Hi, everyone. I'm new to the forum and my own loss is very recent. My sweet Charlie, a West Highland White Terrier who would have been 9 next Saturday, was discovered just a little over a month ago to be suffering from kidney disease, apparently due to some sort of genetic abnormality. On Friday afternon, I had just returned from yet another visit to the vet and was sitting beside Charlie on the sofa, stroking his fur, when he suddenly went into a seizure that lasted only a minute (it felt much longer) then he let out a little breath and was gone. He had lost so much weight and had grown so weak that I guess his poor little body just couldn’t take any more. Fortunately, my parents had just dropped by to offer support so I wasn’t alone when it happened. I really think I might have lost my mind if I had been.

I have three problems, really. The first, of course, is that I am heartbroken. Charlie was the best dog I ever knew, feisty and funny, sweet-natured and so very sensitive. He understood me better than anyone ever did, human or otherwise. In the past I’ve been forced to make the wrenching decision to have pets put down, but Charlie, unselfish to the end, spared me that. I do take some comfort in the thought that that, in death as in life, he did it his way. But I am bitter and angry that we had so little time together. Westies usually live to be about 15. Charlie was only 8 and therein lies my second problem. It seems so unfair, especially when I’ve always taken such good care of my dogs. I brushed Charlie’s teeth every night from puppyhood, fed him the best quality food, made sure he got plenty of exercise, took him to the vet every single time he seemed out of sorts, protected him from every possible toxic substance, and still this thing happened. We should have had years more together and I don't know how I'm going to live the rest of my life without him.

The third and most pressing problem is my other dog, an 8-year-old Sheltie named Belle who has never known a single day of her life without Charlie. I’m terribly concerned about her because she's been avoiding me ever since Charlie died. She was there when it happened and while I have no idea how much she understood, every time I call to her now she runs in the opposite direction. I don't think she blames me for what happened but surely senses my sadness and I think that's what she's avoiding. Of course she's also very sad herself. Charlie was always her champion, fighting her battles like the gallant little soul that he was, once even taking on a Rottweiller in her defense (and, believe it or not, got the better of the Rottie!). Now he's gone and she seems so lost without him that I don't know what to do with her. This morning I took her with me to the animal hospital to return some of Charlie's unused pills and we saw a Westie there. Belle's face just lit up and she ran toward the Westie with such joy and excitement, it just about broke my heart. It really hurts too, that she's avoiding me, because she was always my faithful little shadow. If anyone has ideas about what I might do for this poor grieving dog, I would appreciate hearing them. I absolutely could not bear to lose her too.

Sorry for the length of this post. I just have so many feelings rolling around inside that I have to get them out. Thanks for indulging me!

Regards,

Charlie & Belle's Mom

Hello CharliesMom

Please accept my condolences for the sad loss of your dear Westie, Charlie. He sounds to be a great dog and I know you will be feeling heartbroken to lose him like that. Remember though that he was with his mom, in familiar surroundings and being cuddled and loved. Please take comfort in that.
We had a dear Westie too, her name was Frostie, and like your Charlie she succumbed to Kidney disease at the age of 8. She was my mums dog really, but was a big part of my teenage years and I'll never forget her.
Belle will be missing her fur brother so much that her behaviour will be 'different' for a while. Although it's sad to think of her being there at the time, in a way it will help her to understand. It's worse when our remaining fur babies are left in confusion when their fur siblings just suddenly vanish. She will need time to adjust to being the sole dog, but you will both be such a comfort for each other. Noushka took a few weeks to settle after we lost our darling Tasha. But settle she did, and she had a very happy life for the next 4 years. We lost her at the age of 13, just over 6 months ago.
Please let us know how you and Belle are getting on.
Thinking of you
Jan and my Angels and Pixie x

Here's another question: at what point are you ready to think about getting another dog? When I saw the way Belle responded to the Westie at the animal hospital today, I realized how confusing it must be for her to be an only dog. Except for the brief time Charlie was hospitalized, she's never been on her own. Of course I've been staying very close to home the past couple of days, not only because I'm still sort of a basket case myself, but also because I'm worried about leaving Belle alone. I know I'm not ready to get another dog just now, just as I'm equally sure I'll never be able to replace Charlie (he is and was truly irreplacable), but I want to do right by Belle too. Knowing how much he loved her, Charlie would never forgive me if I didn't.

