Happy Folks!

I would like to share some of the letters/quotes, and comments that we have received from our “happy folks”, and other nice letters in from others in general. If you would like further recommendations, I will send you e-mail addresses/phone numbers and can also provide veterinary references as well.                    Thank you all, and do keep in touch!!  We do love hearing from you!!     Stormi- I just received the bows.  They are more than I imagined- PERFECT!!  The free gift was a wonderful surprise!  Thank you so much- Hi Stormi, I received the bows last week...I love the bonus (THANK YOU!!!) pink fluffy one- Tillie looks so funny with it in her hair- it is almost as big as her head!  I have attached the most recent picture. It's been nice being able to let all our loved ones see the new addition to our family.  They are all looking forward to watching him grow on line.  Just wanted to give you an up date on Ashley.  She is just a wonderful loveable little sweetheart that we both adore. She now goes potty on her wee wee pad and outside never makes a mistake, she goes for cookies.  Is now walking on a leash enjoys riding in the car,  we take her everywhere, she went on her first overnight in a hotel two weeks ago. Ashley also enjoys going for a walk every morning in her new stroller.  Last Saturday she went to small dog play group and met a new friend named Honey, she did very well she got all a+.  She will go to the grommer for the first time tomorrow. Our vet thinks she is a very special,  she will get her last puppy shots on Thursday. She is a very loveable little girl and everyone who meets her loves her.   ohhh things here are great! The pups are TERRIFFIC!! They are spoiled rotten...my mother in law just knitted them sweaters that say that on them...soo cute!! I can't get enough of them.....I just love coming home and laying down and having 2 little ones on my belly!! HAHAHA!!!   Incredible pictures!! I have no idea how you do it!!!   Hello Rose & Stormie,  I was thinking about you and wanted to drop a line to say hello. All is well here and I’m very happy that winter is almost behind us. I’m looking forward to the spring and summer.  Max and Mindy are doing great. They continue to give me great joy and companionship. They could stand to lose and pound or two- so says the vet. Other than that they are fine and unbelievably spoiled!!!! Max is the affectionate one and Mindy is the little princess of the house. She runs the house, barks at everyone that goes by and demands my attention all the time. Max will lie on the couch with me and stay real close. He likes to snuggle and sleep between my legs.  We found a lost dog yesterday when we were out walking. I was able to coax him to the pen in my backyard. Fortunately, he had a tag and I was able to locate his owner. What a cute little dog. All I could think of was how sick his owner must have been looking for him. I hope that someday they make GPS available for pets. I know there is something out there, but I’m sure it’s expensive and must be cumbersome to wear. Someone recently e mailed me for a reference. Did she ever take a baby? She seemed concerned about shipping. That was just about the time a very expensive show dog got loose at JFK. Did you hear about it? They claimed that the dog (a whippet) was worth 150 thousand dollars. I don’t think they ever recovered her. How sad is that??? I hope that this was an isolated case and that shipping dogs is safer than that. Anyway, that’s all for now  Fondly,  R.H. I have not often enjoyed visiting a web site like I did yours today...What a joy to see a decent breeder treating the precious furbabies like they should be treated. What a different place the world would be if everybody had just a little bit of your love for the dogs.... But sadly sadly.....the cages prevail....I'm just so sorry to say. May you be bless beyond your wildest dreams.... from "down under "   Stormi/Rose - First of all, thank you so much for everything. The little mirror is beautiful. I will hang it over his little bed in my bedroom. Everything in the bag is wonderful, including the bag itselt. You put so much work in everything you do but I know you also love to do it. Thank you for the lunch, it was great. Your house, Rose, is absolutely gorgeous. It must be fantastic in the fall. I'll bring Frodo out to visit you when the leaves are turned. It's a beautiful spot. But - Thank you mostly for little Frodo. He is just a gem. I love him so already I can't imagine ever having not had him. All your dogs are so beautiful. Even more so "in person". I was telling my daughter all about them, she would love them.   