Rving pics of Zachary

Zach is a good camper

The sights and sounds seem almost to overwhelm Zachary. Diesel trucks, people walking by, kids voices, bikes are all new things for him to discover. Since the weather is so nice we have the windows open, which bring more sounds into his world. We have found out he is a people watching Westie. Zachary would stay outside for hours if we let him. He has programmed himself to sleep when we leave and is in his crate. When we are at RV he is willing to hang out or play hard.

RVing with a Westie

We are camping in our motorhome, which we call our RV. We are with friends that we have not seen for several months. Zachary had lots of people to meet and they were excited to see our baby boy, whom they had only heard about. Over the next several days, we will swaps stories and places of interest. It is nice just to get away from the rat race and relax. Zachary’s nose has been in overdrive all afternoon, will all the new smells at the campground.
Forgot to mention Zachary received his 2nd shot on Thursday and weighed 15 pounds, 13 ounces. It will not be long, before he is over 6 pounds.

Packing the Motorhome

Zachary had never been inside "his" motorhome, so today was a first. Talk about a world of discovery, he was in heaven. Exploring each room was an adventure. Packing the rig with a little one under foot is tricky, he was sticking to us like glue. Like a little kid, he did not want to miss anything.
Tire filling had challenges as well. The air compressor turned on and Zach went nuts. He tried his best to get away from the sound that scared him. I quickly redirected his energy to another part of the yard.
He will make a good little camper.

Greenies & Dentabones

Greenies & Dentabones have made our life easier with teething. Zachary loves both these and is able to get his back teeth. Bonus, they clean your Westies teeth. They come in several sizes and are good for puppies and adult dogs. Give them a try, you doggie will love you.

Fence Safety

When we first brought Zachary home he was not curious yet about his backyard. Well things have changed. He is more attuned to street sounds and planes. Walking between and behind things gives him more sights and sounds to explore. One of the safety concerns we had was the gate of our chain link fence. The was a gap just big enough where Zachary could walk right through and go to the street. We are always with him, but it was a risk we did not want to take. In the picture you can see the solution we came up with. We took a hallow swimming pool noodle, cut in half and wrapped around both posts. They are easy to remove and do not hinder the gate being opened.

Outside Playtime

Hurricane Wilma only caused high winds and lots of rain. Wilma moved through fast, thank goodness. To celebrate, Zachary had several playtimes outside today.

Zachary with ball

Today will be spent mostly indoors as Hurricane Wilma blows through Florida. Poor Zach has had a hard time trying to potty with the hard rain and wind. Last night a thunder clap was so loud it set off car alarms scaring him. It will be a long day for all of us. Right now he is sleeping. I am posting early while we still have electric. If you check our blog and see no posts for a couple days, it is because hurricane Wilma has caused us damage. Wish us luck!

Zachary meets Chin

Zachary meets his next door neighbor Chin.

Butt Scoot Scooting

This morning after pooping Zachary did Butt Scoot Scooting all over the yard. For those that are not familiar with this move, it is when a dog drags their butt on the ground and appears to be scooting. I knew right off what it was, as our former Westie did the same thing when his anal glands needed to be expressed. Doc Paul's office was able to give us an appointment for this morning. One of his anal glands was 3 times the size of the other. Darren, the Vet tech had him in the back less then 2 minutes. He also checked the stool sample we brought in to make sure there were no worms. Zachary has not scooted since coming home.
He weighed in at 5 pounds 6 ounces today. Not only his he gaining weight, the boy is getting stronger.

Housetraining help

We have been trying to housetrain Zach without much success. We would faithfully take him out and then he would turn around and pee or poop in the house. Until now, nothing we have read or tried has worked. I stumbled on this site quite by accident, and it made sense.
This article on housetraining, has given us options we had not thought about. I also learned things we could do better. Starting tomorrow, we will start using the methods suggested. I will let you know how they work. If you have a puppy that is having accidents, you might find help there as well.

Zachary went to worksite

I took Zachary on a fieldtrip to meet the guys at my worksite. Thought it would give him the opportunity to be around more people. We then went to the library to drop off books. Our library has a drive-thru drop off, so there is no need to even get out of the car.
This is the first time Zachary has rode in his small crate in a car. Until now he has rode on someone lap. He first started to act up, but soon settled down. Once he settled, he fell asleep.