Charlie's Mom,

With regard to your question, the answer is different for everyone. Only you will know when the time is right, or maybe it will take the 'right' dog coming into your life to make you see that you are ready. If you are not ready to get another dog, or sure about it....have you thought about fostering a homeless dog for a rescue or shelter group? It would give you an idea if you are ready for another dog, and would also help you see if another dog is what Belle needs and wants, plus you would be doing something great for a homeless dog. Just a suggestion.

Belle is grieving too and it is very normal, I watched my youngest dog grieve Maggie for several weeks and I still think she misses Maggie. You can help Belle by giving her extra attention, or doing new things with her...like an extra walk or a car ride somewhere.

I have no doubt you could ever replace Charlie, but a new dog will bring new love into your life!

I was given a book written by Eugene O'Neill titled; The Last Will and Testament of an Extremely Distinguished Dog, it is written in a way that it appears the dog has written it, and was written in the 1940's. Below is a quote from it:

~One last request I earnestly make. I have heard my Mistress say. "When Blemie dies we must never have another dog. I love him so much I could never love another one." Now I would ask her, for love of me, to have another. It would be a poor tribute to my memory never to have a dog again. What I would like to feel is that, having once had me in the family, now she cannot live without a dog! I have never had a narrow, jealous spirit. I have always held that most dogs are good. My successor can hardly be as well bred or as well mannered or as distinguished and handsome as I was in my prime. My Master and Mistress must not ask the impossible. But he will do his best, I am sure, and even his inevitable defects will help by comparison to keep my memory green. ~



BullyMama

I love this! And I am definitely going to look for this book. It sounds delightful. Charlie was a typical West Highland terrier whom the AKC describes as "possessed of no small amount of self-esteem." This passage, in fact, could easily have been written by Charlie, especially the part about never having had 'a narrow, jealous spirit.' I also like your idea of fostering a dog initially to see how Belle reacts. My vet has done a lot of volunteer work for Westie Rescue and I'm sure he could hook us up with a sweet little Westie who is in need of at least a temporary home. I know we'll never find another Charlie, but when my old dog died just after New Year's 9 years ago, I didn't think I could ever care for another dog as much. Then, three months later, I walked into a breeding pen and saw a litter of 3-day-old Westie pups, one of whom would grow up to be my very own Bonnie Prince Charlie. Thanks, Bully Mama. You've hit the nail on the head once again!

Barbara

Hi Barbara
I replied in your other thread too - I am so sorry about Charlie -- I, too, feel the way you do about the length of life of our Westie who was just over 11 -- I felt we took such good care of her and feel cheated that she only lived to be 11. I am not ready to get another dog yet -- but when I do I know there will be no guarantees on length of life, but I want to find a breeder who does have Westies that live longer than 11. I feel badly for Belle, I am certain she does miss her buddy Charlie. Let me know how the rescue goes if you find another Westie.
Take care
Sharon

Sharon,
I know what you mean. Charlie's birthday is this Saturday (he would have been 9) and I know it's going to be a hard, hard day for me. When I learned that his kidneys were badly atrophied, I set myself a goal of getting him at least to his 9th birthday and we fell short by a week. Your Sammy only lived to be 11, yet according to the experts, Westies generally live to be about 15. I even met one former Westie owner who told me her dog lived a few days past his 20th birthday! Charlie was just a puppy at the time, but I remember setting myself that goal, that I would take such good care of him that he'd live to be 20 too. That's kind of a bitter memory now, as you might imagine. One of the vet techs at my vet's office told me she sometimes thought God took the good ones early, but I can hardly believe that (if so, I'd end up being very angry with God!). It's just the luck of the draw, I suppose, but if I get another puppy I know for certain I'm going to make sure the parents have both been genetically tested. The breeder I got Charlie from was in it for profit. Mind you, it wasn't a puppy mill, at least not in the God-awful way you see on T.V. The dogs were all comfortably housed in individual kennels, each with their own dog doors for the moms to go out into the yard whenever they wanted a run in the large, fenced yard that surrounded the compound. But this breeder was definitely in business for profit more than love of the breed. They were recommended by my vet at the time, so I thought they must be all right, but I know a lot more now and will take every precaution if I decide to go that route. Still, how could I regret getting to know Charlie? And as you say, there are no guarantees about the length of life, even from the best breeders. Dogs, I've always said, have just one fault which is that they don't live long enough. If you allow yourself to love a dog, you're practically asking to have your heart broken one day. And yet we do it. Over and over again, some of us. Still, don't you think Westies are a little like potato chips? It's almost impossible to have just one!