He is such  good boy. He adapted very well for the first afternoon and evening. He was a little nervous at first but he loved the kids, especially my seven year old grandson. Justin was thrilled at this because he loved him also and wants to come today to play with him.   I thought we'd have a terrible night but to the contrary. He was great. He got into his little bed, (it's right next, to my bed) and slept all night until 6:00 this morning, never even making a slight whimper. He wouldn't eat or drink when we brought him home, all evening.  This morning he ate without any problem. He "went" on his pad twice. He has had a few accidents but this is perfectly OK,  he's getting used to things.  He loves the grass. I take him out and he's peed on the grass. He likes to play first for a bit and runs after my feet.   Dori was wonderful on the entire trip home. Infact, she has been too perfect to describe so far. She was so excited to see the other dogs, and she slept really well also.   Stormi, Rose;   I can't thank you enough for an unforgettable experience.    Adopting Kyoshi was a big deal for us, and on our part there was so much love in the process.  It was unbelievable to see that same sentiment reflected from his breeder.  Everything from the weekly updates, your willingness to answer our questions and to update us on his milestones and character, to the time you took to put posters on the road to help us find our way to the Puppy Party.  We felt so incredibly welcomed in your home.  It was amazing how friendly and well mannered all of the dogs were.  It's comforting to see and to know the environment that Kyoshi grew up in and how much love he was given. Saying that we were unbelievably impressed is an understatement.  The puppy pack was such a loving gesture, and the pedigree was very interesting to read.  Lastly, I am in love with my baby.  He is beautiful, sweet and loving.  So well tempered and lovely.  Kyoshi has been a wonderful blessing for us.  I can't wait to forward you pics of the kids faces when they first saw him. Endless thanks, T.M.   dear rose and stormi thank you so much for the beautiful puppy and your hospitality.  the ride home was great until we hit an hours worth of traffic and only moved three miles.  buttons was not a happy camper.  she would not sit on my lap with the puppy.  she backed up to get away until she was almost on the floor of the truck.  some of the time she even layed on joes lap.  then trixie decided she wanted to sleep in the center console of the truck.  she stayed there for the entire trip.  it was like a little bed for her.   Hi! Its funny you just sent that because finally today we were able to take a picture of the three of us (before we didnt have anyone to take the picture) but Rory's grandma and grandpa were up today!  Were having a ball with him and just love him so much! We cant believe the energy he has! We went to the vet on Friday and got his last set of boosters and a rabies shot.  We also set an appointment for Rory to get neutered (he doesnt like that word!) so ill send you everything after that.  Rorys great and im afraid my mom might steal him when she goes home tomorrow!  Our family just wouldnt be the same without him! Thank you so much! Jess   Hi, doing really well I’m happy to say.  Summer (the 3 yr old Peke) and he are quickly becoming the buds I had hoped.  They play wrestle and chase all the time.  This tires them both out quite nicely.  I think he looks bigger already.  He still sleeps w/Lucas at night which they both seem to like.  Oliver though likes to get up by 7 even on the weekends, which Lucas has zero interest in.  J His first vet appt was fine, they pronounced him the happy healthy little guy that we already knew he was.  They did say they still wait til 6 mos to get him fixed, so will update you on that once we get there.Saw you had your next litter, some beautiful colors there too.  Sadly, I don’t think I can manage to convince hubby that 4 dogs is a good idea!  My sister thinks Oliver is the cutest puppy (which of course he is), so even she, the jumbo-large dog lover, had 2nd thoughts about small dogs.  I shall continue to work on her  (as she lost her mammoth dog recently to old-age).Hope all going well up in NY, we envy you the cooler weather, still close to 100 here! Vicki    Dear Stormi, We want to wish you happy holidays and a happy, healthy new year.  I'm attaching a picture of Daisy after her bath looking all beautiful.  (sorry, can't see her eyes well, cuz of all that clean fluffy hair!).  She is AMAZING.  First of all, she's totally brilliant.  