Zachary's snake came to visit him again. Look how long this black racer is stretched out on the fence. Both Zach and ducks are below the snake. If the snake fell, he would not have a chance.

Zachary inside in toybox

Zachary loves his new toybox.

Merck Veterinary Manual

Found a wonderful book every dog owner should know about, best of all it is free. The Merck Veterinary Manual is an online version of the book. The site has a table of contents of 22 topics which are broken down even more when you click on the word. You will find the site is not just for dogs; but cats, horses, goats, cattle, swine, sheep as well. It is very dry reading but may be helpful if for example your dog had a urinary tract infection. You could go to the Pharmacology section : Systemic Pharmacotherapeutics Of the Urinary System : Urinary Tract Infections. It is nice to know this info can be used in the middle of the night if needed.

Zach went to Church today

We belong to a church that has a Multi-Media ministry. The team runs the camera, soundboard, and a computer program for the sanctuary monitors. All services are broadcast over the Internet through the church website. Since we were helping with 3 services in a row we did not think it would be a good idea to leave Zachary for a half a day, at least right now. So, we took Zach and a small doggie crate to church. While we were helping with the church service, Zachary slept in his crate in Rev. John’s office. In-between services, Zach was out greeting people. Needless to say, he was one tired puppy when we came home from church. After getting a drink of water, and going potty he sacked out for a long nap.

Westies and Snakes

While Zachary and I were in the back yard today a 4 ft black racer snake decided to come close to Zach. Thank goodness, I saw the snake first. I was able to pick him up and the snake slithered away. Our last Westie once had cornered a water moccasin; we were able to pull him back before the snake bit him. Since most West Highland Terriers will not back down, we have to watch out for them when they are puppies. They think it is a game but unfortunately, it is a game they may lose.

Ducks and Dogs

Ducks can be a real hazard for dogs. They are inviting because they move and make a lot of noise, but they also can bite. Zachary loves to try to chase the ducks and geese that come by the back fence. Several times he got too close to the fence and one of the geese stuck his neck thru the fence, to bite him. In order to keep him safe, we are only letting him get 3 feet from fence when ducks are close. The goal is to anticipate Zach and the ducks.

Obedience training

Staying one paw ahead of any puppy in necessary, but with a Westie it is a must. Westies want to be top dog. The West Highland White Terrier Club of America (WHWTCA) gives good tips on Obedience training. Today I started with the commands come and sit. Zachary loved working for pieces of Iams Puppy food. I tried small dog treats, but he just spit them out. When using food, you may want to take this in to consideration for total food intake for the day. As for Zachary, he will not get as much dinner tonight.
If you have suggestions for this site or what has helped your dog, leave me a comment.

Zachary went to Vet today

Zachary went to Vet today and we got good news. Doc Paul said he is excellent health. He is now 4.01 pounds. Tomorrow we will start him on Heartworm and Flea and Tick Meds. One our concerns was fleas, so we can relax now and know he will be protected. While at the Vet he got loads of attention from everyone telling him how cute he was and wanting to hold him.
A field trip to Zach's Grandma and Grandpa brought him even more attention. He was happy to give lots of kisses in return.
Zach slept a whole 5 1/2 hours last night, what a blessing. May he sleep a little longer each night.
We are so happy he is in our lives.

Name for our new Westie

Zachary II will be the name for our new Westie puppy.

Little guy still wakes up every 3 hours

Last night was a whole lot more quiet. The little guy still wakes up every 3 hours, but it took him less time to settle down. He is getting the hang of going outside to go potty, may it continue. We have not totally decided on a name yet. We wanted to call him Sonny, but then his Grandma thought it was Sunny, which would work as well. The problem we are having, we keep slipping and calling him Zach (our former Westie). Now our thought is we may call him Zach II. We will make a decision by Wednesday morning when we take him to our Vet for his first check-up. If we do call the little guy Zach II, I know Zachary Taylor will be smiling from above.