So sorry for your loss.

It's terribly hard when they leave us before they should. I lost Lily June 2008, she was only eight. She died so suddenly and unexpectedly and I still hurt so much from her loss. Then just days later we found out our other dog, Hunny, had cancer. She lost that battle April 2009, also eight. So, I understand totally how hard it is to lose them so young. Both of them should have lived several years longer.

Hunny was sad and lost without Lily after she left us. It is so gut-wrenching to watch a beloved pet mourn the loss of their sibling. Lily was the only sister Hunny ever knew. We ended up adopting Izzy, a beagle, puppy-mill survivor, about ten days after losing Lily. Izzy could never replace Lily, ever, but Izzy did help Hunny after losing Lily. I know Hunny still had times where she missed Lil, but Izzy was a great help. I also believe that if we didn't have Izzy, Hunny wouldn't have fought as hard as she did.

I've lost many pets before too, but losing Hunny and Lily was probably the hardest of all of them. I now have four dogs. Yes, four. Three of which were given up for some reason or another. I'm a sucker for punishment I guess. As much as it hurts to lose them, I could never live without a dog.

Time does help. Takes a long time though. But I would never give up one second of the time I had with any of my babies, no matter how hard it is when they go. My best friends have always been dogs.

Once again, sorry for your loss.

Lynette.

Hi Barbara
I got a chuckle out of your comment about Westies being like potato chips -- you're right -- how can you have just one. I miss Sammy so much that I've been going out on You Tube looking at different videos people have made of their Westies -- while I know they are all different -- so many of them remind me of Sammy and some of her mannerisms. When you have time, can you email me privately and tell me who the breeder is that you got your baby Charlie from? I want to make sure I stay away from those who are just in it for the $$$$. I know we're not going to get one for the summer, but am thinking possibly next fall or winter. Take care.
Sharon

Hi again
I forgot to tell you that you sound alot like I was -- when we got Sammy I wanted her to live to be at least 20 -- in fact - so many times I would look at her and say -- Sammy - you have to live to be 22 or 25 -- you get to pick! She would always ## her head from side to side like Westies do as if she really understood what I was saying. I often wonder if it was the commercial dog food or the many vaccines that dogs are given nowadays. I just think that 9 and 11 is WAY too young to lose our babies. So many on this forum have lost theirs at a younger age too and it's just heartbreaking to hear of this. They should all live to be older than that in my opinion -- which obviously doesn't mean a hill of beans. I guess one of the reasons why I don't want to get another Westie right away is because I truly don't know what food I'd feed one -- I feel like there has to be something that I could do to make my next one live longer. The pain of losing them is just too much!

It's interesting what you say about so many of the people on these boards having lost their pets at an early age. I wonder if that's because there's so much bitterness and anger accompanying grief when you lose a pet prematurely. I've lost a lot of pets over the years, but most have lived well into their teens. But to lose Charlie, with whom I was more closely bonded than any animal I've ever known, just shy of his 9th birthday, is absolutely shattering. The only other dog I felt this way about was one my family had when I was growing up. She was another terrier (Rat terrier-Fox terrier mix) and she died at 11 of a brain tumor. I don't know why the best ones have to leave us so soon. Maybe it's not even true, but it certainly does seem that way. Of course as I've said before, anyone who gives their heart to an animal whose average lifespan is only a fraction of their own is practically begging to have it broken. Dogs, in my opinion, have only one fault: their lives are much too short. The one comfort we have is knowing that in the brief time they were with us, we did our very best to make their lives as good as they could be. I know that Charlie had a good life. I know he was happy. In fact, he seemed to have been born happy, but oh, how I miss him! Everywhere I look there are so many reminders. Hopefully, someday those reminders won't hurt so much and I'll be able to look back with a smile and only a twinge of sadness. Right now, however, it hurts pretty bad.