She completely gets the wee wee pad idea, and because we gave her a cheerio each time she made on her pad, now when she goes on her pad and no one is there to immediately view it and praise her, she barks so that we come and literally shows us, and then gets her praise and treat.  Today, she made it all the way up the stairs.  She's so proud of herself.  So, several times today, she raced up the stairs (after getting herself all psyched up) and then barked at the top landing, saying "Hey come look at me".  Of course she can't even go down one step yet, way too little!She sleeps in bed with us, has from the first night.  (Your mother was right, we love to spoil her).  She's an excellent eater, and hasn't had any tummy problems at all.  Had another set of shots last week and met her doctor and everyone at the vet's office fell in love with her.   We still have to work on the car rides.  She's only happy in the car if one of the kids is with me to hold her.  Otherwise, she cries.  Next week she will get her rabies shot and after that she can start going for little walks outside.  In January we start a six week puppy kindergarten class with her.  But she already knows "sit" (she learned that in about 2 seconds) and comes when called most of the time, and plays ball, returning the ball over and over, and sitting perfectly to have it thrown again.  Again, thank you so much for Daisy, and for all that you did with her during her first eight weeks with you.  She's the perfect addition to our family.  We love her. Very warm regards to you and your family, Judith   Hi Stormi, I have so many pictures to send you.  I'm having trouble downloading at the moment, but I should have it all worked out soon.  I may just go print a few at CVS simply because I can't wait any more :o)  Jada is a wonderful addition to our family.  She doesn't sleep through the night yet, but otherwise she has been a complete pleasure.  She is more like a little bear than an angel!!  She cracks me up - she stands on her hind paws and tries to sound scary.  She had her first vet visit last night and she got A's all around.  She was very brave and gave lots of kisses to the entire staff.  They are in love with her already.   We all are :o) The photos on the website of us with our new babies are great!!!  I'm so glad Chelsea made the first family photo :o)   Hopefully I will have the photos to email you very soon.  If I don't speak to you beforehand, many happy holiday wishes to you and your family.  Love, Susan Thankyou!! We are enjoying the photos of Ed and his siblings so much. We know all the names and eagerly await new pictures and weight updates. You have made this such a fun experience for our family. We email his photo to our family in Rochester. Thanks Stormi!! I must tell you that you are making this process so much fun!!  I love it.  I have told everyone about you and the fabulous job that you and your family does. It means so much to us that you really care about the animals.  Thank you so much.:0)  I just found your website and wanted to tell you it is lovely. I am looking for 1 or 2 additions. It is unfortunate for me that all of your puppies are spoken for. They are all beautiful. Good Morning Rose & Stormi: Before I go into the reason for this email I want to compliment you on your website, it is not only beautiful it is extremely informative.  Your story about the pet store and the link to the bad breeders website (prisoners of greed)  were incredible.  Although many of us hear about these places we have no idea what they are really all about, these links brings the reality of them right to you. My husband and I agreed that a shihtzu is the perfect choice for our family.  Then it came down to where would we get the new addition to our family.  I certainly didn't want to get it from a pet store although I have limited knowledge I am aware that most petstores get their puppiess from mills.  Ideally I wanted to get one from someone I could personally go to pick him up myself. Not only so that I could see where he was coming from but adding shipping charges to our costs would be a little more difficult.  Although we agree with you, "you get what you pay for"  and  we are not poor, on a fixed income or looking for a (bad) bargain  we are not rich either.  When I researched the web most of the breeders were out of state some of which shipped others that didn't. Although I would have paid the shipping if absolutely necessary I was still a little apprehensive.  Anyone can make themeselves look like a responsible breeder via a website. I even came across a breeder that used a painting of a shihtzu as a photograph of one of her puppies.  