Take Paws

Scottie Box

Vicki — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:27:29 GMT

Check out this really cool wooden box my niece found in her Grandmother's things. Of course she thought of me to pass this on to. How cool is this?

Litter of Wheaten Pups Born 6/24/09

Vicki — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:22:27 GMT

We have a healthy litter of 7 pups borns 6/24/09. One pup is already adopted! There are two white girls like mama and the rest are a darker wheaten like dad. Check our puppy page for more pictures!

MacTavish Scotties is Expecting Puppies!

Vicki — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:59:05 GMT

WE ARE EXPECTING A LITTER OF WHEATEN PUPS REALLY SOON! BY 1ST OF JULY AT LATEST!
A visit to the vet tomorrow for a check up - hopefully we can tell how many babies at this time... but there are always surprises!
Mama Bailey is doing fine - starting to slow down a bit - tummy is getting pretty round! Stay tuned for updates.

A Scoland Terrier

Vicki — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:07:03 GMT

After owning 2 Scottie/Westie mixes, I have come across a British website describing this 'designer' dog.

Update: Here is a link to photos of Scottie Westie mixes on Flickr. They have both black and white Scoland terriers or Wescotts if you prefer.
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A Scoland Terrier is what you get when you cross a Scottie and a Westie. And to make sure you've got the real thing, you can order your dog DNA tested. The best way to determine the temperament of a mixed breed is to look up all breeds in the cross and know you can get any combination of any of the characteristics found in either breed. These dogs should be bred at 50% purebred to 50% purebred.

Two Scoland Terriers at the left. My Teddy is at the right, as a baby. He is very brindle and believes himself to be all Scottie! He is a little leaner and not stout like most of the Scotties!
Teddy Now!

This 'new' dog breed name was a surprise to me... but now we know! We have a Scoland Terrier!

Flea & Tick Warning from EPA

Vicki — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:54:03 GMT

Increased Scrutiny of Flea and Tick Control Products for Pets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is intensifying its evaluation of spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control due to recent increases in the number of reported adverse reactions in pets treated with these products. Adverse reactions reported range from mild effects such as skin irritation to more serious effects such as seizures and, in some cases, death of the pet.

Flea and tick products can be appropriate treatments for protecting your pets and your family’s health because fleas and ticks can transmit disease. While many people use the products with no harm to their pets, EPA recommends that pet owners take precautions when using these products. People should carefully follow label directions and monitor their pets for any signs of an adverse reaction after application, particularly when using these products for the first time. Also, before use of these products on weak, aged, medicated, sick, pregnant or nursing pets, or on pets that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to pesticide products, EPA recommends that a veterinarian be consulted. Additional safety tips are available for taking care of fleas and ticks on your pet .

Pets may experience adverse reactions from flea and tick control products, including spot-on treatments, sprays, collars and shampoos. However, the majority of reports to EPA are related to flea and tick treatments with EPA-registered spot-on products. Spot-on products are generally sold in tubes or vials and are applied to one or more localized areas on the body of the pet, such as in between the shoulders or in a stripe along the back.

EPA has provided a listing of EPA-registered spot-on flea and tick products (10 pp, 63.45 K, About PDF )

Resources

Luxury for the Pampered Pooch

Vicki — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:06:20 GMT

If you like to pamper your pooches or just like to occasionally get that something special.... there are some really nice websites for Scottie type stuff:

Campbells Scottish Terriers: cards, fabric, gifts galore!

Scottie Connection is another site for really unique gifts (one of my favorites)
PuppyDogPlaids is a great site for plaid leashes, collars, bandannas, etc.
Aren't these collars great for Scotties and Westies?

TheScottyDogs - another fun site with some unique gifts

If you have a favorite site, please post a comment with a link so we can check it out!!!

