Note: This post is in tribute to Max, 2007-2016. I wrote this a couple of months back, but just never finished it. There would be time for that. However, the Lord had other plans, so we now find ourselves sharing memories, stories and laughs and grieving. Grieving because the rescue dog that came into our lives so few years ago is no longer here. His favorite purple bone no longer squeaks. He doesn’t greet us as we come in the door or try to sneak into our bed at night. No more dog snores or kisses.
I love my little dog Max. He is so smart, fun to watch, and just plain funny. He snores like a freight train, does yoga when he wakes in the morning, and hates to miss a meal. The watch on my arm keeps worse time than the meal-time clock in his belly.
Max has a new trick. He toots…a lot. He has been known to wake himself up with a toot, to toot when he gets excited, and, my personal favorite, toot while sitting on his hunches, look at you in disgust and walk away, as if you had been the perpetrator! I wish I had this on video. He is absolutely so funny.
Max is a beautiful West Highland Terrier, so he loves to be in charge. He tries to round-up the cows, direct all the other dogs in the neighborhood, and take control of any kennel he finds himself in. If the humans will let him hang out with them, he is fine. But if he ever gets confined to a separate room or crate, the howling, crying and tantrums begin.
Now, you may be thinking this is a dog’s life, but Max has a disease that makes him continually thirsty. Diabetes insipidus is a water diabetes. He will drink any water available including rain water, toilet water or swimming pool water. We must keep a constant eye on him to make sure his only water comes from his bowl. The medicine is expensive and the need to go outdoors is frequent. But that is part of the package with Max. We knew it going in, and we have not regreted it one single day.
Cute puppies are so easily adopted. Older, ill dogs are a bit more of a challenge. Max had been listed online with the Westie Rescue of North Texas, but before Mike could meet him, he was adopted. It wasn’t long until Mike saw him online again, available for adoption. It was love at first sight.
So, although Max has some arthritis in his back legs, water diabetes, and is not a cute little puppy, he is a wonderful dog and companion. He never begs for food, he never has accidents in the house, he understands everything we say and sometimes does as he is told. I would highly recommend getting a rescue Westie. You will have a best friend for life.
