Category: Ruby

caturday — dogs and cats living together

whbeebe
Luke napping behind Ruby on Ruby’s dog bed

Since 2007 we’ve been a household with both dogs and cats. The dogs came long before the cats. My wife and I have cohabitated with Labs since 1979 for her and 1982 for me when I started to date my wife-to-be. His name was Rhett Butler, a name my wife chose because he was a southern Lab. He lived a long life of sixteen years. Along the way we’ve also had Katie (Catherine Scarlett O’Hara), Babe, Max, and now Ruby. They’ve overlapped in such a way that we’ve usually had two at one time.

Right now we have Ruby and a Labradoodle name Annie. We’ve also got the six cats I’ve covered elsewhere throughout this blog, so I won’t go through that list. Everybody is chill with everybody else, meaning no fights, at least between the dogs and cats. Fights between some of the cats, well that’s another TouchStar story.

I tend to think that the four Gingers think that Ruby is a very, very big Ginger. And she may think of them as very, very small pigmy Labs. Who can say? As for the two Torties, well, they have their attitudes about the world, don’t they?

a very good girl

whbeebe
Ruby at the door asking to come out

This is my very good girl Ruby. She’s been with us for nearly fifteen years; her fifteenth birthday is this August. We’ve had Labs since before my wife and I were married; my wife got her first Lab from her oldest sister, a Lab breeder, in 1979. His name was Rhett and he was best Lab at our wedding. Rhett lived to be 16 years and three days. When Rhett was seven, I got my very first real pet, a black female Lab we named Katie. She came to us as an eight week old puppy in 1986. She lived to be fourteen. We’ve had other Labs since, and they’ve all outlived the average age for a Labrador Retriever. Each dog has had their unique personalities, and I’ve loved them all. But the one characteristic they’ve all shared has been their mellow, loving nature. Ruby is no exception.

So as these days go past I intend to pick up the pace photographing her, and maybe share them here. I know what’s to come. But that won’t stop me from enjoying every moment with her (and her sister Annie).