own experiences about their Scotties' battles with cancer and how soon their Scotties' lives were taken after the diagnosis. The stories were heart breaking in and of themselves. I could not imagine having a story of my own to tell, less than three short years into my life as a Scottie Mom.

Much to my surprise (and contrary to the vet's own estimation of time), the vet was able to complete the dental on top of the tumor removals. I thought: that's got to be a good sign, no? By the time I had gotten into work later that morning, I got a call from the vet's office saying Miss Heather was already awake in her cage and sitting up. The vet did reveal she had to cut a lot deeper than she expected and she doesn't like to see tumors that embedded in muscle but she felt "cautiously optimistic" they had gotten it all and hoped that the test results would reflect that. Three days later and still no test results but you bet this site will be one of the first places I report the news when it comes. For now, I cling to the hope that the vet's cautious optimism was right on the money and our girl will be cancer free. Call it naivity or just blinded by love for my Scottie girl, but I have a strong feeling Heather's going to make it...and not just make it, but LIVE it! That zest for life is never gone from her eyes and she appears just as happy and healthy as the day I first met her back in April 2011.

One thing's for sure: whatever the formal diagnosis is that lies ahead, Heather has not lost an ounce of her spirit, compassion or personality throughout this ordeal. She has been such a good sport and is still so eager to experience life and to push on to the next big adventure. While hoomans may grimace at the sight of her very large incision, stitches and staples, Heather does not let her wounds stop her from doing her wiggle dances and walking down our hallways with her bottom up in the air so she can enjoy a good chin scratch from the carpet below. She very much still enjoys her meals and I think she's going to hate transitioning back to the dry food simply because she loves the taste of the moist food so much! It's been hard knowing my role as Scottie Mom and caregiver cannot keep her from such experiences and having to rely on fate to deal us a good hand of cards in this game of life but if my little girl doesn't let it get to her, why should I let it get to me? Heather's courage and strength inspires me to believe in the best simply because my girl deserves the very best: a long, happy and healthy life filled with nothing but Scottie love from her closest friends and family! Many thanks to all who have shown support for Heather in her health happenings thus far. We appreciate you more than you know. Much love, The Scottie Mom.

Surgery Day in Review

I dislike cones...

The surgery site.

The little incision.

The big incision.

Mr. K looking after me.

(as told by Heather Beather) It's 6:30 a.m. and I can tell Scottie Mom is having trouble getting out of bed. I sit patiently outside the bedroom doggie gate and wag my tail. Slowly, she gets up and comes to say hello. I start my best helicopter tail because I know what's next: a walkie! Mr. K and I get all leashed up and get going. Ahh! The fresh morning. I trot a little because there's a slight breeze and the quicker I pee, the quicker I get my breakfast! I tell Mr. K to hurry but he takes his sweet time. When we're upstairs again, I'm still so excited. I just know Scottie Mom's got a big bowl of yummy ready for me. Wait - where's she going? She invites me and Mr. K in the human room. FUN! I roll around on the rug and crash into Scottie Mom with my bottom up in the air and my tail flailing wildly. I even scratch my back on the bed post. Best. Morning. Ever! Only one thing missing: where's my breakfast?

It never came. Instead, Scottie Mom drove me and Mr. K to the evil V-E-T again. The vet lady points at three circles, one on my back, one on my neck and one on my eye lid. Then, she looks at a new one Scottie Mom found. It's hard but it doesn't hurt when she touches it, even though it is very close to my leg. Suddenly, I feel a poke. OUCH! Why does she always have to do that? OUCH! She does it again. Ok, this is no longer fun. I hear her tell Scottie Mom she doesn't usually get blood back in the syringe when she pokes a mass and that she wants to take the particles she stole from my body and put them under the microscope. She can do whatever she wants with them so long as she doesn't poke me again! Soon though, Scottie Mom sends me back with the lady and I go take a nap. When I wake up, I can't find my Scottie Mom and I'm in a silver cage with one of those silly cones on my head. Drat. This is not a fun morning at all. Where's my Scottie Mom?