Then I came across your website and the beautiful pictures of your babies, the beautiful pictures of the babies others have adopted from you and as I stated above your informative website.  Not to mention that you are here in NY and I could pickup our baby myself.  I decided there and then that my research was over, I wanted our new baby to come from Willow Rose Shihtzu. Evelyn   Hi Stormi: I meant to write to you yesterday but the weather here was so bad that it took me over three hours to get to work.  Baxter is doing fine.  The kids just love him and so do we.  He is doing so good with his potty training.  He doesn't cry at all at night and seems to be getting right into our family and schedule.  He came to work with me yesterday and is at work with me today.  He is absolutely beautiful and cuddley. I also wanted to tell you that the cd was also adorable as well as the baby bag.  Stormi, the whole experience was wonderful.  Your children were very sweet and friendly, your furbabies were beautiful and you were very nice as well.  I can't begin to thank you for Baxter and the whole experience. I will keep in touch and let you know how he progresses.  Evelyn   Stormi, We just wanted to thank you so much for our beautiful Paris. She did very well on the ride home and the other dogs loved her. She has adjusted so well. She is eating great and she slept pretty well her first night. Everybody adores her. We were very impressed with her puppy pack. We make one up for our puppies as well, but you have given us some more good ideas. The DVD was wonderful. We willl stay in touch.   Our little "baby bear" is now officially named "Mollie--Her AKC name will be Princess Mollie Sharae...She is the joy of our lives...and did I mention smart? and the ultimate CENTER of attention? She goes the vet for her 2nd shot on Monday...This is a special Thanksgiving.. Have a great one....we will eventually send pics! Thanks again... Lucie   Everyone is home and doing great - ... Keep us in Mind if you have someone who decides not to take a puppy.. He is such a love I decided two shih-tzu would twice the fun.. Donna   Hi Rose and Stormi...Just a quick note to let you know that little Shuggy is doing very well in her new surroundings!  She cried for a few minutes as we left and then settled right down for a nap!  After checking out her new home, dining, playing and stopping off at the "pee pad" for a couple of visits...she decided to retire for the evening in her new bedroom and slept right through until be aroused in the morning by her new mommy!  This morning we visited our Vet who proclaimed her to be a very fit and healthy puppy (oh, the staff also lavished her with praise and kisses)!!!  I speak for all of us including Shuggy in saying that we couldn't be happier with the beautiful and lovable pup you have brought into our lives...We look forward to many years of happiness together and want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts!  We will recommend you to anyone who wants a new bundle of joy in their lives without hesitation!  Thanks again,  Susan and Larry   Hi Stormi: I just wanted to let you know that Baxter is doing fine I took him to the vet and the girls in the office fell madly in love with him. He weighs 5 lbs got his shots. He is doing great with the potty training but we still have to keep a close eye on him. He sleeps in my laundry room in his bed and likes to go back there for some peace and quiet after hanging out and playing. He also loves to play outside with my kids.  He is adorable, lovable and comes to work with me everyday.  I started taking him for a walk outside during work but the city noises scare him a little.  Everytime a bus or truck goes by he stops dead in his tracks.  Everybody stops to comment on how beautiful he is and how beautiful his color is.  Anyway, once I get his picture up on my computer I will send you one.  Thanks for such a beautiful little doll.     Hi Stormi, I am not sure if you got my last email entitled "Maya in the City". Basically, I meant to give you Maya's latest update and how wonderful she is doing. Maya was wonderful on her way home!  She practically slept in the back seat and did not wake up until we got to her new home!  As soon as she enterd her home, she walked all over and felt so comfortable!  On September 8, I took her to the vet.  Everyone felt in love with her that even her vet came out and said "I am going to kipnap your baby, she is so adorable".  To make the story short, she made lots of fans that day that now I feel entitled to start her new fan club! Mariela   Thank you for being a "reputable breeder".  