Owning an Italian Greyhound (or 2, or 3…)

Last year, in late September, we went into a pet store (I know.. I know.. really, I do..) and they happened to have 2 italian greyhounds (male and female).

I was proudly “owned” by an 8 year old whippet (Bean) and a 4 year old, recently adopted, australian shepherd (Sky).. but I’d recently been thinking the italian greyhound would be a nice dog.. small, small enough to snuggle on my lap, small enough to pick up and carry as well as being loving and attentive.. While both our older dogs love to be loved on, neither are much in the way of long-term couch (or bed) snuggling. At the same time, I was dealing with a life-long disease (crohn’s) and as a result dealing, with depression.. having a dog to snuggle with was therapy for me.

Back to the pet store visit… this little boy IG (I happened to be interested specifically in the boy, as I’d read how much more cuddly they were then female – though, now I’m not sure I agree with that assumption) stretched his skinny little blue and white body across one of our boys laps and my heart swelled.

Over the course of a week, my husband and I discussed whether adding another dog to our family, along with the source of the dog (pet store) was a good idea. In the end, the little blue won out and we went back to get him.

He’s a lovely “biggy” iggy – named Enzo, now over a year old and weighing around 16 pounds.. he’s shy around people, loving, playful, and such a little comedian. I cannot imagine life without my little guy. He’s brought so much energy to our doggy family, and while many IG’s tend to follow their person around – sometimes to the point of no privacy – my guy is a little more independent.. but he’s a good snuggler all the same.

This July, we found a breeder who had a lovely little fawn and white female IG… and, it was love at first site. When I picked our little girl up, she looked at me, as if to say “finally, there you are”… she immediately bonded to me – I am Mom. She loves everyone in our house (from the 4 & 7 year old boys, to the teen girls, the other dogs and dad too).. but I.am.Mom. My husband says how, with all the dogs we’ve ever owned, and while I’ve always been “mom” to them all, he’s never seen one bond to me as quickly and so completely, as our little Ella Roo did..

And.. if I thought Enzo was just the right dog breed for me.. I quickly found in Ella, the rest of the package.. I love how she follows me around, she’ll sit and watch me as I get ready for work, she bounds into the bed to dive under the covers for some warm snuggling.. she sassy and playful, a little love and won’t put up with anything from the other dogs, or the kids.

Ahhhh… life is sweet..

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