Dear Charlie's Mom--

I'm sorry I haven't written in your thread before this--I've been MIA from the Forum a lot lately, and am just now catching up.

Charlie sounds like a very special angel, one never to be forgotten. I feel so badly for you for losing him at such an early age. I had the same experience with one of my "healthy" dogs dying at seven, and I was so bereft that I literally WAILED for a week. (I have no family, so I was permitted that "luxury!")

When my pit-bull mix, Katy, died of either plague or poisoning at the age of eight, my great dane, Diva (who lived to be almost 14--almost unheard of for a dane), went into the deepest grief you can imagine. She ignored everything, she walked with her tail between her legs, she wouldn't eat, it was awful awful awful, since Diva was my alpha dog (and my "main man.") I couldn't bear it, so even though I would never have gone out and found another dog right away just for myself, I knew that Diva had to have a new companion.

So I put out the word at the local shelter, which was funded and run by a wealthy neighbor, that I was looking for a homeless something-or-other who could be a new companion to Diva. That was two weeks after Katy's death, and I felt in some ways that I was betraying her memory, though I also knew that I was not. And along came Luna, a goofy, disorganized weimaraner. Diva's tail perked up, she started prancing, and the rest, as they say, is history. The two bonded instantly and were together for the next five-plus years. Luna did not "replace" Katy--she succeeded Katy, and none too soon for Diva's sake. It took me a little longer to really warm up to Luna that it did for Diva, but of course I fell totally in love with her over time. and wailed all over again when SHE died!

The only problem is can see with fostering a pet is that often you end up having to give away that pet to someone else, and then the floodgates open up all over again. Of course, you can often also choose to keep the fostered pet.

It's totally up to you--there's no right or wrong about it. But dogs generally thrive when they have company, especially when they've grown up accustomed to it. Sometimes their grief does not go away UNTIL you bring a newbie into the household--though sometimes, I guess, they can adjust. I've always had two dogs or more, until now, when it's just me and Ladywolf. Lady is such a prima donna that she doesn't seem to mind being alone with me in her sickness and getting all the attention! But Lady is a totally unique sort of creature, being a wolf.

I have to run off to teach school or I'd write more. My heart is with you--I am so sorry about Charlie. Do what YOU think is best and I'm sure you'll have a good outcome.

Big big hugs--

Margi and Ladywolf

Hi Charlie's Mom,

Was thinking of you today. How are you and Belle doing?

*hugs*

BullyMama

Hi, BullyMama. Belle is doing better. She still has her moments, but then, so do I. I got a call from the vet's office today. Charlie's ashes have come back. We'll go pick them up tomorrow and bring him home. I bought a little urn with a Westie on it. I'm going to put it on a table near the window where he loved to sit and keep track of the neighbors. Next to that I'm going to place a picture of Charlie and a framed copy of the lyrics from the Celine Dion song "Fly." Do you know it? The lyrics are so perfect. I've copied them below:

Fly, fly little wing
Fly beyond imagining
The softest cloud, the whitest dove
Upon the wind of heaven's love
Past the planets and the stars
Leave this lonely world of ours
Escape the sorrow and the pain
And fly again

Fly, fly precious one
Your endless journey has begun
Take your gentle happiness
Far too beautiful for this
Cross over to the other shore
There is peace forevermore
But hold this memory bittersweet
Until we meet

Fly, fly do not fear
Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear
Your heart is pure, your soul is free
Be on your way, don't wait for me
Above the universe you'll climb
On beyond the hands of time
The moon will rise, the sun will set
But I won't forget

Fly, fly little wing
Fly where only angels sing
Fly away, the time is right
Go now, find the light

I am so sorry for your loss. I am in the same situation. My Shep is in her final days and my other dog will be miserable without her, I already know it. I have read some things about grieving dogs, they do adjust. "They" say never to get another dog FOR YOUR dog, unless you want another dog, because the final dog will adjust in time.