A couple hours later, I hear the evil V-E-T talking to someone, saying I'm doing well and sitting up in my cage since surgery. That's true but I do miss my Scottie Mom. She says she cleaned my teeth and had time to remove one tooth. What?! She stole my tooth, too? What is this place!? And Scottie Mom expects me to come back? Then, she said she took off all three spots. Oh yes, Scottie Mom told me about those. I had three little benign tumors that we agreed would be best to get rid of. I'm actually quite happy the vet lady took those from me. But what is this pain in my side and why do I have so many staples holding me together? The vet lady explains she had to open me up more and cut very deep, even into my muscle and she still can't be certain that she got "it all." What did she take from me now? Something tells me it was the new bump they found. Whatever it is, she tells the person she has to send it off to see if it is good or bad. I vote good, because I'm made of nothing but goodness! (If only this vet lady would stop stealing everything from my insides.) She then says she'll see the person soon and that I will be very happy. It MUST be Scottie Mom!

Sure enough, Scottie Mom came to get me. She was very patient (I move kind of slow now) and helped me work my way around doors and such when my silly cone got stuck. I kept looking for a scrap of yummy on the ground on our way out. Boy, was I hungry! How could Scottie Mom forget my breakfast? We gotta get home fast. I wanted to jump in the car but Scottie Mom said no and picked me up instead. That was nice. I settled in, hanging my cone off the edge of the front seat. I hope we get some food soon. When we got there, I was so excited to be home that I didn't wait for Scottie Mom to carry me down. Utt oh, she wasn't happy with that decision. Doesn't she understand? I'm HUNGRY! It took me forever to walk our way to the apartment from where we parked the Scottie mobile but once we walked through that front door, it was all worth it. We were greeted by an ecstatic Mr. K who's jumping up and down and ushering us into the kitchen. I don't need to be asked to eat twice! Scottie Mom prepared a big bowl of the yummiest moist food I've ever tasted and Mr. K and I dug in and didn't come back up for air until our plates were clean!

'Twas the Day before the V-E-T

It's Wordless Wednesday and Heather's feeling a little down. Tomorrow morning, she returns to the V-E-T. This time, she's going in for a dental and to have three benign tumors simultaneously removed: one from her eye lid, one from her neck and one on the center of her back. Little does she know that she's about to get spoiled with two weeks of moist food after her dental! YUM!! Wish her luck, dear friends!

The Little Stinker

Beware the bottom...

In the silence of the night, when all is quiet and everyone's falling asleep in the Scottie Mom household, every once in a while you can hear a slight disturbance in the air. Sometimes, if you're lucky, it's just Heather chasing squirrels in her dreams. Other times, well, let's just say the noise comes from the other end! Usually, Scottie Dad and I just look at each other laughing and shaking our heads, knowing that sound just about as intimately as we know the differences in the click-click-clicking on the hardwoods to tell us which of our Scotties is coming down the hall to visit.

As you know by now and yet, unbeknownst to Scottie Dad to this day (because these silly stories of Scotties in the human bed while he's away can't possibly be true!), when those midnight alarms go off, they aren't going off from the other room. Nope. The other night when I was about to fall asleep, Mr. K came up close to cuddle. After he settled, he decided to let one rip...not far from Scottie Mom's face. Suddenly, the midnight passing gas games weren't so funny. I turned around and faced the other way. Mr. K, seemingly offended, got up and climbed over me before sounding off two more alarms, back to back. Now, we all know that Scottie gas, as one Scottie Mom reader puts it, is "the pits!" Needless to say, those sheets came off the bed the very next morning.

And so, I ask fellow Scottie Moms and Dads this: what is the deal with Scottie gas? Scottie Grandmadre laughs at all Heather and Mr. K's gaseous tales (so long as they aren't happening around her!) and swears they are the gassiest pair she's ever met, between the post-dinner burps and the midnight - and sometimes midday - rear end explosions. What gives?

A Very Scottie Reunion

Scottie Mom and kids are home! After a long weekend at play, it is clear we are all exhausted. Heather and Mr. K have only roused to get an extra special moist food meal for dinner. I suspect they'll awake once more for our last walk of the day and then they'll climb into bed once again for the night.