Westie Angel

We were given this Westie Angel today to Bless our house. After last night, we can use the blessings.
Thought it was going to be a quiet night last night, until about 5 minutes passed. Then echoing thru the house came crying which grew louder by the minute. My partner could not stand it any longer and when out to comfort him. After he settled down, back in bed they came. Several minutes later, you guessed it; the quiet was shattered once more. So back again my partner repeated the pattern, that was set earlier.
The baby boy slept until 3 am when a blood-curling scream came out of the living room. Well it was my turn, to check on the boy. He was wiggling and at the front of crate. Once outside he did his business.
Together the boy and I checked the Web and read many articles together. I placed my sleep shirt in his crate with him and he fell asleep. Then it was my turn to catch some much-needed zzzzzzzz.
After reading, I discovered some things we could have done differently.
Tonight we will try these tips:
Bring crate in bedroom so puppy can see you
Place a t-shirt of yours, for comfort in crate
Do not re-enforce crying
For the recorded our boy was born on 8-11-05. He was 3.1 pounds when he was weighed yesterday.

We picked up our Westie today

I am sitting here with our 8 week old Westie on my lap and I could not be happier. This morning we picked up our baby boy we have been planning for all week. He is so tired after having a busy day, for such a little guy. After picking him up we went to get a new collar, since the one we thought would fit him was too big. His nails were so long, I mean really long, that they were getting caught on the lamb’s wool for his crate. So back in the car we went to our Vet. The Vet. Tech soon had him all fixed up; he now has short nails and is not getting caught on everything. Next was bath time, in where else, the kitchen sink. He played so much he fell asleep in his crate, which is a good thing. We wanted to him to get used to sleeping and being in his crate. While we are awake and home the crate door will be open, like it was this afternoon. But when we leave or sleep, the door will be closed. Wish us well tonight, may he sleep through the night.

West Highland White Terrier Club of America

The West Highland White Terrier Club of America (WHWTCA) is the official American National Club for Westies. Some of the topics you will find on their website include:

• Is a West Highland Terrier the Right Dog for You?
• Health concerns
• Behavior & Training

If you have questions about Westies, they have an answer.

 

 

 

Getting house ready for the new Westie puppy

We brought out crate and dog toys we had from our former Westie. Yes, our puppy will be crate trained. Also bought food, puppy pads and a couple new toys. Will not be long now….

I Am Your Puppy Poem

When I read the poem I Am Your Puppy, I started smiling. I also thought of all the puppies in our homes that maybe mis-understood. It is a good reminder to all of us as we struggle to figure out what our puupy may be trying to tell us or need. Enjoy the poem I am your Puppy.

How I came up with webpage name

If you are curious how I came up with the name, it is a tribute to our former West Highland Terrier, Zachary Taylor. Zachary was our first Westie, but we knew from the start, he would not be our last. We had fallen in love with the breed already. Friends of ours that we RV (motorhome) with had a Westie that we loved. We also wanted a dog that would be very comfortable camping in our RV, yet be a sturdy and loyal companion. Westies are all these qualities and more.

Puppy Proofing house today

Started walking through house to see what needs to be put up or enclosed. For any of you whom have had babies, puppies are no different. Both like to put things in their mouths. With that in mind, I have been paying attention more to what is on the floor or 2 feet up. Most people think they have a safe house for a puppy. They soon realize that electric cords, shoes, tablecloths all look like potential toys to a puppy. The best way I have found to puppy proof a house is to get on the floor and see what might looking inviting, or easily taken or pulled. Yes it sounds crazy, but objects look different a floor level.  For most of us, our eye level view is very different than our puppies.

Picked out a puppy

Last night we went to the breeder's house to look at the West Highland Terriers. They were all waiting outside for us in a pen, just a jumping. We had a choice of three males. Two were very rambunctious and one little guy just sat back and watched the other two go nuts. I immediately liked this little guy. He had bright eyes and his ears were straight up already. When you picked him up in your arms he was calm. When you picked up the other two, they were constantly moving. After a family meeting we decided that the calm boy would be the best fit for our family. They placed a band around his neck with his potential name. Yes, I said potential name. Sometimes you pick a name and then when you  get the pet home, the name does not fit. We will be able to pick up our new baby boy nest weekend. Needless to say we are happy. 

Breeder said we could come look at Westie puppies

Received a call saying we could come look at Westie puppies from the beeder. We are beyond happy. It has been a long wait, that has seemed like forever. I miss being a Mom so much. I cannot wait to have another baby boy in our home. There is nothing better than hearing the sound of four fur-feet behind or next to you.