my baby girl

[sama]

my little one is just over a year old, and was rescued from a terrible life by a concerned person. i was fortunate enough to be offered this little mite, and i am absolutely thrilled with her!

she is bright as a button, frighteningly intelligent, learns like a demon, and after a bit of hassle with toilet training, is clean and dry at night.

i just wonder how the devil can people have a dog and torture it? mine was picked up by her front paws and swung around, tortured with hoses, which has left her still terrified of water, kept on a chain all the time, not fed often, and had white spirit poured over her, because she barked. she didnt understand playing, had no toys, no bed, nothing of her own. she does now! she was petrified of other dogs, and today was such a breakthrough! she played and chased with two other dogs, and had the best walk of her life!

i am astounded that this has not broken her spirit, but she is the most affectionate, feisty, funny little dog, with a real sense of humour!

i just wish so much that she had not been bred before she was a year old. she will now be spayed next month, though!

long live westies! i absolutely adore her!

sama

[westieworld]

Hi Sama

I too now have a rescue Westie, although there was nothing really bad about where he used to live, except that the lady and her three young girls didn't know how to be bosses over him (very important for his development, and allows him to live a happy life not trying to take control of human events he can't influence).

It is very difficult to break a Westie's spirit, they are the hardiest of dogs, which is why I admire and respect them so much. We have had something of a breakthrough recently. As you may have seen in other parts of the website, we lost our male cat this year. The cats and the dog could never be trusted to have contact with each other (Candy would spit and run, and Jock would chase).

Well, Candy's sister Sammi has now taken to begging for leftovers with the dog in the kitchen, and they seem to be existing happily side by side at last! I won't leave them together during the day though - a Westie's instinct is to hunt other little furry creatures, and I'd hate to come home and find the cat hurt, or worse.

Thanks for posting to the forum, best wishes,

Lee.

[sama]

thank you! you are so right about it being difficult to break a westie's spirit! they are such resilient little souls, aren't they!

my little one has now become joyously confident, and will go and play with other dogs, which she would NOT do when i got her. she had no socialisation at all, and was terrified. now, she is part of a dogwalking pack, and LOVES it! there is something wonderful about seeing a little white bottom among a lot of black and brown ones, all fossicking happily in the undergrowth!

sama