From the moment I left them at Pet Paradise, something told me Mr. K would be just fine. In fact, he walked off without even saying goodbye to his Scottie Mom! He simply trotted off in search of the phantom dog barks he heard coming from the group play area. Heather, on the other hand, kept looking back as if to say, "You're coming, right?" I hadn't even made it out the door when they were being placed in their presidential suite and Heather managed to escape and hide under the front desk. Poor girl. The attendant picked her up, I petted and kissed her and told him her secret to happiness: treats! Then, I mustered up my own courage and walked out the door, knowing my Scottie babies were safe in their suite.

That night, I logged onto the website and watched them sleep. Together, they were resting on one bed. When I woke the next morning, I was disappointed to see they had been moved as the other dog's mom kept her reservation for the presidential suite. Luckily, though, the staff at Pet Paradise was nice enough to send a photo and a brief update on how things were going. I couldn't have been more proud of Mr. K, who usually gives me trouble when we encounter other dogs, but was a total social hound during his stay at Pet Paradise. It was clear even when I picked them up earlier today, he wasn't quite ready to give up on all the fun. Heather, on the other hand, stuck close to the staff and looked out after Mr. K while he was playing, I am told. I was pleased to get an enthusiastic greeting from my little lady when I arrived this afternoon, especially since Mr. K just assumed someone was here to take him on another adventure and didn't offer much of a "hello" at all!

Regardless of Mr. K's apparent lack of enthusiasm, we are all very happy to be home. I expect there to be lots of cuddles before bedtime tonight. And, as it turns out, Heather, Mr. K and I weren't the only ones to have a very Scottie reunion today. Our Scottie friends in Peru organized a Scottish Terrier meetup and more than 50 Scotties came with their Scottie Moms and Dads. To see photos from this very Scottie reunion, visit the Scottie Mom facebook page.

Boarder-line Anxiety

[caption id="attachment_1978" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Take us with you, Scottie Mom?[/caption]

I'm almost there. It hasn't been easy but I'm nearly packed, I've got the proof of vaccines and such ready for Pet Paradise and I even had time to squeeze in an extra load of laundry or two. The more I keep busy, the less time I have to think about the fact I am leaving my babies tomorrow. Everytime I let my mind go down that slippery slope, I get into a panic. Am I doing the right thing? Will they be okay? What if something goes wrong? Is this trip really worth it??

That's when I have to remind myself to breathe. Heather and Mr. K are acting normally. Neither has sensed anything is going on just yet. In fact, they're right here, snoozing away - which is what I should be doing! We'll be up at 4:30 a.m. to get everybody ready and on our way to Pet Paradise by 6 a.m. Then, I'll be on a flight to see Scottie Dad. If I can just get through the morning, I'll be all right. What a sense of accomplishment and relief it will be if I get through this trip without completely succumbing to anxiety! Fingers and paws crossed for all of us, please - especially Heather and Mr. K. I hope they have a good experience their first time boarding.

Caption this Scottie

It's BlogPaws' Wordless Wednesday and Mr. K may not be saying much but you can tell he's certainly thinking something in this photo. So, go ahead: caption this Scottie photo! What is Mr. K thinking and why does he have that look on his face? Happy Wordless Wednesday, friends!

Dance, Scottie, Dance!

[caption id="attachment_1959" align="aligncenter" width="500"] If I can do it, you can too, Scottie Mom![/caption]

Well, with a wedding in the not-so-distant future, this Scottie Mom pulled out the old Dance Dance Revolution mat for the Wii in order to motivate myself to get into shape. Mr. K probably wasn't a bit surprised to see it again as he spent many a night in his first year watching me dance myself slim. Heather, on the other hand, came into our lives after I met Scottie Dad and thus, hasn't seen much of this magical blue and white mat. Much intrigued by it, she decided to check it out for herself when Scottie Mom stopped for a break.

I hadn't left for more than a couple seconds at best. When I walked back down the hall, I saw Heather standing atop the mat on all fours, looking up at the screen. Then, she looked at me and started wagging her tail. Sensing that I was coming back to claim the mat, she sat down in the middle of it as if to say, "This is mine!" I sat down on the couch to snap a few photos of her and have a glass of water. Surely, she would get tired of the crinkly noise soon, no? No. In fact, she walked in circles again and again before finally lying down and sprawling out across the mat, marking the end of my workout.

