Skip's Story

Hello, Westie Rescue!

We adopted Skip in May of 2006. We already had a Westie for 4 ½ years named Rocky. Rocky had to be given up by his original family for financial reasons. We loved Rocky so much, we wanted another Westie. We found the Missouri Westie Rescue on line and when we saw Skip’s picture and read about him, we wanted to see if we could adopt Skip. We were the lucky family who got a new furry friend, Skip.

Skip was underweight at about 14 pounds and had been shaved because his hair was so badly matted when you found him. Now with a good diet, lots of love, and a warm safe and loving home, Skip weighs 22 pounds, has fully grown back his hair including his undercoat which he didn’t have when he came to us. His hair is now silky soft as it should be and he gets taken to the groomer every six weeks to keep his coat trimmed and neat.

Skip is so much fun to have around. Skip and Rocky are like brothers who get along, get jealous, play together, but tease each other too. Skip is more affectionate than Rocky. Rocky is more independent. Skip still follows Rocky everywhere, copies where he sits and lays in the sun, and licks Rocky’s bowl clean after eating his own dinner!

Skip makes us laugh at his funny actions. First thing Skip did was to discover the toy box. We didn’t know that all the toys squeaked. Rocky never chewed on them hard enough to make many of them squeak. But we found out they ALL squeaked and Skip loves to make them squeak! There was one in particular that had a really high pitch squeal that must have bothered Rocky’s ears because Rocky took to hiding it every chance he got. He would even sneak into Skips sleep kennel before bedtime and take it out and hide it. Skip always found it and would chase Rocky all around the house to get it back if he caught Rocky trying to sneak off with it.

Skip also like to bury his chew sticks. This was new for us and we find it so funny and cute. Skip buried the first few outside in my garden and I couldn’t figure out at first why he kept coming in with a dirty little face. But Skip soon learned that chew sticks buried outside didn’t taste as good as when you buried them inside the house where they aren’t rained on. So we routinely find chew sticks between the cushions of the sofa and chairs, in the laundry baskets hidden under the clothes, under the computer desk, inside the magazine rack and other funny places. Rocky sometimes finds them and Skip gets the saddest look on his face when he has to watch Rocky chew on one of this hidden treasures. But Skip patiently waits until Rocky is tired of it and then runs for it and will hold it in his mouth for the longest time, half sticking out. He will go up to Rocky and just stare at him with the chew stick hanging out of his mouth until Rocky chases him. They play this game over and over in an evening. I laugh and laugh every time.

I also included a picture of Rocky and Skip playing tug of war with the “mean kitty” . Skip always wins. Rocky growls all through the tug of war game, expending energy. Skip is silent and holds on relentlessly always wearing Rocky down. It is so much fun to have two Westies. Skip has been such a joy to have in out home.

At the Black and White Festival in Omaha last month, we took the opportunity to have both Rocky and Skip micro-chipped. Now both our Westies will always be able to find their way back home to us. Thank you Missouri Westie Rescue for saving Skip and allowing us to adopt him. We love him very much!

Connie Telfeyan
Bellevue, Nebraska