I am with an animal welfare group in Quebec and am working at raising awareness between the pet store/puppy mill connection.   Would I have your permission to your account of the Pet Store experience you have on one of your webpages for educational/awareness purposes?      Hi Stormi & Rose, I was just visiting your web page and it’s wonderful!!! It almost makes me want another one!!!! Well maybe someday. What a beautiful group of babies!!!  They are growing so fast (Mine). I can’t believe they are almost one year old. They are very well adjusted and a total pleasure. I’m enjoying every minute with them.  Thanks! Ray   (I LOVE THIS ONE - IT IS FROM ONE OF THE LITTLE GIRLS WHOSE FAMILY IS GETTING A BABY)   Hi  Mrs. Stormi ,all of the puppies are cute so is their mommy and daddy. this is Evonna. I love simba very much ,I cant wait for my puppy to come home.thank you very much. Hi Mrs. stormi, all the puppies are so  beautiful especially the one that laughs, and all of them. Please tell me what is simba doing now?   (Update:) Hi Mrs.Stormi, simba likes to play with us, and he likes to kiss us a lot Simba likes to run around and watch us do  staff, we love him very much. Evonna   Thank you so much!  This is great and we love the pictures!   Hi Stormi, Thanks so much for all the advice.  We can't wait to see her in the little sweater you're giving her.  My daughter who's 15 is already talking about all the sweaters she wants Daisy to have!  Will there be new pics this weekend?  (We live for this) Best, Judith   Hi Stormi, I think he is gorgeous also!  Then again, I realize I do have a slight bias.  I can not believe that one of his sisters is only 3 lbs... Wallace is a full 9 lbs! I keep telling him to stop growing, but he ignores the request!  The vet says he is very healthy and in fact he is really skinny, just very very long.  Alvin and I are so in love with Wallace. I did not know it was possible to feel this sort of attachment. Growing up we always had dogs at home, but it is different when you have your own.  Alvin and I are such parents - I think our friends think we are crazy because all we do is talk about Wallace and the cute things he does. Also have to admit that he is a really good dog.  So far we have not had any problems with chewing, biting, barking, or general naughty behavior.  He is a real love.  Loves to cuddle, snuggle and sit in your lap. You should also know that he has now lost 2 of his baby teeth and the adult ones are coming in.  Also, his nose has opened up so his breathing seems just fine.   I promise to continue with periodic updates... Give a hug to all of your little guys over at WillowRose.  By the way, the new litter is adorable! Alvin and I have been watching them grow! Joanna   Hi Stormi, Just wanted to let you know how Eddie is doing. He is the most beautiful dog, everyone who meets him loves him. He gets so excited to see people he jumps in the air and stands on his hind legs dancing!! My oldest son has trained him to come for a whistle (only he can do). He is smart and we have so much fun with him. We switched him to Sensible Choice dog food which is basically just lamb and rice, (for puupies) This has really helped his little tummy!! His fur is beautiful. He is never alone, he rides in the car with me and goes to grandmas with the family. Thanks again!! Ellen and Eddie    Stormi, It's great to hear from you. Paris is doing super; what a doll. She is not much over 3 1/2 lbs. (darn)She has springs in her feet, and runs circles around everybody else. If I can get her to hold still, I'll take a pic and send it to you.We check your site frequently. thanks, Eileen   Dear Stormi and Rose...      Thank you so much for the holiday card and greetings from "the gang" !  We wanted to let you know that our little Miss Shuggy (we usually just call her Shuggy) has been an unbelievable joyful addition to our family!  She is not only beautiful, but very smart and incredibly friendly!  She has her own special sleeping space and has been completely housetrained for a couple months.  She started out using the "pee pads" at the front door and transitioning right out.  She almost immediately slept through the night !  She loves to take walks in the neighborhood to meet all the people and other doggies...she's quite the social "butterfly"!  I was amazed how easy it is to train her ... she knows lots of words...and how she loves to give "kisses" and be held!  I am keeping her coat on the longer side and she is a real beauty!  The dark spots have lightened to beige with darker tips on her ears and face.  The mask on her face has lightened up quite a bit...I'll try to send updated pictures soon.  