Alas, my cute Heather Bether is inspiration enough to knock off a few pounds. She's lost a total of three pounds since I adopted her nearly two years ago. All it took was some dancing of her own, too. Anytime Scottie Dad walks through that door singing, "Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle!" Heather gets to work shaking her booty faster than the speed of light. (Hence, how she earned the nickname "Shakira" from Scottie Dad.) Sometimes, they'll switch it up and Scottie Dad will sing the theme song to Rio and the two of them will go round and round, Heather shaking her booty side to side and marching along to the beat with Scottie Dad. A YouTube classic in the making? I think so!

Sweet, sleepy Scottie

Tonight as I write this, Heather and I lie on the same pillow. Our heads just inches away, turning to face each other every couple of minutes to touch noses and for me to say hello and how beautiful she is. Heather's response is to get that helicopter tail going, more excitedly with each word I say, and to inch her face closer to mine in an effort to steal a kiss or two. After about 30 seconds or so, I reach up to gently pet the top of her head. Ooops - too much. My little girl jerks her head up a bit and looks the other way, settling back down after a minute or two until I look her way again, call her name and we're face to face once more, repeating the same process. Inevitably, Heather turns away again and again. For as much as she loves her hooman companions, she's a lady of independence who rarely allows others to be this close - especially as she is nearing her most vulnerable state: slumber.

Heather's not one to cuddle and though I feel a pair of dark brown eyes looking at us in jealousy, I know that some quality Scottie Mom and daughter time is what's appropriate in this moment. Heather's happy and she obviously loves us but always from a safe distance. She's not shy about showing some serious excitement when I come home. In fact, she plows right into me when I bend down to say hello but not more than enough time to give her a quick pet or two has gone by and she's off again, only returning when she sees you're still there waiting for some hugs whenever she's ready. When we turn in to sleep (sans Scottie Dad, of course), it's the same thing: she comes up for a quick smooch and walks to the very end of the bed so she's still near you, but not as close as her brother gets, who voluntarily snuggles up and will find a way to maneuver to the other side if you dare turn to face the other way.

Tonight, we've made progress. Heather has moved her way up to the midway point of the hooman bed and seemingly has no intention of moving as those eyes close more with each minute that passes. I try not to move for fear she will wake and retreat to the edge of the bed or even under the bed again, which is (I believe) her way of "keeping safe." It's a pattern I've picked up on - she always goes to the nearest corners where she can keep an eye on the room but she feels just hidden enough that she's not entirely exposed. Mr. K has resumed Heather's usual spot at the foot of the bed. Though I suspect it won't be long until he marches up and demands some cuddle time of his own, I appreciate these few moments Heather has allowed me to help her feel as comfortable, safe and relaxed as she should be before she enters the dream land of chasing squirrels and hunting treats. And so, I wish all the lovely Scotties and Scottie Moms out there good night as I sign off to relish a few more priveleged moments before Heather decides enough is enough for one night. Sweet dreams, friends!

Save the Scottie Dog!

[caption id="attachment_1937" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Photo courtesy of Monopoly’s Save your Token facebook page.[/caption]

Today, NBC reported that Monopoly is retiring one of their game pieces forever. Obviously, as a Monopoly fanatic (check out my stylin' Swarovksi Scottie "game piece") and a die-hard Scottie Mom, I was very concerned that the beloved Scottie dog piece would be getting the ax...again! Luckily, Hasbro is giving us Scottie Moms a chance to rally around our favorite game piece and make sure it is safe from elimination!

All you have to do is click here to vote and save the Scottie dog Monopoly piece! Then, be sure to share this posts with as many Scottie Moms and Dads you can find to make sure our Scottie dog game piece doesn't go to jail. Oh yeah, and you can vote for which of the new pieces you want to see replace the one that gets locked away forever. There's a cat (Mr. K says vote 'No!' to this one), a robot, a guitar (Scottie Dad's choice), a helicopter and a ring (which gets Heather and Scottie Mom's vote!). Then, tune into the TODAY show on Feb. 6 for the big reveal.