REMEMBER: Life is Merrier with a Scottish Terrier

Great dog treat cookie cutter

Vicki — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:30:25 GMT

If you like to make your own dog treats, this is the greatest invention ever! It is a Multi-Bone Cookie Cutter from www.gooddogexpress.com and will save lots of time. It really is easy and quick to whip up a batch of healthy dog treats! My dogs luv the home baked stuff. I don't even do homemade for me. Go figure! But homemade treats are so much healthier and you can make everything from peanut butter treats to apple cinnamon to veggie treats. Give it a try. You and your dogs will get hooked on this. Saving money AND healthy? What could be better?

A great source for recipes is bullwrinkle.com or just google for dog treat recipes - there are dozens of sites on the web! Bon Appetite!

Water Safety for Your Scottish Terrier

Vicki — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:08:38 GMT

Be very careful if you let your Scots swim. Drowning may not seem like a breed-specific health issue, but pools are a big risk to Scotties – especially Scottie pups. They love the water and they love swimming, but they’re notoriously bad at it. Scots in the water must be closely supervised, and Scots in a pool or other abruptly deep water should be avoided at all costs. If you have a pool or pond, it must be securely fenced in before you get a Scottie, and your family must be committed to keeping things secure.

Scottie drownings in pools are such a problem that the American Kennel Club sends a warning about them to everyone who registers a Scot. Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t take your Scottie with you to the cottage! As long as they have the option to swim back when they (quickly) get tired, they can enjoy the cottage lifestyle along with you. Pools don’t usually provide this option. (Scottie-sized life jackets are more and more available these days – dogs who spend a lot of time around the water should have one.)

Paws Aboard Doggy Life Jacket and Designer Doggy Life Jackets

Have a safe and fun summer!

Keeping your dog occupied is easy when you have a Kong toy!

Vicki — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:05:16 GMT

Often dogs experience the most separation anxiety when you first leave. If you can take up this nervous energy and divert their attention, destructive behavior can be avoided. Dogs are used to working for their food in the wild and working at getting a reward is why we love dogs so much.

A Kong is a molded rubber dog toy that dogs love to chew on. It is virtually indestructible and comes in many different sizes and densities to fit your dogs size and chewing style.

Recipe for a busy dog:

Simply fill the Kong with canned dog food. (Use a spoon and cram it full)
Place the filled Kong in the freezer (should take about two hours to completely freeze)
Give the Kong to your dog when you leave in the morning.

The Kong will insulate the frozen dog food and keep it frozen. The dog can bite at it and lick it, but can only get very small bits of dog food to come off at any one time. This will keep your dog busy for an hour or two and keep their mind off you being gone. Because the dog food is frozen, it doesn't end up on your carpet.

MAY is PET CANCER AWARENESS MONTH — The #1 Disease-Related Killer of our Dogs and Cats.

Vicki — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:59:42 GMT

	You probably don’t realize it, but dogs and cats get cancer at approximately the same rate as people do. Unfortunately, 80%of pet parents know little or nothing about pet cancer.

	That's why it's so important to learn all you can about the disease. The Blue Buffalo Foundation for Pet Cancer Research, through the Pet Cancer Awareness (PCA) program, is devoted to raising awareness about the warning signs of cancer, as well as educating pet parents about ways to minimize the risk.

	With your help, it’s our hope that we can one day find a cure for this devastating disease.

Where Do The Donations Go?

Flea and Tick Season - Safe Removal

Vicki — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:24:00 GMT

I was shocked last summer to find a tick on two of my dogs. We do live near the woods and often take walks. The only way to find ticks on your dog is to physically check the skin for any bumps - then check closely to see the cause. After referral with the Vet, the following worked well in removing the ticks:

For a few ticks, remove each one with tweezers. Clean the area around the tick with a disinfectant such as hydrogen peroxide before and after removal.
When removing ticks, don't twist. Your best chance of removing the whole tick is to pull it straight out with a steady action. Twisting usually leaves the head behind.

You may want to wear protective gloves.

You also may want to place the tick in a small container, like a pill container, and bring it to your vet for identification. Never use a burned match, petroleum jelly, or nail polish to try to remove ticks. Follow up with the Vet - they may recommend additional treatment.

Read the PDF "Tick Borne Illnesses in Michigan" brochure