New Puppy

Last Saturday we picked up the first non-greyhound member of our canine family. Meet Red - he's a whippet and he's a handful!






So far we are really having fun with him. Last year we lost our two senior dogs, littermates Skyy and Malibu, within a few months of one another. We started the process of getting a puppy shortly after Skyy died and while he can never replace the love that they brought us, bringing Red home has helped ease the sadness of their passing. The house no longer seems as quiet and it is hard to be down with a cute pup bouncing off the walls and licking your nose.

Just charming!!
And thanks for the wisdom of adding a new pup. Having a hard time getting past the loss of one of mine last year, shortly followed by another getting cancer. Been thinking about a pup and you may have helped put me over the edge.

Keep us posted about your progress. Cannot wait to see more images.

When we lost our first dog several years ago everyone told me the best thing to do is to get another dog. I didn't believe them. She was my heart dog and nothing and no one could make feel better ever again, or so I thought. Eventually we did end up getting another dog and I couldn't believe it but I started to feel better. Nothing will ever replace the feelings I had for her but I started to realize that love was a limitless resource. I could still love her and explore a new and different love with the new dog. That's why when we lost Skyy last August I started the process of getting a puppy. I knew we wouldn't be ready right away, you still have to grieve but I knew that we would want another dog. It ended up being a great blessing because when Malibu died in November it gave me something to hold on to and look forward to. The puppies were born less than two weeks before he passed away and every time I logged on to Facebook and saw new pics of them growing bigger and more beautiful it was like a lifeline reinforcing that message that there was more love to come in my future. I still miss them very much and I will always miss them. But Red is such an ebullient presence in the house that I don't dwell on the sadness of their loss but rather I can look back at all the happy times we had.

Agreed with Peggy! These are just adorable. Well done!

James

Well, personally, I hate puppies but these are adorable! Every time we've bred a litter, we ask ourselves whether or not we "need" another dog in the household. But we don't breed often and it's usually after we've lost a companion that has shared our lives for 11 or more years. Those first 8 weeks with the puppies is a hectic, sleep-deprived experience that can never be replaced because of all the joy we get from them. And when we add youth to an aging household -- people as well as dogs -- it has a way of making us all feel younger.

We still miss the ones that are gone. Tremendously at times. But we adore the new one whose life we get to help shape. Our newest, Scampy, has started to show us some signs of what we bred for. Not just physically -- although, he's looking pretty good these days -- but his personality, confidence and love of new experiences and new people. We were hoping for that but you don't always get what you want.

Enjoy Red. He's going to bring you joy for a lot of years.

Jim

What a handsome little fellow.

Too cute!