Silky Terrier Rescue and Adoption
Success Stories
The Search for Taffy
by Carolyn Ferguson
Once a dog owner...
Scotia when I was 12years old and a year later we got, what I would call my first dog
- Scamp. He was very cute - a mix with plenty of silky terrier in him and some poodle. He got
me though my teenage years, and as most people who have had deceased pets from relationships
over 14years...well, you can write a book dedicated just to them. Scamp just let me know...I was
a dog person; a terrier dog person.
The
search...cravings
I started with "cravings" a year or two after Scamp died. I looked at offers from the paper, and
always looked in the dog section of the pet store. Logic told me though, that my career,
schooling, and children were too much of my life, and that the time was not right. I came close a
few times. I had said I would take one of my friend's puppies when they arrived, but, as I was
leaving for a business trip I phoned from the airport and canceled. It just wasn't
time...yet.
The search...it's
time
Summer 1998. My daughter was a real push. She kept requesting a dog for her birthday,
Christmas, every time she saw one. I had been busy -- finished my schooling, changed jobs from
my "on the road" career to working mainly from home, and now all my kids were in school. Was
it really time? I guessed it wouldn't hurt to start looking again and Samantha started receiving
"dog stuff" for her Birthday and Christmas. We looked closer at the pet stores and actually
asked questions.
The search...the
type?
Well, my husband's aunt had Yorkies and he was taken with them. I was looking for a Scamp
look-a-like, and Samantha just wanted a small dog to love. We had our qualities to look for:
small breed, good with kids, would love cottage life, and Brad's mother was allergic, so
something that did not shed constantly. We started looking at Yorkies and got some great advice
for our search from a breeder...Be aware! Ask questions! Do research! There our Internet
research started and there is where we found the perfect breed: the Silky Terrier.
The search...where oh where can
this little dog be?
Let face it...Nova Scotia, Canada's a hard place to find a small terrier dog. When you're on
the Internet you see small dogs left and right, all breeds, abandoned and needing homes in the
USA mainly. I started (while finding info and asking questions), letting people and places all
over know of our need. We had now known that if we could rescue a dog in need, this would be
of far greater value to us. Time was really no issue. We would wait, keep looking and know that
one day she would come and we would know she was for us. We applied to our local SPCA.
A purebred was not a concern, only that she was healthy. We visited often, taking biscuits and
walking the dogs -- no small terrier breeds -- this was very rare for a Nova Scotia
shelter.
The search...a response in
Canada!
On March 26, 1999 I received an e-mail from Cheryl Sutton from the Maple Leaf Silky Terrier
Club, with a 3-4 yr. old little girl. I responded immediately with interest 
to see if
this little girl was a match for our family. After a month of several phone calls and e-mails, we
had arrangements made for "Taffy" to come to Nova Scotia. We were excited. It was like
adopting a child. Cheryl got Taffy all ready -- she was spayed, groomed and given so much love
and attention.
Taffy
Arrives!
On Thursday April 29th, 1999, Taffy flew into Halifax Airport to meet her new family. She was
so glad to see us (or to be let out of her crate), and we fell in love instantly. The children had
taken the afternoon off to go to the airport and kept repeating on the drive home, "I can't believe
we got a dog!", "She's so perfect".
Taffy's
Perfect!
Taffy fit right into our home. She found her 'space' and we all bonded so well. She loves taking
us for walks and gets the attention of the whole neighborhood. She will go to anyone and shows
no signs of fear or aggression. She sleeps in her basket every night, she's well trained, she eats
well (she does beg for 'human food', but has learned quickly that she won't get fed off the
table), and she plays so well with the kids. Her personality is happy and affectionate. We are so
thankful for her and grateful to those who helped her get here!
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