Walking!!!

GREAT DAY!!! 

Piper is ready...leash walking!!!!!!!

Look at her go....

Here she is walking along to the song "Overcomer"... yes she IS an "Overcomer"! Brave pup! :)

When you just gotta air out! #backsnooze

Watching TV

Every day Piper makes more progress! She now always runs into the house when we hold the door open. Piper also jumps up onto the couch by herself. No longer is hiding behind bushes and chairs. Nope! Hey, she even watches TV! See her watching!!!?? Now she just needs a bowl of popcorn ;)!

http://www.nowisconsinpuppymills.com/mill-survivors.html

If you have a moment please read this article! So much good and helpful information!!!

Grooming Day!!!!!

So fresh!

Running in the sun!

Decked out for the 4th of July!!!

Friends hanging out :)

Piper did great at Claws n Paws! Isn't she a doll?!?

Why walk when you can stroll?!?

Two firsts :)

Here is our little cutie-pup finally enjoying her first "chewy"! Some sort of beef strip. The other first is she jumped up on the couch all by herself!!! 

Special shampoo and food!

Piper had another bout of itchy ears last night even though she's still getting the drops. Some Westies are sensitive to allergies. Today I was at TJ Maxx and spotted this waterless shampoo and it said helps with itchiness. I don't want to give her lots of baths right now and freak her out so I'm just letting her have a greasy head but then when I saw this shampoo I thought this might do the trick.  We are giving it a try and it smells really good and is very natural. It is like a foam pump so I put some on her back paws where she licks her toes and I rubbed it into the greasy fur on her head and below her ears!

I also purchased all grain free treats and a bag of grain free dog food at PetSmart! I am hoping this all helps our little princess! 

She is doing much better today otherwise and has not had any of her really bad nervous sessions! She's letting me approach her and has no problems with me picking her up! Lots of FABULOUS progress :)!!!

"The Girls" look ready to do some serious snoozing! 10pm and they are tired pups!!!

Working with Piper

When Piper got released from the Amish Mill a week ago she did a lot of hiding in the house. She still does but not as much. I also had to carry her everywhere. She is still scared but at least will walk on a leash. Here is a snippet of her in one of her fearful states! Very typical reactions for a mill dog! Bolting out of her kennel (I feed her in the kennel as then she eats the best), scrambling out of fear and looking to escape. What to do? Approach her backwards. Keep a leash on her. Keep talking so she learns happy sounding language and repeat words. I want her to learn "outside". I always say "up up" when I lift her (she can climb up the stairs but not down). She is making progress but it takes time. I hope in a few weeks we look back on this video and see a different Piper. A two year old dog usually loves the word OUTSIDE! The mill certainly has taken its toll! We will keep trying to help Piper as best we can. She's doing great! What a love!!!

TGIF (thank goodness I'm free)

Enjoying a little time snooping on the patio this morning!

Miss cutie patootie! 

Just a girl and her Hedgehog!!!

Treatsie Time

Taking treats for a mill dog is a learning process! It takes practice! First to trust a person to get close enough to take it then to even figure out "how" to take it. Licking the treat seems to be step one. Piper is figuring it out!! 

Also good news is she came in the house for me today while I held open the door and did her signature bunny hop up the steps ALL BY HERSELF! :) 

Lastly, still no accidents in the house! I don't even kennel her when I go to work. I came home to find her snuggled on a blanket. I took her out to the yard and she did both doo-ties. So far Piper is a star student!!!

Up please!!!

Piper wants up! Joining the gang is  a wonderful sign!!!

Watching TV with my furry pals!!! :)

Look look look!!!

Miss Piper came through the propped open door on her own! That's a BIG deal! I watched her practice. In and out. In and out. 

This doesn't mean now she's got it! It means she CAN do it without people there.  Now to have her do it with me around that's a whole other step.... but I know she's inching forward! Way to go, Piper!!!

And now she's sitting on the dog bed! (I didn't put her there!) How cute is that?!?

Found her SPOT!!!

Piper puts both feet up onto the couch because this IS her spot! I currently lift her up to the couch as she does not jump up. She loves "her spot" I think because its so soft n comfy -- good choice, Piper! The pink fleecy blanket she is laying on will eventually go with her to her forever home as its her transition blanket… it will help her feel more at ease --kind of like a "teddy bear"!

Last night Piper slept in bed with us again and this time made it all night without one "scratch" to  her ears… we all were super tired and had a wonderful nights sleep! Yay!!! Piper cuddles up right against one of us in bed and is very relaxed … It's really funny because once you stand up and carry her downstairs then she is scared again! Darts around the room and hides! :( 

Sitting on the couch she is very relaxed though and I sit next to her all the time and she gives me kisses on my fingers... so soooo sweet! :)

Right now her ears are greasy from the drops of gooey ear medicine, bleh! She is very good about letting me put the drops in her ears and hardly squirms… She is always the "brave trooper"! Piper's spa day (grooming) is scheduled for next Tuesday and her spay-day is now scheduled for Friday, July 1st!!! After that, then all the "biggies" should be done and we can just concentrate on learning to relax and enjoy life outside a puppy mill!!! 

Love is a warm blankie!

Ruff Night!!

We started the night great! All snuggled in bed... then hubby woke us up by coming to bed later and Piper's ears started itching! BAD! I took her downstairs and after trying to find a comfy position in every corner and behind every chair but to no avail (scratch scratch) I finally picked her up and we both slept sitting on the couch. I think she was more comfy then me!!!

