We rescued Sam, a Westie, seven years ago. Today, he turns 15 and has mellowed into a really lovely dog. Sam's first 7 years were mostly spent in a crate and when we first took him in, there were times he was meaner than a junk yard dog. He snarled and snapped at everyone. We worked with him, because we didn't want to send him back to Westie Rescue.
Seven years later, Sam is the most vocal of the Westies we have owned. He "talks" and is super needy. When we're not home, I believe he still has some separation anxiety, but since I no longer work, he's seldom alone.
Sam is certainly slowing down. When he wants to jump on furniture, he sometimes misses and absolutely can't get up on our bed anymore. He has cataracts, so we have night lights to help him see in the dark. When we bought two new recliners, we kept the old and comfy sofa. We piled the sofa up with pillows and a blanket, and Sam seems quite happy to snooze away the hours.
Yesterday, there was a deer across the street from the house. Sam was outside but didn't even see it. Maggie, on the other hand, was in the house going nuts. Our neighbor's dog always barks when he's let out in the yard. For years, the dogs have responded to the barking, but Sam (maybe because he can't hear very well), no longer runs down the stairs to make his presence known.
Statistically speaking, Westies normally live 10 to 12 years. So, we have been blessed to have Sam living much longer as well as staying healthy.
Happy Birthday Sam! This isn't a picture of Sam, but it could be.
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