Here is one article I read that may help. You can google "grieving dog" and find more articles: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.p...;A=1400&S=1

Take care.

Well, I don't know if I've discovered a way to help one dog get over the loss of another, but within a few days of Charlie's death, I knew I would probably get another Westie someday. So many of the things I loved about Charlie are characteristic of the breed, and Belle has always had a Westie in her life, so I thought it might be a good idea to put in an application for a rescue dog. I'd been told that it can take up to a year to find the right match, so even though it hasn't been that long since we lost Charlie, I thought I'd go ahead and get the ball rolling. To make a long story short, Westie Rescue contacted me about noon today and asked if I'd be willing to temporarily foster a 3-year-old male who had nowhere else to go. I couldn't think of any reason why not, so this afternoon Belle and I went to pick him up. He might be 3 years old, but let me tell you, this little guy has the energy of a 6 month old pup! He's hardly stopped to take a breath since he arrived. Cokie (his name is actually Coconut, but that's too much of a mouthful for every day) was surrendered by his owners who decided they couldn't handle him any more. Apparently they kept him in a crate pretty much all the time so whenever he got out he just went wild. (Well, duh!) I only just put him in the crate a few minutes ago (he's been whirling like a dervish since about 3 p.m. this afternoon) so he could wind down and it looks like he's falling asleep. My God, what an energetic little boy! He loves to play fetch, which is not characteristic of Westies who don't have much of a retrieving instinct. Cokie, however, could do it all day - and, in fact, has! I tried throwing a tennis ball down the basement stairs so he'd have to go down and then up again which I thought would wear him out, but after about 34 throws he was still going strong. I finally moved off to do something else, and to my hilarity, discovered him dropping the ball down the stairs himself, racing down to get it and then running back up again to start all over. Honestly! I also realized that his eagerness to play fetch gave me a bargaining chip, so I've been teaching him "sit" and "down" in exchange for each throw. He's learning pretty quickly, which is good because I don't think his former owners taught him much. He seems to be housebroken, but is also very skittish which isn't surprising considering how confused he must be. In spite of all that, he's quite a cuddler. He's jumped up into my lap a couple of times and seems to really enjoy a good snuggle. He's not Charlie, that's for sure. Charlie was in a class by himself, but this little guy has his own brand of slightly poltergeist charm.

Belle, however, hasn't taken to Cokie very well. She seemed pathetically eager to meet him at first, but then he started to annoy her and she finally snapped at him which has caused him to avoid her ever since (I think she scares him a little). Her nose seems very much out of joint at present. I've been giving her lots of extra attention, but it's obvious she thinks this little guy has some nerve, looking so much like Charlie and yet not being him. On top of that, he keeps racing around like he's demented or something, and Belle is clearly scandalized by the entire situation. I'm not sure we'll be keeping this little one. He is very sweet, but I don't know if I can handle this much energy, so we'll keep him for awhile and see how it goes. I'll also have to see how Belle does after a few days of having him around. I'll keep reassuring her that she's the top dog and always will be my favorite girl, and hopefully she'll come around.

At any rate, since Cokie seems to have passed out in his crate, I think I'll get ready for bed. Don't know about you, but I'm bushed. I wonder why?????

Barbara

Hi Barbara
Does Cokie remind you of Charlie at all? My brother in law who we went to visit this weekend has a 3 month old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel/Bichon mix puppy. Her name is Brandy and she's a cutie -- but I was petting her and playing with her and it made me realize that I"m not ready for another dog at all yet. It made me really sad to be around her. It was a strange feeling that I wasn't expecting at all.
Give Belle and Cokie a hug from me -- (give Belle ane extra one since she's a little out of sorts with Cokie)..
Sharon

Cokie reminds me of Charlie as a puppy, but by the time he was a year old he was already well trained and relatively calm too - for a Westie, that is. But of course Charlie had someone to love and teach him from earliest puppyhood and this little guy hasn't had anyone.

