Run Run RUn Run

Bailey is good. She likes having a yard to herself at the new place.

What is a grand-dog?

Steph's dad, Chuck, loves Bailey. We really think he might love her more than we do. By the way his eyes lit up the first time we saw her, you'd think Steph had delivered Bailey herself. Since then, we've received regular calls and text messages checking in on, as he puts it, "the grand-dog." It is very cute. And frightening! If this is a measuring stick, he might kidnap our children when we have them. He certainly won't want to let them out of his sight.

Love at first sight

Proud Grandpa

Chuck, His Girls, and Bailey

Big Yawns, Total Adoration

The Perfect Food/Water Dish

White Fluff Is Scary

The proceeding blog happened several weeks ago:

Bailey made a new friend, but she had to really try. On the way home from Emily and Lance's wedding, we stopped in Daytona to see some some of our friends. Not Daytona Beach, mind you, but Daytona. Past the world famous Cabbage Patch, out in the country. Literally. Their neighborhood is called "A Quiet Place in the Country." That's a little wordy, if you ask me, but the good folks of Daytona didn't request my help in naming the neighborhood. So, Bailey's getting her first visit to farm country.



Our friends,Beau* and Shelly, of A Quiet Place in the Country fame, have a 1 year old Vizsla named Coppitt (named after Big Coppitt Key in the Florida). Coppitt is large and in charge. Well, large at least. She's really a beautiful full grown specimen of her breed, and made little Bailey look tiny.

As Shelly came out to greet us, Coppit followed....until she saw Bailey. As soon as Bailey made her presence known, Coppitt put on the brakes like a 100 foot T-Rex had stepped into her driveway. As we learned in the blockbuster sensation Jurassic Park, T-Rex can't see you if you aren't moving. I'm assuming Coppitt's seen the movie, because she froze as if the white fluffy beast that is our Bailey wouldn't notice her if she was perfectly still. Of course, Bailey isn't a dinosaur, and both can smell and see, so she quickly ran over to Coppitt to play. Our little socialite was eager to make her first four legged friend. Coppitt, however, has some sort of anxiety disorder. She freaked out. Every time Bailey would come close, she would back away. At one point, as everyone laughed, she crawled into Shelly's lap to get away from Bailey. This went on for at least ten minutes. Bailey tried to get close to sniff Coppitt, and a shaking Coppitt would do whatever it took to avoid letting her get within licking distance.

One of the most endearing traits of Westies is that they are persistent (which, consequently is one of the most annoying traits as well, but we'll stick with endearing here). The more Coppitt ran away, the more Bailey insisted that they were to become friends. Eventually, Coppitt gave in. I can understand this, as it is my typical reaction. They started playing. Coppitt taught Bailey chase. Bailey taught Coppitt that she is never "it" by running under the car as a safe place.

They played and played. Coppitt taught Bailey all sorts of stuff. How to use the puppy door. How to run around the yard. How to push through the bushes. How to worry the people that you'll fall in the freezing water. Bailey repayed Coppitt for all of the lessons by stealing her toys and run under low objects so that Coppitt would bump her head.

It was great fun to watch them get more and more comfortable with each other. By the end of the play session, we were sure that they had bonded and will be friends for life. One of the things we really wanted was to have a social dog that we could take anywhere. This was one of the first signs that she was exactly what we wanted in that regard.

Coppit shows Bailey the pool (Shimene, get out of the picture).

*If you're in to fishing (or know someone who is), check out Beau's venture: My Fish. It's an angler assisted fisheries management site. It's a pretty neat effort towards conservation by sharing experiences with other anglers.

The Watcher

Bailey has a new au pair. Well, not exactly. She's just a dog-walker, but she's still wonderful, and Bailey loves her. Two days a week, when I'm not home, Christy, the doggie au pair, comes and plays with Bailey, takes her on walks, and generally spoils her.



Why do we do this? I have no idea. Steph feels bad leaving Bailey at home alone that long, so we're buying friends for our little girl. This dog has a nanny, folks, she's enrolled in doggy kindergarten, and I can only imagine what comes next. Is there a dog equivalent of a Florida 529 plan? If there is, I'd like to know, so I can get a jump on it. They say its never too early to start thinking about college. My spoiled little puppy may want to be a scholar one day.

Life's A Beach

Last weekend, while staying at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club for our friend Emily's wedding, Bailey got her first beach experience. Fortunately, we stayed on the beach (No Dogs allowed, and staying in the main part of the hotel would have required sneaking her through a lobby). When we arrived, Bailey hung out on the bed while we unpacked our things. I could tell by the way she was staring out the window that she was interested in checking out that vast expanse of sand. Actually, I think she was trying to figure out how to maim a sea gull, but that's a little less romantic.