So, go ahead and get busy saving the Scottie dog monopoly piece! And while you're at it, send a note to Late for the Sky, a production company of specialty board games. They've recently come out with a series of dog breed-opoly games including Shih Tzu-opoly, Mutt-opoly, Boxer-opoly and even Westie-opoly. If our cousin Westies get to have a game, shouldn't the iconic Scotties? (Don't forget the Cairns, too!) I was so disappointed - as I'm sure you are, too - when I discovered these games over the holidays and realized they didn't have one for us Scottie Moms!

The Skinny on the ALP

Liver values. A year ago, I had no idea what they were. Today, it seems as though I'm all too familiar with them. At the peak of Heather's mysterious illness, her liver values were around 3,000 - with "normal" being less than 100 for ALT and between 100-200 for ALP. Her ALT normalized relatively quickly, with her last sample showing her score at 33 in September. Results from Saturday's test show us that her ALT is still normal but her ALP has yet to come down where we'd like it to be. That's not to say our little girl hasn't made progress, however, as her ALP has decreased to 513. That's over a 130-point reduction since we last tested her in September! Oh, and did I mention Heather now weighs 24 pounds? Now, no one can call her fat (nor should they have ever done so)! Thanks to the right diet and lots of walkies, she is perfectly fit and fabulous!

With test results in hand, Heather's vet has given her the okay to move forward with a dental. The reason for getting the dental is two-fold. First, we need to take care of those pearly whites - though the vet jokingly pointed out there really aren't that many teeth left to clean. In her "past" life, Heather obviously went through some kind of trauma, causing her to lose a good number of teeth and resulting in a beautiful albeit sometimes crooked smile. The second reason is to get rid of three benign tumors: one that has been growing recently on her back, another on her neck and a third, very tiny one on her eyelid. We opted to have that one shaved down, with the understanding that it will eventually grow back but something tells me this is not Heather's first dental, nor will it be her last so we will have the opportunity to shave it down again or fully remove it next time should it grow back quicker than anticipiated. All this for the lovely cost of $400-$600 (depending on whether extraction is necessary), bringing this Scottie Mom's total healthcare costs (not including heartworm medication and flea preventatives) to a whopping $7,000 this year. Alas, I can't complain. My girl is worth every penny and I am thankful to have her alive and (almost) well!

Scottie Mug Shots

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I have a confession: I am really bad about checking my mail. In fact, I go weeks and sometimes a month or more without checking it. So when our Peruvian Scottie friend Plutonio and his mom sent us this adorable Christmas gift, I didn't discover it until after the holidays had already come and gone! Shame on me, Scottie Mom! Not only was the gift itself a surprise, but I quickly learned that if you put hot water in the cup, another surprise awaits: the deep red color fades away and the photos turn from black and white to color! I just thought this was the coolest thing ever and had to share. Kudos to you, Plutonio's Scottie Mom! And many thanks for this adorable mug. How can I not love it? It's got two of my favorite Scottie faces all over it!

The Secret Ingredient to Special K

Like any good family recipe, there's one secret, key element at the very core of Mr. K's story: his name. As many Scottie Moms have guessed, Mr. K did come with another name at the time he was adopted. There truly is nothing wrong with the name he was given by his former owners aside from the fact everyone thinks he's a girl when I introduce him using his real name as opposed to Mr. K. I'm not even sure how the name Mr. K was decided on. I vaguely remember a friend declaring he needed a more manly name and so I offered up a name with some serious swag and it stuck. Hence, the nickname Mr. K was born.

Case in point: I made the mistake of registering Mr. K under his real name when I first visited Petsmart in between my Scottie groomer searches. On our last visit, Heather and Mr. K needed a quick bath on the go and they were the only ones with the availability to accommodate us. When they were finished, I got a call saying, "Your girls are ready to be picked up! They were both so sweet and did really well!!" Now, it's been almost three years since I adopted Mr. K. Lately, I've just given up and don't bother correcting people anymore so I hung up the phone and headed on over to see my pups. When Heather walked around the corner with a bright pink bandana, my first reaction was, "Oh, how cute!" and my second reaction was, "Oh no. Please don't tell me they put one on him, too!"

