Duffy and Mac Our Wonderful Dogs

 

Duffy & MacArthur on the porch
Mac and Duffy on the back porch.
August 2001
A touch of our personal side. My wife Carmen and I consider ourselves to have been very lucky in life and fortunate enough to have a nice home where we can enjoy the company of man's best friend. For five years we shared our home with two terriers, Duffy, our West Highland White Terrier and Mac ("MacArthur"), our black Scottie; yes, just like the two dogs featured in the old advertisements for Black and White Scotch Whiskey. Duffy came to live with us first followed several years later by Mac. Without a doubt, they were both the finest friends and most contented pets we could ever have asked for. Unfortunately we lost both of our dogs in 2007 and for many weeks, the house and our hearts were very empty without them. We decided to look again in August but really had a tough time finding good Westie and Scottie breeders in our area.

EliFortunately for us, we found a Scottish Terrier puppy born near Gettysburg bred by Dawn and Tim at Sterling's Scotties. We named him "Eli Sweet as a Daisy" after his mother Daisy and he came to live with us on August 22, 2007. It took some time for him to get used to us and into a routine though he proved able to catch onto things quicker than we could have imagined! Eli has the sweetest disposition, is happy and playful all of the time and really has made our home full of fun and love. He loves to meet people and other dogs we encounter on his daily walks, loves to go with us for shopping trips and other small adventures, and has been a real quick learner when it comes to basic obedience and training. (He was voted "Mr. Congeniality" at puppy-k.) Eli reflects the same personable traits of his parents and we cannot thank the Sterlings enough for all they did for us in the first months we had our new dog. They even looked after Eli for us during trips we had to take out of town and we know Eli loved all of the attention he got, including a chance to see his mom and dad and spend lots of time with the Sterling kids!

 

Carmen and Eli
Carmen with Eli, August 2007.
Eli in Carmen's flowers
What puppies do best- get in the flower bed!		 Running through the flowers, August 2007
One happy Scottie!
Eli in the leaves
Fun with a yard full of leaves, November 2007.		 Eli at the fountain, November 2007
A regal pose on campus, November 2007.

There are few other breeds like Scottish Terriers! It is inherent in their personalities to be feisty and demanding at times, but happy and loving 99% of their lives and that just radiates to their "owners" and everyone around them. We know how lucky we are to have another Scottie live with us, especially a pup with such a great personality and who is a joy to have with us wherever we go.

It may seem strange to some that we talk about animals as if they were human. After studying war and human cruelty and living with the threats that remain after September 11, 2001, we found the kindness and daily love shown by our dogs to be far more comforting than the cynical "have a nice day" from the callous store clerk, rude behavior both on the road and in everyday encounters, and lack of concern from some so busy with their daily lives and personal agendas that common courtesy is a foreign subject. Our dogs were always happy to see us, be with us, and go with us wherever we wish. It was a comfort to have them around our home and they made it one of happiness and joy. We prized every moment we had with Duffy and with Mac and I feel strongly that their short time on earth deserved the best from us. In return they showed us a special love which few humans can hope to match. Our little Eli will be the same and we will give our love and compassion in return; that's the least we can do.

 

MacDuff

Hancock's Trefoil MacDuff
Born February 13, 1993; Rainbow Bridge July 3, 2007.

 
Our little Mac

Crescent Moonlite MacArthur
Born April 16, 2001; Rainbow Bridge March 17, 2007.

 

"Somewhere a little dog doth wait;
It may be by some garden gate.
With eyes alert and tail atent-
You know the kind of tail that's meant-
With stores of yelps of glad delight
To bid me welcome home at night."

-John Kendrick Bangs

 

West Highland White Terrier Club of America The club with just about everything that is Westie and more.

"The Capital Paws" An informative web site with news and views about West Highland White Terriers and information on Westie Rescue. (East Coast)

Chesapeake Bay West Highland White Terrier Club. An east coast club involved in Westie Rescue and other activities.

Scottish Terrier Club of America A great reference site for characteristics of the breed, breeders, and Scottie Rescue.

Something just for fun! A comic strip featuring a scottish terrier named Duncan and his off-beat family. (Fair warning that this site will sometimes have pop-up advertisements.)

 

Custer Division The 85th Infantry Division in World War II
The Unofficial Webpages of the Polar Bear Association of World War II:
Veterans of 339th Infantry, 910th FA Bn, 310th Engineer Bn, & 310th Medical Bn
337th Infantry | 338th Infantry | 339th Infantry | Polar Bear Association of World War II | Links