At any rate, it came time to go for a walk, and we had to make a choice. Walk on the sidewalk and risk getting caught and kicked out of the hotel, or try out the beach. Naturally, we chose the beach. I was a bit worried that Bailey was going to cover herself in sand, but we went that direction anyway.

Upon stepping off the boardwalk, Bailey looked like she was in heaven. "What is this soft, heavenly substance, that smells like the remains of dead plankton,?" her eyes seemed to ask. Then she started digging. She dug, stuck her nose in the newly uncovered sand, dug some more. She bounced around, searching feverishly to discover every particle in the region, smelling the air, then covering her nose with more sand. It was the cutest moment she had had so far. It was also a relief to me and Steph. Being the beach lovers we are, we had hoped for a dog that would appreciate all that the beach has to offer.

The beach from Bailey's perspecective. Looks like a sea of sand.

LDtL: Tebow Edition

They say dogs and babies are the best judges of a person's character. Despite the gushing from every college football analyst out there about what a great person Tim Tebow is, I have to believe that there is something lacking. I offer two bits of evidence. Crying babies (granted, he had just sliced their private parts), and this:




Just like her parents, Bailey hates Tim Tebow. I was reading the latest Sports Illustrated, she took one look at it, and ripped the cover off. Guess who was on the cover? Yep, ole' number 15 himself.


The first thing she did was rip his face off....literally. Wow!


...moving on to chew up the uni.


The aftermath. Bailey doesn't take kindly to the "Gator Chomp." She probably gets that from her mom. There was a story about a five year old several years back, but this blog is strictly PG rated, so it won't be told here. Just let it be known that neither Bailey, nor Steph, will tolerate that kind of behavior.

I Love Trips

One thing we've quickly realized about Bailey is that she is perfect for our lifestyle. By that, I mean she loves to travel. It doesn't matter if it's a quick trip to the store, a ride around town, or a 6 hour road trip, she has been nothing but happy to tag along.

Well, this past weekend, we discovered that the six hour road-trip worked. Based on the little time we'd had in the car thus far, I figured she would sleep a lot. After all, she's a girl after my own heart, and something about the perfect purr of an engine puts me to sleep. Whether we would need to stop every hundred miles for bathroom breaks, have enough playtime, or any number of other things were unknown to us.

We get in the car and go. She visited both of us (the carrier opens on both ends, and conveniently fits between the two front seats, making a tunnel for her to walk back and forth between us), then passed out. Big surprise. One thing that impressed me is that she limited her food and water intake, as if she knew that doing so would cause her to need to stop less, thus making her a better travel companion. I've traveled with a lot of people and animals in my lifetime, and I have to say that very few got this concept. Old men are the worst. Bailey is the best. No whining, no going in the car, just napping, playing, and watching the open road go by.

The funniest part happened on the way home. The more comfortable Bailey gets, the more she wants to push the limits of what she's doing. On the way up, most of the sleeping occurred in the carrier. Towards the end, she started napping on Steph's lap, and finally, in Steph's arms. On the way home, however, she decided to explore new sleeping places. She started in Steph's arms, while I was driving. After a while, we switched off drivers and Steph took the wheel. Bailey decided that her vantage point would be better if she climbed up Steph. She took her position on Steph's chest by the window. About two minutes of looking out was all that it took for her to fall over asleep. She collapsed in Steph's arms and started snoring. Next thing we know, in her ever restless state, she has climbed up on Steph's shoulder and has her head on the back of the seat. This didn't last long either, and Bailey nuzzled her way down Steph's back, rear end still up on Steph's shoulders, and fell asleep upside down, completely squished between Steph and the seat. How she found this comfortable is beyond me, but she stayed like that for a good half hour. Strangest thing I've ever seen, but amusing, nonetheless.

Catching Up

We had a busy weekend, and I've been covered up with schoolwork and taking care of Bailey while at home the last several days, so things have been slow on the blog. We'll be catching up on Bailey's escapades over the next day and a half. Keep an eye out for:

* New Friends

* I Love My Granddog

* Marital Bliss

* Fun in the sun

...and Much Much More

Layin' Down at the Law Office

I dropped off a package at the vet's office. Unlike the movies, I didn't leave it on the doorstep on fire.

Then, Bailey and I went to Steph's office for lunch. Everyone at the law firm apparently wanted to see her. We went in and got attacked. She was snatched out of the carrier at the door, and everyone fell in love with he like we did the first time we saw her. I guess puppies have that effect. Through it all, she was her cool, calm self. I swear, this dog is the reincarnated form of Authur Fonzarelli. Everything is taken in stride, puppy zen style. After introductions, we wandered across the street to Altin's Cafe. Apparently, acting cool is had work, because Bailey laid down in her carrier and fell asleep, despite the hustle and bustle that is Fifth Avenue South during season in Naples.











