Our newest family member...

NO not another child...just yet! One is certainly enough at this point. We spontaneously went out and got a fur baby 3 weeks ago, a rescue dog. We called her Neyla (which means 'fulfilled wish').

 

We adopted her a week before Valentine's Day from a 'no kill' dog farm here in Scottsdale. She was on the 'E' list when Carrie rescued her just 2 weeks before we got her. I found her on the Humane Society website and we decided on a whim to go and see her.  Honestly, had we not chose her before we got there, we definitely would have after. She had the greatest tempermant of all the pups. We wheeled the stroller in and Neyla immediately came over and sniffed Blaze. I placed his little hand on the edge of the stroller and she leaned over and gave him a few licks then sat very purposefully next to him. In that moment she became ours!!! She even laid on my feet as I completed the paperwork to bring her home with us.

Neyla is a one year old, tri-color (white, gray and black) blue merle Catahoula Leopard Dog with ice blue eyes. Our Frankie girl was the same breed and so we thought we couldn't go wrong. And we were right...she has fit right into our little family and she will be a great companion for Blaze in the years to come.  She is full of puppy energy and loves to sneak things away with her... like our shoes, Blaze's socks and pretty much anything else she can get her teeth on. So far we have had only 2 casualties, my work shoes (it was time for a new pair anyway) and one of Blaze's little stuffed toys. Not too bad for a pound puppy.

From the moment we got her home she made it her home too and within hours was curled up on the couch asleep.  She sleeps in the bed between us every night and greets us with a big smile (yes a smile, she lifts her lip and shows her front teeth when she is really excited).  She used her doggy door right away and seems to really enjoy her big backyard...certainly no farm, but she doesn't have to share with anyone else.  She is such a joy to have around.  Our home just wasn't the same since we lost our 4-legged Frankie girl in August.  Neyla has so many similarities as Frankie (Gerry says she may just be Frankie reincarnated), but she also has a very different personality in many ways too.  She has helped to fill that void that has been sadly missing in our home since Frankie passed.  She certainly has not replaced our Frankie girl, but she is a wonderful addition to our little family.

 

 

We even took her into our local groomer and got her a pedicure (well just a cut and grinding no polish).  She is learning to walk well on a leash and next month we are taking her to a personal trainer here in Mesa to get her some real doggy training.  So much is new to her...the back seat of the truck, the vacuum, the pet store, etc.  It is fun watching her explore her new surroundings.  She has already figured out that if she nudges her electronic feeder with her nose she gets a little treat.  We can't put anything past her.  Even our wonderful Nanny is loving having her around during the day while we are at work.  Grandma and Papa took an immediate liking to her too, who wouldn't???  She is a real sweetheart.

 Now, if I can just keep her away from my shoes...