Did I Mention We're Nuts?

What's totally the best thing to do in the middle of a massive kitchen renovation?

I know, get a new dog!

How about a really, REALLY big dog?

Meet Libby, our new family member.



Libby is an English Mastiff. She is a 4 1/2 year old retired breeder from Lionsire Kennels. The kennel owner was downsizing I think, and needed homes for some of her older females. That's how we got Libby. She was 194 pounds when we got her but she has lost 13 pounds already now that she has something more fun to do than sit around all the time. We're trying to get her to lose another 10 pounds and then she will be perfect. Too much weight is really hard on her joints and we want her to be healthy!



Libby is the true epitome of a gentle giant. She is probably the sweetest dog you could ever meet. The kids loved her right away and she loves them too. She makes an extra effort to be slow and gentle around them.



Before we got her Libby had never lived in a house before. But apparently she understands the whole house training thing because she has never had one "accident" (Thank God! Can you imagine...?) She did need to learn some house manners though. Here is some of her handiwork:



That's several cans of coke, a carton of juice boxes, a twelve pack of blueberry pop tarts (she turned her nose up at the chocolate chip ones, preferring to just smash them up rather than eat them), a package of blueberries and some canadian bacon to top it off. Oh, and she ate the inside of the fridge too.

Libby is totally a Daddy's girl. He fell head over heels in love with her the minute they met. Here's proof. He reacted to the above mess/scene of destruction as if it were cute. "Awww, look what she did." I guarantee you if Luca or Henry were responsible for that his reaction would have been somewhat different. :)



The IG's took to her quickly. In fact, Luca quite likes her. He often licks her face and ears. I even saw Henry licking her face the other day - which is saying something since Henry is a total neurotic and everything freaks him out. I daresay come winter time they will both be found perched on top of her fast asleep. She's a perfect natural heat source for them. :)

Today Libby went to the vet to be spayed and also to have an operation on her tail. She has a condition called "happy tail" which happens in large, strong breeds of dogs. Basically, they wag, wag, wag so much that they finally bust open the end of their tail from hitting it against things so much. Once that happens it pretty much never heals up. So Libby is getting what amounts to having her tail docked. I feel so sorry for her - poor thing. It's pretty major to have surgery on a dog that is so big so please wish her luck and a speedy recovery so that she can get back to doing what she does best.



Snoring on the rug!