One thing lunch made me realize about myself is that I am just as neurotic a parent as Stephanie. With Bailey and her carrier, I brought a baby bag full of puppy wipes, treats, her leash, water bowl, a few toys, and trash bags. Not a single item in the bag was used, most weren't necessary in any situation that could have happened that day. Yet, I brought them all, thinking that Bailey's lunchtime outing might not be perfect without them. I wonder how I'm going to react to a two legged child. Babysitting, child-care, bad friends, and public school are some of my biggest fears, and babies are still years away. Hopefully, Bailey will continue to teach me these kind of things about myself, and I won't be the worst parent ever.

Dr. Angstrom says War Eagle

Today, we met Bailey's new doctor. His name is Dr. Angstrom, and he's an Auburn Vet School grad. For those that don't know, Auburn has one of the most highly ranked vet schools in the nation (the most highly ranked in some areas), so she's in good hands. Plus, there's something about a handshake and a "War Eagle" in an introduction. I wanted to take a picture with him and Bailey, but Steph insisted that they might not let us come back if I did that. Enough about my infatuation with her new doc, though, this is about Bailey.

Back to the vet visit later, today marked another first: first day at home alone for our little girl. Given the struggle we've had with her and the crate at night (she is getting better, though), we were a little nervous about leaving her home alone. Well, Steph was, anyway. I figured that the neighbors might hate us, but that Bailey'd be okay. Steph's nerves were so shot over the prospect of Bailey having a bad day at home alone that she was nearly in tears. So, this morning marked the moment of truth. We got up early, and I took Bailey on her longest walk yet. I figured that she might sleep through at least lunch if I wore her out. Well, I might have started a little too early, as she collapsed a couple of times on the walk. I pushed her to finish the drill, though, and she hunkered down and made it happen (that's your Granddog, Chuck!). After going through the morning motions, we padded her crate with extra blankets, stuck a new interactive chew toy inside(it spits out treats- how cool is that?), threw some ice cubes in the tray, turned on the floor fan and radio, and tiptoed to the door. She watched us walk down the stairs, but didn't make a noise. I stood outside the door and listened for a minute, but not a peep. She really is a fantastic dog. I expected that she would have cried herself to sleep, but she wouldn't have any of that. Steph said she whimpered a little after lunch, but she was just playing with her toys when I came home that afternoon.

On to the vet. We really didn't know what the visit would entail, only that it was necessary for the warranty. I guess this is where she differs from having a new baby. Those don't come with warranties. At any rate, we walk in, and it's by far the happiest vet's office I've ever been in (granted, this is only the second I've ever seen, but that doesn't make it any less happy). Everything was sterile, yet inviting. There was a ton of seating, technicians in nurse scrubs, and a big picture of a cat and rabbit hugging one another. It made me, personally, pretty happy. But more importantly, Bailey was relaxed there. I wish my doctor went to such lengths to make me relaxed as Bailey's did for his patients. The nurse asked for poop. We didn't bring any. Fail. They let us stay, though, and went through with the exam. Steph asked the thousand questions that you would expect a new neurotic mom to, and the doctor was very gracious to answer them all. I learned that we're going to brush Bailey's teeth. I had no idea that this was something that normal people did. For some reason, I had always been under the impression that milkbones were enough. Doctor A. told us that she was healthy, teething, and growing big muscles (that morning walk, I tell ya) and needed to come back in two weeks for shots. I'm sure she'll love that, but at least she got to check out the place before they start poking her with sharp objects. All in all, a successful visit.

I have to take poop tomorrow.

When do they start sleeping through the night?

I haven't slept the past two nights. While I know its not the same, bringing home Bailey has been a lot like bringing home a new baby. She doesn't sleep through the night, and the majority of the attention we give her involves food or bathroom issues. That being said, she's a wonderful addition to our family, and we love her.

The biggest confusion I have is why she can't sleep all night. If there's one thing this dog knows how to do at this point, it's sleep. I've taken no less than 50 pictures of her napping (part of that is, she's always napping, part of it involves my obsession with documenting her ever moment- another reason I think she's like a new baby).Yesterday, we took her shopping with us...shopping for her, of course.
The first store, PetSmart, she was carried around in her fancy dog bag by me. She was good, didn't make a noise, and seemed pretty relaxed, despite the loud pet noises and constant people peeping in her bag making loud squeely noises (strangers make odd noises in the presence of a cute new puppy). On to the second store, For Footed Friends. Steph decided to carry her in this store, and low and behold, Bailey passes right out in her arms. Steph walked around cradling her on her back, people petting her, commotion all around, and Bailey lays there, the whole time with her eyes close. Steph compared it to her father sleeping in Synagogue, out for the count without a care in the world. So, why, if she can fall asleep at a moments notice, can she not stay asleep for more than a couple of hours at night? It baffles me.




