The Newest Addition

The newest addition to our growing menagerie of animals is a Golden Retriever puppy named Griffin, or more officially Sir Griffin of Ivanhoe. The Scribbler has wanted a dog for as long as I can remember. She has been so good natured and tolerant about Farmer Girl's growing collection. In years past, being in rental homes most of our married life, we have not been allowed dogs. Our last home, the landlord granted us permission for cats, but dogs are a whole other story. Then because of the cats and their nature (one is truly a "scaredy cat") and living in such a small space, adding a dog to the mix was out of the question. Given the fact that we are building and the weather is warm, we felt it was time. And, as The Scribbler tells us ALL the time, soon she will be gone off to college (does she really need to remind me of that?), having never had a dog like ALL of her friends! :) We couldn't let that happen, right?

We have been looking for available puppies. She kind of wanted a border collie, then a Great White Pyrenees (HUGE dog), then considered a Burmese Mountain Dog. I encouraged her to consider a labrador so that is what we were looking for when we saw these retrievers advertised in the paper. We thought we wanted a girl dog, but The Scribbler fell in love with this one (she liked it's lighter color-mom is really rusty, but dad is more golden) and she has had the name picked out for months (found in a book by Wayne Thomas Batson). She couldn't even begin to come up with a comparable girl's name!

So, Griffin came home with us this evening and has been loads of fun. He is currently sleeping in his kennel with The Scribbler nearby him on the couch. She is expecting to be up and outside with him a lot so she is currently sleeping while she can. I think dogs are a lot like babies and this will be great practice for her for when she is a mother. Oh, below is a picture of Griffin meeting the cats. Later Sara, our black and white one, hissed and growled at him. He wasn't quite sure what to make of that, but I think Sara was establishing who was here first. Charlemagne, the scaredy cat, has just been hiding under the couch. I am sure we are in for many more adventures with these three.