Welcome Ryder!

Last weekend, Mike's family welcomed their newest member.  Ryder is a 1 year-old black lab mix who was surrendered by his previous owners in West Virginia.  He only just arrived in New Jersey last week and Mike's mother was lucky enough to meet him at a local Farmer's Market.  By the end of the day, Ryder was settling into his new home.

He's a happy guy.

We brought Luna over to their house to meet Ryder the following day.  To be honest, I was a little nervous about how this introduction would go.  I figured Ryder would be too energetic for Luna and was worried that she would be reactive to a young pup's attempt to play.  With Luna's experiences getting hit by other dogs when running and now the attack from the German Shepherd, she is very nervous about unfamiliar dogs moving around her.

Fortunately, Ryder spent at least three months living with an older Labrador in his previous home so he is understands how to be respectful of older dogs that do not want to play.  After a few unsuccessful invitations to play, Ryder settled on Mike's sister as his playmate.  Luna was clearly uncomfortable with the new puppy in the house, but she went about her business searching for snacks in the kitchen.  For awhile, Ryder followed Luna from room to room the way Luna used to follow Amber.

I think it is going to take some time for these two to find a routine that works for both of them.  I am hopeful that Ryder will get Luna to play a little in the yard when she feels more relaxed around him.  In the mean time, it is nice to know that they are respectful of each other and can co-exist without too much trouble.