Liza, she's beautiful!!! I miss having a pup around the house.

She's just adorable, Lizalily! I'm so glad you finally got her! She'll settle into a routine with you in no time, and the crate will become her haven, not her prison.

Maia sleeps in her crate and even eats in her crate... and that where she heads when I get out the cookies! She knows she can't have them until she gets in... no mess that way! It's her private little space, and she doesn't mind it at all.

It's so comforting to have that furry little companion next to you... I don't think I could live without at least one dog in the house!

Great photos, Lizalily! Jo-Jo is a sweetie-pie!

Glad Josie is home with you now!! Glad she didn't get carsick...what a change from your others! Puppies are always fun....hope Josie is no exception. Your nickname (the flying machine) indicates that she's probably living up to the GS reputation of being a ball of fire!

ENJOY!!
Kristi (Maggie, Stormy, and Laka too!)

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy! Looks like she will keep you hopping. How nice that she likes to garden already, too. What more can you ask!

Oh what a doll! I have my 2 aging cats that still have a lot of vim and vigor. I can't imagine keeping up with a feisty puppy, liza! LOL You must be tickled!

I couldn't imagine trying to keep up with a pup that would grow up to be really big! I totally lucked out, and Maia inherited her small stature from Emma! I can still pick her up and tuck her under my arm, or hold her against my chest! She's all of about 35 pounds, or maybe a touch more!

In fact, she jumps up into my arms when I hold them out! She's still a little firecracker! I'm thankful she's well-behaved!

If I'm not mistaken, Jo-Jo will grow up into quite a large dog, no? I wish you lots of stamina, Lizalily, and I hope Jo-Jo is a good listener! She is so beautiful! I just know the two of you will be very happy, and very inseparable!

Jodi, Some Gordons are huge dogs, well over 100 lbs even. THose dogs were bred just for showing, and they also have a lot of wavy hair to groom. I looked for 9 years to find another like the Gordon we had bought in England 18 yrs ago. She was 60 lbs and that was quite my limit in size...could not find anyone breeding down to the old hunting standard for the GOrdons. Then I found Springset Gordons and was utterly enchanted! They breed to a 1932 standard. Here is what I wanted... A nice medium size dog , even smaller then our Bracken was, but with the smarts and nice personality ...the sparkling eyes that we loved! THese are beautiful dogs but lack the heavy wavy hair of the show dog...I do not have time for that playing 'beauty parlor' daily! Josie came from some of the smaller parents that they breed at Springset, and should weigh in at around 45-50 lbs when grown. Even better, she seems to have a natural kindness and enjoyment of life along with superior "dog smarts". I think she will be exactly what I was looking for and well worth a 9 yr wait. I am already thinking...when our little old beagle dies, ...well, maybe should start saving for a 2nd Springset Gordon!

I do not want to get into breeding...I think Springset is doing that just fine! But I imagine you understand...if one dog is wonderful, why not two wonderful dogs to keep each other company, LOL.

Our little beagle "under 13 inch", Lottie(Princess of Quite a Lot), is grieving terribly for her pal who died 2 weeks ago. All of her first 10 years she looked like a puppy. SUddenly her face fur is turning white and she acts like an old dog. So sad...I wish I could make her understand that Corie is better off then a long, slow, immune compromised death would have been! I remember him with fondness and always will but I do not grieve for him....just remember his lovely chocolate curls and his melting brown eyes, and that "Whuff" of contentment as he settled down at my feet. HE was always "my" dog. I think Josie is "Our Dog". I think DH fell in love with her too on our long trip home. Especially because I paid for her myself, LOL.

Have fun weeding! I got 2/3 of my potted dahlias into the ground yesterday. Today I have to start the harder part, cleaning up a bed along the fenceline that has not ever been under the good control it should have been (This garden is starting its 4th year). IT, however, is where I Have put the dahias that I especially love, the ones I grow mostly for myself. Some sre still buried under weeds and grass, and I Imagine I lost a few over the winter. THis bed starts with a 30" bank below it and the field mice seem to like to tunnel in there for the winter. THis is going to be much harder work, and using muscles I AM jsut beginning to. I do not take my muscle relaxer pills until I HAve taken the flowers to the stand, just in case they affect my driving, but Now I am home until evening and took one so I will be able to work. My body really is ready to return to work but I get into tendonitis as I get started. THe meds really help that a lot and I figure stretching them carefully will only help if I do not over do it. I did realize that I Can not bend over with locked knees to work like I used to...trying to learn to go into a semi-crouch. IT worked yesterday.

I just can not put off gardening any longer! THe stress factor is worse then the muscle pain!

Well, we gotta get after those weeds...Lets go, girl!

I'm way ahead of you, Lizalily! I currently have about half the bulb bed weeded and mulched... I have half of that to go, and then I go on to the veggie beds... after that, it's over to the corner windbreak to begin prepping that for planting, which means lots of weeding and digging! Thank God for modern medical chemistry! What a life-saver to be able to ease the pain with a pill!

I have complete respect for people who research before purchasing a pup, and even more respect for those willing to wait for the right pup from the right breeder! There are way too many self-proclaimed breeders out there who know nothing about the history of their chosen breed, and even less about the actual science of breeding. Breed a pretty dog to a pretty dog and all you get are pups... not necessarily genetically healthy, stable, intelligent dogs that will live a long time and be what they were originally intended to be. The world of dog breeders is a pathetic one, for the most part. Really good breeders are few and far between. It's a subject that makes me so angry, I could just... well, it makes me really angry! We've been breeding for well over 20 years, and we're poorer than when we began! It's not about making money... it's about making a better dog! Or keeping the characteristics intact! It's about being responsible when playing God, which is what we're doing by changing the natural selection.

I'm happy you went through a lot to get the pup you really wanted... it shows intelligence on your part! And, in making the right choice and waiting, you'll be that much happier with Jo-Jo! You'd be surprised at how many people never consider anything beyond cost and how soon they can get the pup... never even bothering to find out if the breed they think is "cute" is the right breed for their family situation! Hence all the current rescue organizations and full shelters... it makes me sick!

Anyway... I think the most you can do for Lottie is show her extra love and attention... animals grieve themselves sick sometimes... it does age them, too. It's sad, but part of having dogs as our companions...

I'm off to weed! The weeds are growing at an incredible rate, and I aim to get ahead of them at some point!