Our First Day Home!!!

SARGENT!

Lacie and I were tagged by my Sweetie, Koobie to talk about our first day at home!! The handsome devil in the picture above is not me!! That's Sarge, actually Sarge II. Mumsie had Sarge the First as a child. (We wanna do a tag on predecessors someday!) Sarge was a cool dog with many endearing and not so endearing habits. He was Mumsie's Dog. He tolerated the rest of the family, but he was a one man/woman dog and she was it. Frankly, I don't get that idea. I jump on everyone who comes in here and tell them they're my favorite. Always wise to butter the toast on both sides!!!!! You will notice that Sarge could have competed in the beard contest. Frankly, I don't like that contest. (Lacie: That's cuz you can't grow a beard, Scruffy!!!)

Anyway, poor Sarge sorta went into multi-system failure in early March of '06. He died 2 weeks later. By the afternoon, Mumsie had ME on hold!! I was only 2 weeks old. Here I am my first day home in late April, '06.

One of my mean siblings/mom bit me when I was about 6 weeks old. I got a bad infection on my back and had to have surgery to drain it and place a drain. They took me from my siblings and mom, put one of those evil collars on that you can't bite around. I was not a happy dog.

Mumsie had 4th choice male in a liter of 5. The 5th male was the alpha dog. She had to decide between me, the "sick puppy" or the alpha dude. She chose me!!!!! Of course, I was taken from my mom at 6 weeks. That means er...I really didn't have the class with mom on "bite inhibition" that she held at 7-8 weeks. Didn't bother me any, but Mumsie's hands have taken the brunt of that one. (Mumsie: They still are, Scruffy.)

Look how little I am in Lacie's crate!!! I can barely fit in it now!!!!!

Here's me with Big Bruvver....he hasn't taken that Penn State hat off since this pic was taken. Yummy!!! Wonder why Mumsie always chops Bruvver's head off in pictures?

Mumsie really had no intention of getting another dog. Frankly, I was driving her nuts. By well over a year, I was still lifting my leg inside the house (twice on her as she washed dishes), recycling my poop....(just use your imagination on that one), and my personal favorite, ripping the clothes off her body. If you get your teeth just right on a pair of jamies or work nursing scrubs...you can rip them right off with no problem!! She'd flip out at me, but I didn't care!!!!! Um, that was the problem. I didn't care. She wasn't alpha. (Mumsie: We thought Scruff was a serial killer in a prior life; no conscience.)

Mumsie thought I was bored. And looking for attention. She was rather afraid of getting another WFT in case they turned out like me. I mean, she and I did 4 solid months of obedience training, but I didn't see her getting any more obedient. (Mumsie: Scruffy.............) She'd go to Petfinder and fantasize about writing my "ad." She realized no matter how horrible I was, if she saw a pic of me on Petfinder, she'd readopt me outta sheer cuteness.

She went to the Lakeland Terrier Org. website and found a list of breeders. She called the one if them that looked close to Pittsburgh....it was in Philly. That breeder just so happened to have pups available. He shows his dogs, so he keeps the pups longer to see what might be his best show prospects. Apparently Lacie wasn't a show prospect. (HAHA!!) Anyway, since she was sooooooo old, we don't have any pics of her as a baby. Well, wait a minute.

Yep, that's Lacie at 8 weeks!! (Lacie: Go away, Scruffy...it's my turn now!!!!!)

ANYWAY.....Mumsie decided she wanted a Lakie to keep Scruffy company. She told my breeder that she would drive to Philadelphia that week and if she liked one of the babies, she would bring one of us home. She didn't include Daddy in these plans until the day before she was leaving. Daddy was a bit miffed. Well, like really miffed. He didn't feel they needed another "headache." (That's old Scruffy for ya...gives me a migraine even now!!!) So Mumsie, Big Bruvver and Susan, Bruvver's girlfriend, made the big trip to Philly.

The breeder brought out my mummy. She wasn't exactly an add for a well groomed Lakie! I think I have her smile. She's a sweet dog who does no wrong according to Breeder. Hmm...maybe I take after my Dad a tad!!!

Here was the pup Breeder wouldn't sell as he was going to show her. She's apparently full of "piss and vinegar" and actually he didn't end up showing her cuz she was too smart. He said she was the smartest dog he'd ever seen and that was in 11 generations of Lakies. He didn't say that about me; but I am brighter than Scruffy. Course, so is probably the rest of the world.



Here were the two choices that Mumsie had to pick from. I'm on the left. Do you see why they picked me?????? I think the girl on the right was named "Headache." (Notice she cut Bruvver's head off again!!)

Breeder raises Lakies, but he primarily breeds Danes. See me with a much younger Dane puppy. Notice who got the bowl!!!!! Headache went thirsty that day!

We drove and drove...I had never been in a car and wasn't impressed. We got home very late.

The next day, Mumsie picked up Scruffy from Camp Kennel. We were introduced in our neighbor's yard. Again, I wasn't impressed. I couldn't believe how much work he was going to be to train. I started with housebreaking. He was papertrained and refused to go outside. He would see me get my treats for tinkle etc. performances and he GOT THE IDEA. That took maybe a day.

I watched him rip Mumsie's pants off the next day. She was screeching at him. He ignored her. I bit him in the ass....er butt. He didn't ignore that. That ended the pants ripping behavior. That took one time. Within minutes, Mr. Alpha Dog was forking over any toy or bone I wanted. I simply removed it from his foxy fetid smelling mouth. Mumsie and Daddy were flabbergasted. Daddy loves me. I fixed Scuffy. He's now a good dog. He better be!

I suppose we are both spoiled pampered dogs. I wish all animals could have a warm house, food, clean water and love. Thanks, Family!!!!!