She was just spayed yesterday and I'll be picking her up at the Vet's today.  I'll mail you the neutering form, if that's OK.  By the way, her 12 week weight was 4 lbs., but she is already almost 8 lbs., so I think she'll probably be a little heavier than the doubling theory.  She looks like she'll stay small, because her legs are short and her head is small, and she has a compact body...she has a wonderful stance as well.  She has been very healthy and has a good appetite.  But the best thing about Shuggy is that she is the most loving and lovable puppy we have ever  known and we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for bringing such a gift into our lives!                              Wishing you a Happy Holiday season and healthy  and peaceful New Year... Susan, Larry and Shuggy   Hi Stormi, The time has gone by so fast.  We wanted to let you know that Cooper adjusted so fast to his new home.  He is getting bigger every day!  He follows us around the house and loves to be with us.  Right now his favorite thing to do is snuggle on the couch with us and sleep.   We wanted to thank you so much for working with him to learn his name and train him.  He has probably only had five accidents since he has been home.  We took your advice and purchased an exercise pen which he loves to be in.  He actually goes in his pen when we are home to hang out and play with all his new toys.  Thank you so much again for giving us such a beautiful furbaby.       Love,  Mike, Candace, & Cooper          Stormi: Dharma is marvelous.  Dharma mingles, plays and curls up with all the dogs now.  She and Brodie love playing together and tearing through the house playing chase.  She knows the family routine and loves sharing toast and treats throughout the day.  She is very well behaved and waits patiently for her treats.  We love her to death.  She is all kisses and waggy tails just like you said.  I don't know what we did without her.  She has become the perfect snuggle dog.  If she wants to get down from my lap, she either needs a drink, needs to go outside, or is just too hot.  She still sleeps at the foot of the bed.  She will come up to the head to give kisses, but she will not stay there.  She likes her own spot at my feet or in the crook of my knees. She went to the groomer as you will see in the pictures.  Carol, the groomer, said she is a very good puppy.  She wants to trim her a little every 6 weeks until Dharma gets the hang of the clippers.  Working her into it a little at a time is better, because she will not be afraid and will come to trust Carol.  There could not be a sweeter dog than Dharma.  She has the most wonderful disposition I have ever seen.  She goes upstairs with Brodie to play in my folks apartment.  They give the two of them cheerios and the two dogs race up and down their hallway.  Dharma can go up the stairs, but she can not come down.  Someone needs to carry her down when her visit is complete.  We put a gate at the bottom of the stairs if my folks are out, because Brodie and Dharma will go upstairs to visit and Brodie will come down when he realizes they are out, but poor Dharma is stranded until someone hears her funny little bark and saves her from the big bad staircase.  Hope you enjoy the pictures.  Let me know what you think of Dharma's new "look".  She is so adorable.  Oh, and what a lover she is.  We are in heaven here in Romansville PA.  Thanks again. Oh, I don't want to forget to tell you, My girlfriend Margot and a friend Carlos both want a puppy, so please let me know when your new litter arrives.  Margot has a large Shih Tzu, Hugo, a Beagle and a Lab.  He is Brodie's litter mate.  He weighs 17 pounds and Brodie is 12.  Hugo was the largest of the litter.  Margot would love a solid color pup.  Carlos wants any cute pup.  These are friends of mine from the heart team.  Margot is a heart nurse and Carlos is a physicians assistant.  They are both wonderful people.  I am sure you will like them.  They can communicate with you via email and then they would like to drive up there together.  Actually Carlos has a brother that lives in your area.  So, please let me know when your babies arrive.    Hi Stormi.  I hope this finds you and your family well and enjoying what I pray is the last few weeks of winter!! Things by us are good.  As you can see by the photos attached, it's a real love affair.  Jada LOVES her big sister and Chelsea is really enjoying the companionship and adoration :o) Jada has grown so much in the last 3 months but I think she is going to be on the small side.  She has such a little face - her eyes and nose etc.  She is also very brave for her size and age.  