Meet Jean Pierre the Westie

I am so excited to introduce you all to the newest member of our family, Jean Pierre!

Most of you know that I lost my precious Blitzen a few days before Thanksgiving.  My sweet family had me in line for this sweet puppy since late summer.  It was all a surprise to me.

This little guy wiggled and squirmed his way into my heart in a matter of minutes!

I believe, you must meet the puppy, kitty or child for that matter, before choosing a name.  As the personality reveals itself, the proper name becomes clear.  This time, not so much.  We have had a really hard time naming him and truth be told, Jean Pierre is not carved in stone.

Our last two pups had reindeer names, Blitzen and my daughter Brooke’s dog, Dasher.  We tried to name this beautiful Westie pup Prancer.  He does kind of prance, but he did not seem to like it and it’s hard to say, try saying Prancer 4-5 times!

We tried Bijoux, Mr. Banks, Banksy, Dancer, Enzo, and many others and it seems Pierre is the winner! I hope so, otherwise we may have a doggy identity crisis on our hands.

Ever since I was a child, I have been enamored with this wonderful bread of dogs.  I was about 5 when we got our first dog, a West Highland Terrier named Frosty.  I will always remember that day in the pet shop, he ran round and round the store at least 5 times before slowing down so we could have a look.  I think Frosty was showing off! 

My childhood companion lived until my last few semesters of college and of course saying goodbye was very difficult.

Westies are a delightfully, feisty breed, although you would not guess it from this photo.  They are fiercely independent, especially the males.  These dogs love everyone they meet, and learn to snuggle too, but on their own terms!  They are happiest when they can play outside chasing the squirrels and any other varmints that might venture into the backyard. 

I remember a particular dusky evening, when Mark was out of town and the children were still young that little Blitzen got into a fierce battel with a snake, on my back patio.  We lived in a different house at the time and there was a brand-new home next to ours.  I was shouting at the snake and the dog at the top of my lungs and going at the snake with a mop handle, when the neighbor gentleman came to see what all the commotion was.  He valiantly jumped the brick wall into my yard, to shall we say, take care of the snake. 

Whew!

As we isolate, social distance and wear masks, our fur babies have taken on new meaning in our lives.  We can hug and snuggle and even give kisses without worry, at least, I do.

Wishing you all a warm hug today!

Lorie