How to Keep your Pet Smelling Fresh

Mr. K can clear a room with his not-so-silent bottom 'splosions.

Heather's breath has never been as sweet as her demeanor.

Calling all sensitives noses! We may have found two potential solutions for you. Scottie Mom friends have long been aware of Scottie Dad's sensitivity to smells, particularly of the canine persuasion. For years now, we've been in search of something that could keep the peace in the Scottie House in between B-A-T-H-S and to solve the problem of bad breath and Scottie farts. We've tried everything from wipes and sprays to fresh breath treats as well as Smells Begone and scented candles to reed diffusers and Febreze fresheners for the Scottie House...all with varying degrees of minimal to temporary relief for Scottie Dad's overly sensitive nose.

Recently, we stumbled across these two products by happytails when visiting local pet boutiques. Skeptical at first, I decided once again to take a chance on a product hoping to silence the smelly dog complaints once and for all. The first product, Dry Dog Instant Clean, we would use in between B-A-T-H-S. The second sounded most intriguing - perhaps because the product says it also can be used on husbands! Called Dog Smog Remedy, it isn't hard to guess what this spray is meant to do. Hint: if it works, we might not have stories like The Little Stinker to share with you in the future.

We're only a week or so into the trial period and I'm cautiously optimistic. Though my own sense of smell is all but nonexistent, I did manage to get a slight whiff of the scent when spraying the Dry Dog product on Heather and Mr. K. Even Scottie Dad couldn't help but agree it gave a much fresher scent than the other sprays we've tried. As for the Dog Smog Remedy, the verdict is still out. With just a spritz in the water bowl, I don't expect the dog breath and passing gas issues to go away overnight with the help of this product. We'll surely keep you posted on the results.

Tell us: how often do you give your dog a B-A-T-H? Do you have any tips to share on how to keep your furry friends smelling fresh and bad breath or doggie-fart free?

Top 10 Reasons we Love Scotties

We all know that once you own a Scottish Terrier, you are owned by a Scottish Terrier! Scottie Moms (and Dads!) have a habit of becoming breed fanatics and devote much of their time, energy and affection toward making their little one the happiest and healthiest he or she can be. It is evidenced by this site and the group of loyal Scottie lovers that follow the Scottie Mom adventures that we are a passionate group when it comes to matters of the Scottish Terrier.

Outside of this group, however, it appears our beloved breed isn't as popular as it was once was and falls behind quite a few others on American Kennel Club's breed rankings. In 2002, Scotties were ranked as the 43rd most popular breed (out of about 173). In 2015, they dropped to the 58th place. How can a breed so beloved by its owners be so far down the popularity totem pole?

The answer is simple: Scottish Terriers aren't for everyone and popularity tests are overrated. It is a classic case of quality over quantity when it comes to those of us who love Scotties. We may be few and far between but our passion runs deep. And, in celebration of Scottie Love everywhere, the Scottie Mom Scotties put together a list of the top 10 reasons to love Scottish Terriers.

1. We pay back...with interest! For every minute you dedicate to us, every ounce of affection devoted to us and every dollar spent on us, we give back 10 times your initial investment in reciprocated love, loyalty and laughs. Now, that's a smart investment!
2. We keep you safe. By birthright, every Scottish Terrier is a member of Scottie Security. It's in our blood to patrol your land and look out for evil squirrels, cats or generally bad guys. We're always on alert and will let you know if something doesn't feel right.  
3. We provide entertainment. Keep a good squeaky toy or tennis ball around and you'll find out just how many laughs you can get out of just a few minutes of crazy Scottie play time. Research shows that laughter is really good for human health, by the way.
4. We're adventurous. Life with a Scottish Terrier is never dull. In fact, we're really good at encouraging our humans to check out new things. What can we say? Our zest for life and curiosity for the unexplored is contagious!
5. We're iconic. Have you seen all the merchandise out there with Scotties on it?
6. We keep you healthy. Can anyone say walkies? Best way ever to stay fit.
7. We're fashionable...for any season. Scotties never go out of style. Just ask Radley.
8. We're both man's and woman's best friend. We're cool with the guys while still being pretty darn good with the ladies as well. Oh, and whoever said diamonds were a girl's best friend obviously never had a Scottish Terrier in their life.
9. We know what you're going through. And we have our way of empathizing with you and being there for support. Then, when you least expect it, we'll try every trick in the book to get you smiling again because where there's a happy human, there's an even happier Scottie.
10. We're all the bundles of joy you'll ever need. Ask any Scottie Mom and they'll tell you: we're just as pawesome as a human child, just without the mess of diapers! Let a Scottie into your heart and you'll know no stronger love in your lifetime. Scot's honor!

Scottish Terriers of Instagram

Didn't get enough of #TooCuteTuesday on Facebook? Allow us to introduce you to this week's #ScottishTerriersofInstagram. Let's give a special shout out to Kadie (first photo) and Pippin, the Scottish Terrier in the last photo...both cancer survivors. Kadie was declared cancer-free in May 2015, according to her blog, and is truly an inspiration. Pippin, on the other hand, has received treatment at his V-E-T's oncology department since 2013 and has a whopping 8 pounds of paperwork to his name. We wish you both well, sweet Scotties! If you'd like to share your Scottish Terriers' Instagram photos with us, upload your photos to Instagram using #ScottishTerriersofInstagram or tag @TheScottieMom. Oh, and be sure to follow us and this week's featured Scottie dogs! 

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

Hello from the Other Side

Writing isn't just a hobby of mine. I'm in the business of telling stories. It's what I do professionally and at leisure (when time and the Scottie dogs allow). A little over a year ago, we announced a major life event: Scottie Mom was taking on a new job...one that would take my career to a new level and sadly, one that would take me far away from Heather & Mr. K every day. (We even had to hire a dog walker - our friend the Shih Tzu Mom - to help out during the week.) After a year of commuting approximately an hour and a half each way to get to this new job and back, we couldn't be more excited to announce yet another life event: Scottie Mom has decided to come home.

A job much closer to The Scottie House presented and though we had been contemplating a cross-country move to California for another opportunity at the time, we decided to stay put in Atlanta. How could we move with our niece, a future Scottie Mom for sure, on the way? Just like that, the long commutes were gone. I learned soon after the old Scottie Mobile quit running that I now work only 1,500 steps away from our front door. Also gone are Mr. K's not-so-silent protests and the stink eyes I used to get from Heather & Mr. K alike when I would reenter the house so late at night. And it feels so good that we can finally say - to quote the lovely Adele - hello from the other side.

We've been writing this blog for nearly four years now. When we first introduced them, Heather & Mr. K were 7 and 5 years old respectively. That's four years' worth of laughter, tales of adventure and helping fellow rescue dogs find homes. I suspect there will be even more laughter and inevitably, some tears to come as Heather & Mr. K enter into their golden years. Through the Scottie Mom community, we've shared much of their journeys in life together. And I can't help but wonder if after all these years, you'd like to meet? You know, to go over everything we love about Scottish Terriers!