Luckily, Mr. K was able to keep his dignity on that particular visit. He emerged wearing a royal blue bandana. Not that I'm opposed to guys in pink - some can pull it off and Mr. K actually looks really good in that color. It's just that I've already wasted so much energy on telling people he's a boy, not a girl. Why make it harder for them by dressing him in pink? Ok, so you're probably wondering what the mystery name is by now if you haven't already been. And the big secret is....KENZIE! At home, Scottie Dad and I still call him that but I like to mix it up every once in a while with Kensito, Kenzie-Poo (I know, not a masculine name at ALL but these are reserved for in-house, Scottie Mom use only!) and K.P. (short for Kenzie-Poo). There! Now the secret's out...just don't tell Mr. K I told you!

Where'd you Go?

Underneath that cool exterior, Mr. K is actually a pretty sensitive guy. Once a hooman comes into his life and earns his love and trust, I'm not sure he ever really lets go. If he does, I know for sure it takes a good while. When I found him at the shelter in 2010, the boy was distraught. It took me at least 20 minutes of just sitting and looking at him from outside his crate for him to finally make eye contact. It was obvious, based on what shelter volunteers told me, that this little boy was confused as to why he was there and though his hoomans had given up on him, he hadn't yet given up on loving them.

His heart quickly opened up to me and, later that first summer, to a special dog-loving friend of mine who accepted Mr. K as his own dog and really helped to bring out Mr. K's personality. That summer, Mr. K found a best friend in my special friend. Like clock work, he knew when to expect his company and upon seeing him at the door, Mr. K would run to get a toy and meet him at the foot of the stairs. Mr. K was even granted boys' nights out at his best friend's house while Scottie Mom was away - a privilege not granted to just anybody in this Scottie Mom's life. And when I came back, I'd have one shiny-eyed, super smiley pup to greet me.

If you think breakups are hard, it is even worse seeing your dog go through it, too. For a few weeks, Mr. K would wait by the door every night after our dinner and walk just waiting for that doorbell to ring. It never did. And when we happened to bump into his long-lost best friend months later, Mr. K ducked behind Scottie Mom in attempts to evade any contact with him. From that day on, Mr. K was leery of any guy friends or dates that came by to pick Scottie Mom up. When Scottie Dad first came around, Mr. K got a little protective but, in time, he found a new buddy in Scottie Dad and has since adopted new favorite games to play. Now, the two men of the house rule the roost (or so they think...)!

Despite this, Scottie Dad's job often takes him away from us. Everytime he leaves, I notice Mr. K looking around corners in search of him the first few days. When Scottie Dad's away longer, I do my best to keep his spirits up and give him special privileges (can anyone say hooman bed?!). So far, I think this strategy is working and Mr. K has begun to realize that Scottie Dad really is coming back, even if he isn't with us everyday. I also like to think it helps him to know that no matter what happens, this Scottie Mom is here to stay, will always be someone he can count on and his precious, little heart will never be short on Scottie Love for the rest of his happy life!

The Year of the Scottie

Mr. K is using his presidential authority to declare 2013 the Year of the Scottie. Here's what he envisions for this monumentous new year:

1) A Reinforcement of our Iconic Image. Scottie Mom and friends will track down the very best of all things Scottie that can help keep our image fresh. (We'll share our finds, of course!)

2) Healthy Scotties, Healthy Moms. Hoomans should take 10,000 steps a day. Go with them, Scots! We'll not only become healthier as a breed but have the healthiest moms as well!

3) New Adventures. Scotties everywhere should challenge their hoomans to try a new things with them and share their experiences with other Scottie Moms so they can try it, too.

4) Scottie Tales. Scottie Moms around the world can unite this year through story telling to promote responsible Scottie ownership. Share your Scottie's tale via our facebook page. You never know who might get featured on the blog!

5) Scotties as Social Media Moguls. Scotties may not be the most common household pet but that doesn't mean they can't be the most popular on the web. Mr. K predicts the Internet pet sensation of 2013 will be a Scottie sensation! Flash your pearly whites for the camera, Scots!