Barley - Newest member of the Crew

Two little yorkies just didn't seem to be enought, I guess. About 4 months ago I ran into a lady in PetsMart. She was pushing a shopping cart out of the door with a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier in the basket. He stood out of the basket with two paws up on the front of the cart, nose working the wind, almost as if he was piloting this ship. He was such a handsome dog, and had such an unfamilliar look, I had to compliment him, and ask for his breed. She endulged me and then noted with emphasis "He's available for adoption!".

Wow. "Do I need another dog?" I'd been thinking about a third dog. Chloe and Paisley are small, Yorkies. And if you'll read below, they are quite different from one another. While they differ in personality, they are very close. I worry about taking one for the day without the other. Plus, around here in Louisiana, neither, at 4 and 5 pounds, they are not the kind of dogs you'd want to take Kayaking! Around here, the marshes, bayous and swamps are full of very large alligators. While they don't attack people, they don't hesitate when it comes to small pets. I can't even think about that...

So, I need a dog to join me in my adventures, I thought. A larger dog, maybe, with a love of the outdoors. Barley, walked in, or actually out, and within a few days we began our new friendship.


Wheaten Terriers are know for their affable, lovable personalities. They have the spirit of a terrier, but a more gentle and loving nature toward other animals and children. He's a handsome dog and everyone compliments him. If he has a fault, it's what's called the Wheaten Greetin'. When someone shows an interest, he stands up on his hind legs, wraps his front legs around their waist, and with a hug, often lays a big kiss on the admirer. That's a little too much for some people (generally people without dogs). So we're working on that.

Barley loves Chloe and Paisley, and has taken on many of their habits; like jumping up on the sofa, jumping from the sofa to the love seat, playing chase and fetch, but thankfully, he's managed to avoid their poor potty habits. He's great. He goes out and goes on command. What a change!

Yes. He thinks he's a little dog. He plays with Chloe and Paisley as if he's their size. He crawls into my lap while I'm driving. And he'll jump straight up off the floor onto the love seat arm. He'll balance there as if he's a 4-pound dog. The crazy thing is that when I'm laying on the love seat with my head propped up against the arm, I usually don't even notice when he jumps up. Crazy.

As you can see here, he takes great pics.

Expect posts more often. I've launched my website and expect to do more writing here, posting pics and video.