She has no fear of other dogs (no matter how large) or any of the strange city sounds.  She would leap off the couch if I would let her......something Chelsea didn't do for several months!!  She is playful and sweet and very loving.  She's made tons of friends......both human and canine alike.  She walks with a 8 months old Shih Tzu named Roxie and they are truly a blast to watch - both crazy, high-energy, very playful.  I wish I had a video camera.  I doubt photos would do them justice. Anyway, just wanted to drop a line to say hello and let you know that Jada is happy, healthy and enjoying life to the fullest.   I have tons more photos if you want to be inundated.  For now, I just sent my pick of the litter :o)     Hi Stormi... so sorry I've been out of touch.  Daisy is wonderful.  She's barking at me right now because she wants to play ball. She weighs 8 lbs 12 oz.  Let's see.  What can I tell you about this adorable little girl.  she sleeps in bed with us with her head on the pillow next to mind, right up against me all night.  Since my office is in my home, she's always with me, rarely alone, even when I get the kids at school she comes in the car.  A couple of weeks ago we took her on her first vacation, upstate to visit my parents.  They were so enchanted with her, that they are travelling down here in April to stay with her while we go away.  A huge relief because I would hate to leave her in a kennel.  Needless to say Daisy is a little spoiled, but absolutely sweet and wonderful.  She has a really beautiful coat.  Has been to the groomer once for a trim around her face and bath and blow-out.  But other than that we bathe her.  She's definitely an alpha type, and is very verbal.  She knows how to tell you what she wants.  We are all soooooo in love with her. Later, I will have my kids take some new pics, upload them and send them to you.  Again, I apologize for not being in touch.  Daisy and I have been very busy creating websites together!  (Sometimes she sits on my lap while I'm working at the computer and falls asleep.)   Hi Stormi! I'm sorry I haven't written sooner.  There's so much we always say oh we can't wait to tell Stormi and then the day gets away from us. Jerry is THE BEST.  He's about 9 pounds now, and according to the vet he's in really good health.  He is really, really smart.  His favorite toy of all time is the plastic alligator you gave him, and he knows it's called "alligator."  We ask him, "Where's alligator?" and he goes and gets it.  He loves to get up and play with it after he's gone to sleep, too.  He also loves Estelle, who is a red worm with a bow in her hair that he sleeps with.  She's definitely his sleeping buddy and he only retrieves her when he wants to go to sleep or take a nap. He is so happy when we go outside, and he loves people.  His favorite person right now is Maya, the little girl who lives upstairs from us.  She greets him by yelling "Jerry!  Jerry!' even when she's a block away and then Jerry runs to go meet her.  He has started to eliminate outside, but he likes his privacy and will only do it where he thinks no one can see him.  I think we've had maybe two accidents since he came home--he was so good on the ride from your house and waited until we were inside to go to the bathroom.  We were amazed.  He loves going to the vet and climbs all over the vet to give him kisses.  he didn't even flinch when he got his rabies shot.  We have him scheduled for his "alteration" the second week in April.  We talked to the vet about it, and he was really against having it done before the 6-wek mark for the following reason: he said that he will have to pull any of Jerry's baby teeth that haven't fallen out before he gets his adult teeth.  By the second week of April, Jerry will have likely lost all the baby teeth he's going to, and the doctor can pull the teeth and do the alteration all under the same anesthesia.  If we have the alteration done before the second week of April, Jerry will have to go under twice, which seems like too much for a little guy.  I know this is two weeks later than we were supposed to under the contract, and if you want us to pay the fine we will.  I can also give you the name of the vet if you want to speak to him.  As soon as the surgery is done we will mail you the certificate, or receipt, or however it is that they do it. He's just the best little guy in the whole world and we are so, so happy to have him and so grateful to you for everything.  I will send you a photo from my work email account, which is where I have it. Hope all is well, and I promise I will be better about keeping in touch! Patience (and Brian)