He's come a long way in just a few days, however. Last night I made a rather sickening discovery. One of the reason the former owners cited for getting rid of him was that he was still urinating in the house. Although we have a dog door and Cokie learned to use it right away, I still saw evidence of a few 'accidents.' My philosophy has always been to ignore it if you don't catch them in the act, but if you do, a sudden, sharp "No!" followed by immediate removal to an appropriate spot outdoors and lots of praise, praise, praise when they do it in the proper place, works wonders. Well, I caught Cokie in the act, but when I said "No!" he looked terrified and ran away to hide in his crate. When I reached for him, he snarled and tried to bite, as if he was fighting for his life. I immediately knew the poor little guy had been subjected to some very harsh punishment which made me angry and sad at the same time. There is always a temptation to pity a dog like that and shower them with affection, but in my experience that only reinforces the aggression and usually makes it worse. You really can't let a dog get away with such behavior, especially not terriers, and my job as a foster parent, after all, is to help him become adoptable. At any rate, I put Cokie on his back to let him know that snarling and biting would not be tolerated and held him with a firm but gentle hand until he surrended. After he calmed down, I petted him and assured him in very soothing tones that no one would ever hurt him again. He seemed to believe me, because he hasn't had another accident and seems a lot calmer and happier too.

The Rescue coordinator is very impressed with what I've managed to accomplish with Coconut in such a short time and wants me to take in another little fosterling as soon as this one is placed. And it seems they may have already found a forever home for him! They posted a picture I emailed to them on their website this morning and this afternpon a couple who have already adopted several Rescues phoned to say they're very interested in meeting Coconut. It it weren't for Belle, I might keep him myself because he is a sweet little boy who seems very eager to give his love to somebody, but he's really too intense for Belle and I'm sure we'll find our own forever friend in a future foster 'kid.' Unfortunately, there are a lot of little orphans out there to choose from. Why some people bother to get dogs at all is beyond me. Coconut is a perfect case in point. He's a lovely little dog, very intelligent and extremely affectionate, but nobody's ever taken the time to discover it before now. I feel pretty good about Coconut, really, and the experience has gone a long way toward lifting the pall of gloom that's been hanging over me since Charlie's death. But it really is to Charlie's credit that I've done it at all. As I've already said, so many of the things I loved about him are characteristic of the breed and if losing him inspires me to give back some measure of the joy he gave to me in such abundance, I really can't think of a more fitting legacy. If I ever needed proof that his spirit is still here and nudging me to action, well, this is it. It's kinda cool, actually.

Barbara

P.S. Just wanted to add, Sharon, that the first night I had Cokie, I felt that same 'sad' feeling you mention. I kept comparing him to Charlie, and of course it wasn't a fair comparison because Charlie had every advantage and was, therefore, exceptional. However, Westies being Westies, Cokie's own personality began to assert itself rather quickly and I got over it in a surprisingly short amount of time. You probably would too if you got another Westie. They have a way of wiggling their way into your heart as unique and very dynamic individuals, bless them.

Hi Barbara--

All of what you are doing now is SO COOL!! Good for you for bringing some new--and rather frenetic--energy into your house. Good for you too for recognizing that Cokie is probably not what your family needs--and it's terrific that the rescue may have already found a home for him. As you say, you will know when the time and the dog are right, for Belle and everyone else.

I don't have much time to write today--I just wanted to congratulate you for jumping right into it. You go, girl!!!

Hugs--Margi and Ladywolf

Thank you, Margi. I think it's pretty cool myself. The couple I mentioned came over this afternoon to meet Cokie and were so charmed by him - as I knew they would be - they decided to take him home right away. I will certainly miss him (and so will Belle, though she wouldn't admit it to save her life) but as I said, there are plenty of other little orphans out there and I'm sure Rescue will find me a new fosterling before long. In the meantime, I will focus more attention on Belle and help build her confidence. But God bless Charlie for bringing this opportunity into my life! I have no doubt at all that his spirit is guiding me, so I really have to do my very best to make him proud.