Other notes:

* She's doing very good with the outside bathroom thing. We're probably a little better than 75% right now, far better than I expected two days in.

* There's a bit of nipping issue. I don't mind it so much right now, but her teeth are sharp, and I don't want it to be a long term thing. I know it's just puppy play, so hopefully we can start curbing this soon.

*She's a fantastic traveler. The car puts her right to sleep, and she hasn't minded getting carried around stores or meeting new people the last two days. I can't wait to see how she does with the trek to Jacksonville next week.

*This dog is built to explore and hunt. Fascinating to watch the wheels turn.

*If you're ever in Naples, check out that For Footed Friends place. Granola-Hippy store for dogs. Everything's all natural, and the staff is the coolest set of tree hugging pet lovers ever.

*If you can't tell by the pictures, she is tiny. I think she's around four pounds at this point, and can't even thing about walking though the tall St.Augustine grass in our neighborhood. She moves by a series of leaps and pounces.


Here are some more random pictures to enjoy.






Playing at bedtime



Full on vermin attacker...and she loves my Auburn blanket



Who doesn't love a good belly rub?



I look happy, but inside I'm thinking that her chewing is really painful.



Little Bailey discovers the back of the couch.

Coming Home

"I've been waiting on this puppy for 20 years," Stephanie said. You see, her childhood pet got killed in a tragic accident twenty years ago, and for various reasons, she was never able to replace it. Apparently, it left a hole in her heart that needed to be filled. Last fall, after a 3 week long dogsitting venture, a small comment by me set in motion the path to fill it. I told her I was thinking about giving in to the puppy idea. That was all she needed to hear, and she immediately began scouring the internet to find the perfect dog for us. She stumbled upon a little site called Nancy's Westies, hosted by a hobby breeder in Arkansas. There, she picked out our new "child," the little red girl from Mairi's litter, so named because of the red scrunchie around her neck.


Deposits were sent, contracts were signed, payments were sent, and she technically became ours. Nancy added blurb to her website showing our little girl as taken, and that she would be "Layin' down the Law in Naples, FL."



Since it's been Steph's dream, and she did the legwork, primary naming rights belonged to her. She decided on Bailey, the last name of Boss and Champ, two prolific former UGA football players. I got to pick a name that will never be used, except in the papers we send into the AKC, and decided on Jordan (pronounced Jerden), after Shug Jordan, the famous Auburn football coach. So it was set, and all we had to do was wait.

The week she was supposed to arrive, we got a call from Nancy, letting us know she would be in Friday, a day earlier than expected. Since Stephanie had literally been counting down the days for at least a month, this extra day excited her, and she let out an excited squeal in her office. Everything was in order and we eagerly awaited her arrival at Delta Cargo. We tracked her online all day, from initial boarding in Arkansas, to a connection in Atlanta, to arrival in Ft.Myers. At last, Bailey was home.

She got out of the car, and did her business outside. YES! One for one. Our timid little puppy came in, did some exploring, did some inside business (dang, she's not perfect), and got used to us. It was amazing how quickly she went from scared, timid little puppy at the airport, to part of our pack. After a strong play session with every one of her new toys, she snuggled up on the couch with Steph and passed out. Literally, no warning, one second bouncy, tail wagger, the next eyes closed snoring. Funniest thing I've ever seen.

Finally, time to relax. I woke my two ladies up, and we headed towards the bedroom. Naturally, you wake a puppy, up, and it is no longer tired. We put her on the bed to wind back down, until she tried to fall asleep again. Since we're crate training her, into her carrier she went. Boy, did she not like that! I can imagine. First night away from home, no other dogs around, when there had always been several to snuggle with, and now you're stuck in this little dark box all alone. Yeah, I'd have a problem with that scenario, too. At that moment, though, we realized how loud a tiny little dog like her could whine. There's no way I'm sleeping tonight, I thought. Finally I realized that snapping my fingers distracted her, and eventually she laid down and passed out...for two hours.

One a.m., more whining, outside she goes to do what puppies do. Back in the crate, she cried herself to sleep in a matter of a couple of minutes. 3:45 am. More of the same. 7 am, guess its time to get up for the day. I'm exhausted, but we're at a better than 60% success rate with inside to outside bathroom duty, so I guess everything is going okay. We love her, and she seems to think we're okay as a replacement pack.

my apologies for the fuzzy camerphone images. The camera and video camera are both charged and ready to go for the future.