A Scotty Miracle

When I was 3 years old my mother took me to see Walt Disney's Lady and the Tramp.  I fell in love with Jock, the tough and loving little Scotty character.  From that moment on the Scottish Terrier had my heart.

We had neighbors with 2 Scotties.  They would sit at the edge of the lawn each morning as the children walked to school.  I would stop and talk with them, charmed by their sweet but noble faces and their 'smiles' as I petted their heads.  I just wanted a Scotty of my own.

I did not get my wish for many years, but at the age of 27 I brought my first Scotty puppy home.  The adventure began!  I learned quickly that I did not own Shaw's Angus MacDuff; rather, I was his steward.  He agreed to enter into a partnership with me built on love, respect and familial/tribal ties that lasted until he took his last breath, in my arms, at the age of 14.

My next Scotty arrived in my life a few years later.  Shaw's Roddy MacDuff came during a time when I was struggling mightily with the world around me.  He sure set things right with me.  We took an obedience class together and Roddy demonstrated a love for performance.  Together we conquered Obedience Trials, winning over the hearts of AKC Judges all of whom would tell me I was a masochist for competing a Scotty in Obedience.  You know what?  When Roddy wanted to win, no other dog could touch him.  When he was not 'feelin' it', he would deliberately do something to get us disqualified (his favorite trick would be to stop in front of the judge and pee).  At our last competition, he took home the silver cup for the most points, beating a German Shepherd and a Golden Retriever.

Roddy did not live long.  Neither did my next little guy, Shaw's William Wallace MacDuff.  Despite my love for the breed, I was not well educated in terms of proper breeding and health.  I lost both of them to lymphoma before their 8th birthdays and it just about broke my heart.

It was then I decided to sign up for Scotty Rescue.  I started asking questions, put in my application for membership in the San Francisco Bay Area Club for Scottish Terriers as well and the National Club, and began to learn more and more about the breed.  I waited for the right Scot to come into my life.  Over and over I was turned down.  I was so discouraged.

One night, around 9pm, I received a phone call from the woman I had been working with to find me a dog.  "Leslie," she said, "a little guy has been brought into the Stockton Animal Shelter. He is pretty beat up - broken hip, broken front paw, obviously fought off some bigger predators while on the street.  He needs you".

I was scared.  I don't have a lot of money.  Would I be able to care for him?

She told me that if I adopted him through the shelter all his medical issues would be addressed through UC Davis Vet School, one of the finest in the country.  Shen she said, "Leslie, they never name the dogs brought in but this one is so cute they have given him a name:  MacDuff".

That was 8 years ago.  Today, Shaw's RobRoy MacDuff, known to his friends and family as Robbie the Rescue, is a healthy, happy, silly Scotty.  He has won the hears of my neighbors and is known as The Mayor of Copper Creek.  Full of Scottitude, he brings joy to everyone who spots him and makes a lot of those other dogs jealous because he behaves like such a gentleman whenever he is out and about...just like a Scottish Terrier should.

I have loved all my Scotties.  I hope to learn more and more about the breed.  My goal is to become a breeder and bring happy, healthy and well adjusted Scotties into my area.  They make such wonderful family dogs - tough, loyal, sweet and brave...they are known as The Diehard for a reason and no one will ever regret bringing a Scottish Terrier into their life.