Everyone, Meet Ty!

We found that he does jump on furniture, and then refuses to get up! :) Lovin' Daddy.

Such a goofball!

First car ride with my new mommy!

After about an hour of wrestling around...day 1. Tai Chi and Sam love him. Joey hates everyone but Jim. :)

Okay, so I know Jim and I had talked about taking a break after losing Oscar, perhaps even just having the 3 animals we have and not adding anymore, but he'd went to the humane society over the weekend with the kids and I promised I'd look at this one dog when I had a day off. So, off I went. I liked her, she was a bulldog. However, I saw some red flags...I knew she'd be too much for our Aussie. I was walking by the kennels, and saw this GORGEOUS boxer. Ironically..he looks SO MUCH like Oscar! I told Jim to look him up on the NHS website, and he fell in love. They told me that this pup had been given up after being adopted for ONE DAY. What?! Apparently, he'd been adopted and brought back for food aggression. They told me that he'd need to be fed separately, with the door shut. Do not hand feed him treats, grab toys near or in his mouth, don't let kids have treats anywhere near him, etc. I tested every one of those. In fact, the NHS staff nearly peed themselves when I HAND fed him multiple treats, AND played tug-of-war with a ball IN his mouth. The only issue I saw with him (aside from his excessive Boxer drooling) was jumping and barking. He's 4. I expect that. I put a hold on him for that evening for Jim and Sam to meet, and made an appointment for Sam to meet the bulldog, as well. Well, these two got along GREAT, however, the bulldog was just that...a bully! Super sad, as I really liked her, and Jim and the kids LOVED her. The kids were bummed that we didn't get her, but understood when we told them what happened. We went home that evening without Ty, as we needed to think about it. Well, the entire ride to football practice, all I could think about what how he'd jumped up onto the door, showing only his perked ears and sad little eyes. I almost cried. I think Jim did get teary. We went out for pizza and talked about it. Called up the kids at their mom's and asked their permission. With the green light, I left a message with the adoption dude that I'd be by the next day to pick up our new "brother." He was so excited when I picked him up and took him to the pet store, where Jim met us to help with the intro to the other animals and our house. He's been wonderful. He DOES NOT have food AGGRESSION....perhaps it's more like OBSESSION. :) He's been a great addition to our family, and we couldn't be happier. Prior to getting him, Sam had been very sick...refusing to eat, drink, or play. He would vomit constantly...I mean CONSTANTLY. He's been doing MUCH better since he has a new buddy. In fact, SAM is the calmer one of the two! Crazy! They're about the same age, so they're quite fun to watch play!
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KC Trip-Couldn't Resist Buying These!

I'll Be Watching You

We had to say goodbye to our beloved Oscar on Sunday. He fell over the weekend, and wasn't able to get back up. While he still played, picked on the other animals, and smiled, his arthritis became to much for him, and for us. It was, hands down, one of the hardest things we've ever done. I would say next to saying goodbye to my brother, this was a close second. He went peacefully, without any pain or suffering. The kids are grieving, but doing okay. I promised AJ I would make a shadow box with his things. The animals are also grieving. Tai Chi now spends time in Oscar's empty kennel, and Sam refuses to eat or drink, and vomits constantly. We hope that the next few days/weeks bring some closure for all of us. We haven't discussed getting another dog yet, but I believe that Sam needs a buddy. Him and Oscar were ALWAYS together, being in the kitchen, kennel(s), sleeping, and in the backyard for hours. Oscar changed Sam for the better, and I worry deeply for him. We are also getting a very nice urn to keep in the house, as well as paw prints for all of us. Here's some pictures of his last 24 hours. The one in the car was his last picture. He was, obviously, the last one smiling. I'll never regret allowing Jim to have his favorite dog back, after have leaving him at his ex's house, who didn't want to keep him anymore. We'd already had a puppy and a cat, so I was tense about it, but I let him have his best friend back. Best decision ever. Hands down.