[MyPemCharlie]

Well, I was disappointed at not getting Betina and decided that I really wanted another dog; mixed-breed or pure-breed young adult (not really ready to do the puppy-thing again while "finishing" Charlie on manners), but sooner than later. I have been reading a lot about several of the 10-20 pound terrier breeds over the last few months.

Two days ago, I brought home a 3 year old sweet, active girl who I renamed Desta, which means "joy and happiness". She just had a 4th litter of puppies in April (poor girl...lots of litters for such a young age) and the breeder dumped her because she wanted to get a "champion dog" to keep breeding (perfect example of the "lowest-end" BYB). She no longer had any use for this girl.

Anyway, she is a Cairn Terrier (think Toto/Wizard of Oz dog) with a delightful temperament and she's scheduled for spay (no more puppies for her!), heartworm test, and other general health testing. I've spent two days trying to learn how to strip her coat (you actually pull the dead hairs out by hand...hmmm), as her coat is totally blown from the puppies, living ouside in 100 degree heat, and lack of general care. I'm looking forward to the transformation from dull, scraggly dog to pretty-coated girl over the next several months.

Charlie loves her...too much. He is still a teenager and can be a bit overwhelming to a mature, very polite dog. I'm making sure to separate them when Charlie gets too pushy with "c'mon let's play, play, play!"