Last week, we added a new member to our family. Meet Ukee, our adorable mutt from Central Oregon. We are totally smitten.

We've rather secretly been Dog Shopping (it started as Puppy Perusing, since that didn't imply commitment) for a couple of months. Ukee was found roaming the Warm Springs Reservation, apparently being fed macaroni salad and whatever else people could give him. We got him from the Three Rivers Humane Society in Madras--a fantastic organization that I highly recommend, since they so clearly love the animals they take care of. He's about a year-and-a-half old, smart, hilarious and very loyal. Despite being abandoned with his brother, he seems to love nearly everyone he meets (especially women). There's a lot of wagging and smiling and bouncing. While we'll work a lot on training with him, he's already pretty polite. Except for the occasional bouncing ON people when he gets super-excited.

Our favorite is to watch him tear full-speed through the backyard and pounce on his ball, then do another victory lap. HILARIOUS.

We have already taken him on a lot of long walks and a little tour of the Gorge where he enthusiastically greeted waterfalls and creeks. There will be beaches and hikes and camping and roadtrips and many more adventures waiting for him.