August 2007:
Hi–I am Emmie, a Westie of the wee petite variety. I am on the quiet side to go with my stature. But I have a big Westie spirit. I am three years old. I was a breeding dog before my life took a turn for the better. I lived with a lot of other dogs that were not well cared for. We were very dirty and always hot in the summer because we had long, long hair all over. I tried to peek out of all the hair on my face, but it was hard to do. I didn’t know what clean, cool water was. I never had my own food bowl and I had to scrap to get what I could to eat.
When the rescue people came for me, I was already sad because the breeder had taken my puppies from me. It was too soon. But they were in a hurry to sell them. I hope they found good homes as I have. My rescue people told me that I will never have to worry about puppies again. They said it is time for me to concentrate on myself!
The first thing my new friends did was take me to a veterinarian. She is a wonderful doctor that loves all animals, but just between you and me, I think she is partial to doggies. Her helpers like Miss Pam and others helped me with my haircut and bath. Wow-that bath thing is nice. When were those invented? I had never heard of them. They told me I was much too matted and dirty for a precious little Westie girl. I loved all the pampering, but then came the exam. I most certainly did not pass! I weighed thirteen pounds. My doctor told the rescue man and lady that I had tons of ticks. It hurt when they pulled them off. I already had scabs on me. She also said that I had severe dental tartar and gingivitis. I’m not sure, but that sounds serious. I had a skin infection. She got a bottle of soothing spray for me. She put me on antibiotics and gave me shots and other meds. I hated those shots, but I was very brave during the entire exam.
Next, I went to live with a foster Mom and Dad. They have two Westies plus another foster Westie that I love to play with. Foster Mom Lynn said that I love to chase then chew on any Frisbee that might be thrown my way. She also said that I get along great with all the Westies at her house. She is especially proud of my potty skills, though I have not graduated to a full run of the house. I do great on the leash and I am learning to sit and stay. She tells everyone that my appetite for good kibble is unending! That’s because it is so fun to eat out of this thing called a bowl. I have one now. One of my favorite things is to curl up on someone’s lap. Though I’m slim, I’m quite cuddly. One of my least favorite things is the sound of the microwave beeping, but I’m getting used to that. When a stranger comes to foster Mom and Dad’s house, I bark. That’s about the only time I make any noise. I don’t even fuss about my crate training. I’m just happy to be loved now after my experience as a breeding dog. Sometimes at night, I dream about getting to see all the WestieMed people that helped me. I would so love to give them kisses and tell them how going to the vet made such a difference in how I feel. They do wonderful things for us Westies you know.
I think my rescue people have found me a furever home that will have a Westie sister there for me to play with. Anyway, I have proven that you don’t have to have a perfect background to be a perfect pet. On a scale of 1 to 10 in size, I’m a three. But on a scale of one to ten as a good pet, I AM A TEN!!!!
Thanks again WestieMed.
Love,
Little Emmie
Update January 2008:
Emmie is a sweet little feminine Westie girl. She is over all of her health problems thanks to WestieMed. Keeping her Westie figure is the only problem she has these days. She loves having her very own bowl with plenty of food in it! Emmie loves treats but always allows her younger fur sibling to grab the first one. She waits politely and patiently and then goes to a corner to savor hers slowly. Emmie still cowers occasionally, but it happens less and less. We are confident that eventually, she won’t remember her days as a mistreated breeding dog at all. Her fur coat turned out to be absolutely gorgeous. Everyone comments on how beautiful it is. When she was rescued, it was filthy and matted so badly she had to be shaved. Now her coat is soft as cotton and very thick.
Emmie loves to stand outside and watch the squirrels but isn’t very interested in chasing them. She does enjoy chasing a tennis ball up and down the long deck. She races side by side with her Westie sister to the ball. When she manages to get it, she prances around with it in her mouth for a few moments before bringing it back to be thrown again. Emmie is somewhat shy for a Westie but gets along great with her Westie sister and the two resident beagles. She is always welcoming and sweet to any foster Westies that come to visit from time to time.
We love that she is sleeping inside a warm house this winter for the first time. She is not very keen on going out in the rain but has enjoyed a little dusting of snow we got recently. She puts the side of her face down on the deck and runs her face through the snow. When a sufficient amount has collected on her head, she stops and shakes it off her face, and repeats the process over and over. We don’t think she could be any more adorable if she tried! We feel honored to provide her with a loving home. She is a constant joy. We think that being owned by one Westie was nice, but being owned by two is even better!