Barbara

Hi Barbara
You are a really wonderful person to be helping out these Westie rescues. I think Charlie is working through you! Maybe Belle will like the next one you foster so much that you'll get to keep him or her permanently. I'm trying to keep my head above water here and not dwell on my sadness with Sammy so much. We don't have a local Westie rescue chapter that I know of -- I'll have to check it out to make sure -- but that would be a good thing to do. I've been helping out our local humane society as much as possible -- I know that Sammy would want me to do that. One of the Westie breeders that I've been in contact with let me know that she had 3 females born about 4 days ago. It's tempting to tell her that we want one -- but I have so many things to work through yet about a new puppy. Like - what do I feed it -- which vaccines do they really need ( wow - from the books I've been reading - it's those annual vaccines that cause so many of the illnesses and cancers in our animals). I have to come to some decisions on this so I can relax and enjoy a new puppy when we finally do get one.

Take care.
Sharon

Well, if the pups are 4 days old, they won't be able to leave their mother for another 7 1/2 weeks and you can get a lot of reading done in that time! Actually, I just spoke to the Rescue Coordinator and she told me they have 3 little female puppies whose mother was rescued from a puppy mill. They're 11 weeks old now but they're only allowing 'veteran' Westie owners to adopt them. Apparently she thinks I'm a veteran (I did raise Charlie from puppyhood) because she suggested I drive down to Colorado Springs this week (I live in the Denver area) and take a look at them. I'm going on Thursday, with Belle, to see them and also to see how Belle responds. A pup might just drive her up a wall, but she's very good with human babies, so maybe she'll take to canine babies. I suppose it would be a way of killing two birds with one stone. Part of me wants to start over with a puppy, but another part really wants to help a Rescue, so this might be the best of both worlds. Also, a female would be different enough that I might not make comparisons to Charlie. I'm sure the pups are adorable. All puppies are cute, but Westie puppies are so cute they ought to be outlawed. Anyway, hopefully the nice weather will hold out so I can make the drive. Monument Pass can get ugly when it snows and we always get snow right before Easter. It's like a tradition or something. A stupid tradition, but a tradition nevertheless.

You might want to go see the pups that were just born. I saw Charlie for the first time when he was only 3 days old. They're adorable even at that age, like little white rats, only cuter. They make peeping sounds, like baby chicks, and their little ears are the size of commas. You may not be able to handle them (a responsible breeder isn't supposed to let you touch such young puppies, though the breeder I got Charlie from did) but you might be able to look at them and see how you feel. Couldn't hurt. In fact, it might help you come to a decision about whether or not you're ready. When I first saw Charlie, I was still getting over the loss of an older dog three months earlier. I wasn't sure I was ready then either, but one look at those little white rats and I was gone. I couldn't wait for the next 8 weeks to pass. and it actually felt kind of nice to have something to look forward to. Try it and see!

Barbara

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Belle will take to one of these babies -- this might just be what both of you need! I wish I could go to see those new pups, but the breeder is about 900 miles away and that's just too far to go for me right now. I've had a couple of good days now -- I'm getting my things ready to make my memory photo album and am thinking this is going to be a healing process for me as well. Have a wonderful day and let me know what Belle thinks of the puppies.
Sharon

900 miles is indeed a long way. I'm glad to hear you've had a couple of good days, though. I'm sure the memory album will be therapeutic. I put together a DVD of Charlie's photos with Phil Collins' "You'll Be in My Heart" playing in the background, and I found it very therapeutic. It reminded me what a happy life he had and how much joy he brought, not just to me, but so many others as well. I hope putting together all Sammy's photos does the same for you, Sharon. I'll let you know how it goes with the puppies tomorrow (I might even take a few photos, if I get the chance). Take care!

Barbara

Good luck with your trip tomorrow. Tell Belle to pick out "the very best one". Send me a picture if you get the chance to take one.
I'll be thinking of you and Belle.
Sharon