Darling Scotties

Let me start out with a little information about the Scottish Terrier and where they originated:

The Scottish Terrier, popularly called the Scottie, is a breed of dog. Initially one of the highland breeds of terrier that were grouped under the name of Skye Terrier, it is one of five breeds of terrier that originated in Scotland, the other four being the modern Skye, Cairn, Dandie Dinmont, and West Highland White Terrier. They are an independent and rugged breed and I can testify to that! They can also be very stubborn and at times hard to train they are also quite sensitive to praise and blame. Independent, intelligent, and hilarious in his dignified seriousness, which makes him an excellent watchdog. They have short legs so not much for going jogging with you, but they love to walk and ours love to swim.

When we got our first scotty pup our vet told us to keep him away from the water, they don't swim. Well let me just say after we got our second one and we moved to a house with a pool, we discovered that not only do they swim, but ours would not get out of the water! We have a female Wheaton colored, that is a fish, and her male puppy is right there with her, she loves to dive in and fetch toys and she loves to knock her son off the raft as well.

Now I know not all Scotties swim and they do tend to sink. They also seem to love the water, but some are not they best of swimmers and if you let your scotty swim, make sure you are always with them, in some ways they are like kids, need to be watched! You can also get them a doggy life preserver!

Do Scotties like to have fun? Of course they do they have very unique personalities and can be very playful, but on their own terms. They are high-spirited and independent. I guess feisty would be the correct term. They make their own fun, and I enjoy watching them do so. There is never a dull moment with a Scottie in the house!

• Lively, feisty, inquisitive, loyal and energetic but can require firm handling
• They love to chase things, squirrels, birds, bikes etc
  
• Prone to skin problems
  
• life span is 12-14 years
  
• weight is 18-22 lbs
  
• common colors black, wheaten or brindle
  
• registered by AKC in 1885
  
• Very independent
  
• can be very loving, but also very sensitive
  
• Great watch dogs
  
• Need to be brushed and groomed
  

If any of you live in Florida, you know how dangerous these toads can be to your pets! We found out the hard way, several times, that there is really not much you can do if your pet comes in contact with one of these. About the only thing that works is immediately getting a cloth or paper towel and wiping the mouth and gums to get the filmy stuff out of there mouths, it also helps to keep them as cool as possible as this venom tends to make them very hot and causes a rapid heart beat. Its very scary to see your pets go through this, but we where told by our vet that there really is not much else you can do, sometimes they can give them fluids to help flush it out, but other then that you just have to wait. The only hope is if you catch it early enough and rinse their mouth and gums, you can usually prevent a disaster. We know longer let our dogs out alone in the yard at night or early mornings , as these toads like that time and are especially attracted to water.

Description
The bufo toad (Bufo marinus) (also known as marine toad , giant toad, cane toad) is a huge brown to grayish-brown toad with a creamy yellow belly and deeply-pitted parotoid glands extending down the back. Adult giant toads generally range in size from 6 to 9in (15 to 23cm), but may get larger. They are replacing the native southern toad (Bufo terrestris) in the cities of southern Florida, When confronted by a predator, they are able to shot Bufo toxin from the glans on there back, which is a white viscous venom, in a pets mouth you can tell they have by the slimy feeling on their gums and the will be licking the chops repeatedly. That's when you know to start whipping the mouth and gums with a damp cloth and rinsing the mouth as best as you can, be very careful not to flush mouth with hose as water can get into lungs and cause other problems. These toads can also cause skin irritation in people.

Ticks and Fleas

Although some pet owners consider ticks and mosquitoes as pests and a nuisance, they can both be very harmful to your pet if not treated effectively and quickly. Ticks and mosquitoes do not just bite and cause red bumps that make pets itchy, they also can transmit dangerous diseases like malaria, heartworms, West Nile Virus, and Lyme disease. Be proactive in your effort to protect your pet, especially around this time of the year.

Fleas and ticks can be nestled in hiding places inside and out without you ever knowing it. See below for some of their more common hideouts:

On other pets and animals
Around shrubbery and bushes in your backyard where other infested animals frequent

In addition, developing stages of fleas may be lurking out of sight:
In carpets, floors and sofas of your home, it is important to protect your pets and home. The best product that we have found for our pets is just Brewers yeast and garlic tablets they get one every day, my pets have never had a flea problem, would recommend spraying yard every few months just to keep them away as well.