How I Spent My National Dog Day

You knew I couldn't stop at one, didn't you?  What better way to celebrate National Dog Day (Aug. 26) than to give Sophie a little brother?  Say hello to Ridley!

Rich came up with the name, by the way.  This is the guy who said a second dog was all my thing and he really had no input, yet it turns out he laid awake at night thinking of names.

Ridley is already 16 weeks old, one of the last two left behind from a litter of nine.  The others must have been really something because to my eyes Ridley is perfect.  He has the sweetest, most gentle way about him.  His color will darken as he matures, and he'll fluff out a bit, but never as much as Sophie.  He's what Rich and I call the Field and Stream model.

Frankly, I never expected Sophie to be as big and fluffy as she is.  She's a whole lot of lady and can be quite boisterous and sometimes oddly grumpy, but she seems to have taken quite happily to her role of big sister.  I think they'll be good for each other.

Ridley was raised to this point outside in a pen, not in a mean, heartless way, but in the way that some would raise a working class dog.  Earlier siblings have gone on to be avalanche rescue heroes or fine hunters.  He had never been walked on a leash, or house trained, or socialized outside the family.  His home was rural, and there were no kids or grandkids.

Well, never mind all that because we've found him to be affectionate and at ease with every human and dog he meets, and he's met quite a few in the four days he's been with us.  He's okay with the leash, but nervous about the street.  Best of all -- he had one pee accident in the house and that was the end of it.  He practically house trained himself!

I tried and tried to find a suitable rescue dog.  It didn't have to be a Golden Retriever, but it needed to be a friendly, intelligent dog, preferably not a puppy, but young enough to handle Sophie's exuberance.  I'd hoped for a medium-size mixed breed, but a daily search was fruitless.  Then I saw Ridley and his brother in a local shopper ad... the rest is history in the making.

What a pair they're going to be, and what a good life they'll have together!

It's Labor Day weekend and our son is coming to visit.  He's crazy about Sophie and couldn't wait to meet Ridley.

I'll be back with cards very soon as I have some scheduled posts.  You know how I am with the camera, so I'll be back with more pics of the kids soon, too.

Have a good day!

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