She needed some TLC so I just stroked her head till she settled down. Vet appointment moved to today at 3pm and grooming postponed for now! I'll keep you posted on her ear itchies and how we fix it!!! Meanwhile my coffee pot is brewing! ;)

Appointment allllll done!

I am so happy with Piper's temperament! So gentle! She did great at the vets even though she has a double ear infection … the left one is really bad! I wonder how long she has suffered with this ailment… maybe I don't even want to know! :(

"Good news" is she has the meds and is onto healing and way better health… very, very good news! :)

She received all her shots today too and is now sleeping under the love seat! Can't blame her! She is so tired out!  Piper is healthy otherwise except for a couple itchy allergy back feet that I'm to give her 1/2 pill of Benadryl for and an Epson salt foot bath! Haha! Maybe we can put our feet in the tub together cuz that sounds wonderful!!! 

Again, Piper was just excellent at her vet appointment and was a very quiet and cooperative little patient!!! What a little trooper! 

Progress day 2

We LOVE Piper!!!

She is so sweet! I'm happy to report she is coming around! She ventures up to us for kisses and pets but still paces around a lot too. Piper likes to hide but not as much. So happy to see a little progress… Yippee! I always say "up" when I pick her up so she knows what's going to happen! She is beginning to know her name and comes when I call her or at least peaks around the corner, LOL!!! Piper slept in bed with us last night and did not move around or jump off… in the morning she went out and did her potty on the grass. She eats a little food but not the whole bowl. She does not know how to do stairs. She has learned to step off the patio so I guess she can actually do one stair! :)

In the house hiding behind daddy's chair. 

Parson (my dog) has his head buried in the bushes scouting out a varmint. His apprentice Piper is taking notes on "how it's done"! This is all new to her!

Piper sits right under my patio chair while I write this blog!!! We have cotton wood trees here and the fuzz on the green rug is from the trees... Piper is not shedding that bad! No worries there! 

Miss IRRESISTIBLE!

Piper

Hi! I'm Lydia and I just picked up a little Westie girl to foster for WI Westie Rescue. She had no name! Awww :( ! I decided to call her Piper! Little Piper has spent her whole life in a cage because she was the property of the Amish who own a puppy mill in Clark County. Her birthdate is 2/12/2014. Piper did not produce enough puppies so that was good! It was her ticket to freedom! 

We just met!!! #beautiful

Piper rode quietly on my lap for 1.5 hrs all the way home! She is very sweet but scared. Everything is new but she will adjust! Isn't she adorable?!?

We are home... hiding by the fence!

I just gave her a bath since she was very smelly-- like a barn! She's peeking out of her hiding spot in the bushes... we keep a long leash on her. So many scary changes today! She will get better! Time and lots of love!!!

Later... Watching TV!!! :)

Going home!

Tiara, now named Tira ( Scottish for arrow) is blessed to have found the perfect family!!! She's going to have a big sister Scotty dog named Corrie and her very own doggy stroller for bumming around. She will have endless love too-- I am so happy! #adopted

S. Flake-- love her!

Do you love dogs? Are you looking for a pal? Do you like to cuddle? Than you have found your match! Smooches to this girl! Looooove her!!!

To learn more about S. Flake check out her other blog too! http://morefluffydogpictures.blogspot.com

She's a keeper! 

Posing so pretty! I think somebody is pulling out all the stops here! 

Just a country girl! Her foster momma says she's good with cats! ... and chickens!!!

It's official

Ti Ti has found her home. All approved :) Soon I'll be saying goodbye to my sweetie! I'm so happy for her... she will be loved! I will miss my shy girl!

Big Breakthrough!!!

Stop the presses! I'm so excited cuz Tiara is off the couch and taking treats from my hand in the kitchen! She never goes in the galley part of the kitchen and never accepted treats but she's finally got it and it's the start of something big! She's loving treats and loving being a brave girl. It's as if something clicked and she's off the couch and zipping around. "Hallelujah!"

26 days and she's finally shaking off the fear!!!!! :)

Possible family found

Hoping this is it! Someone to love our cutie-patootie Ti Ti furever!!! 

Great day!!!

Beautiful morning walk n roll! My husband has our two dogs up ahead and I'm pushing Tiara in the pet stroller. She enjoys the ride and since we can't get her to walk yet this works! I love pushing her along plus I know she is safe from any loose dogs that might be scary! 

I see those sweeeet ears through the screen window! 

I'm almost positive that Tiara is a poodle Scottie mix! Google it and yep.... it's a match!!!!!

After walk snuggles! Awwww!!!

#bff #besties #girltime

Beautiful

Isn't she beautiful?!? Inside and out!!!

Tiara has stolen our hearts. My husband loves her and we agree she makes us feel a bit protective of her because she's shy. I can't say enough how she will grow on you... one of my easiest fosters ever. She just appreciates being loved! Ti enjoys looking out the window. Yesterday she spotted a deer in our yard and gave a little woof as she looked at him. It was a young buck. It's fantastic to watch Tiara's personality emerge and we get so excited when she does something new! It's like watching a baby take his or her first steps! So rewarding :)!!!

Wednesday

One of Tiara's favorite things to do is to lay in bed and snuggle into the covers! She literally sleeps with her paws always touching me all night! So sweet!

Loves tummy rubs in bed too!