Well, it's not a surprise to us, but it is a surprise for my readers and Ruby: we are getting another puppy!
Ruby, meet Lily!
Little Lily is a day old in this picture. I got the e-mail from the breeder and we dropped everything to drive five hours to meet our new bundle of joy. Of course we had to bring Big Sister Ruby with us! After all, she had to see where she came from. Lily was born on June 28th, almost 14 months to the day after Ruby (April 29th). They share the same mom but different dads. Interestingly enough, she and her mom did not seem to have a connection or remember each other, but I'm sure that is because her mother was exhausted from delivering five puppies and feeling rather protective. (That picture of Ruby above is her looking at her mom and the litter- oh the trepidation on her face as her mom gives her the stink eye!). Ruby is seal and white and Little Lily is black and white. Lily will be coming home with us around the end of August/beginning of September. I cannot wait!
Ruby is 14 months old now and we have been sincerely considering expanding our furry family since November. We really liked the breeder and we love Ruby's spirit. We briefly considered a dog of another breed, but deep down we knew we wanted another Italian Greyhound. Ruby needs a friend who can keep up with her energy and who understands how IGs play. Ruby gets plenty of crushes on big dogs (and to be honest, so do we) but we have limited space and two mature cats. After a couple of hiccups, Ruby has managed to develop respectful relationships with Trini and Tashi, the resident royalty. Trini is older (she will be 18 in August!) and she has earned her days of basking in the sun, enjoying the peace of our office. Tashi is more of a trouble maker and she and Ruby like to play- as long as it is on Tashi's terms. Another stipulation we had for getting a puppy was that we wanted a puppy from Ruby's mom, so we had been patiently waiting to find out when she would have her next litter.
Ruby is at a good age for a little sister to come in the picture. She is potty trained and well-behaved. I think she will be a great role model. Soon Little Lily will be able to run and play with Ruby at the dog park. This is something Ruby desperately needs because she tends to leave other dogs in the dust. Ruby, unlike some IGs, is pretty social. She can be a bit wary of newcomers at first, but she warms up quickly. Ruby likes other dogs (we mentioned her big dog crushes), but there is something that another IG can provide for her that other dogs and humans cannot. I know that having a new puppy, like a family having another child, will slightly shift the dynamics of our current "pack" but we have had numerous discussions with our dog trainer and we know this is the right decision for us. Our pets are our family and we love them all dearly. We have more love to give (in a responsible, well thought out capacity) and we are overjoyed that Lily will be in our lives. She is another piece of the family puzzle falling into place.
While we wait for her to come home with us, I will continue showering Ruby, Trini, and Tashi with all the love in the world.
(I have to text my parents STAT, they've known we are getting another dog, but I think they will want first dibs on viewing the pictures!)
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