How much is that doggy in the window?

Well, after much deliberation (mostly on Scott's part!) we decided to get Jack a dog for his birthday. It was NOT easy to find one, believe you me! I was determined to be very picky and while this one isn't PERFECT (Scott told me I was being TOO picky when I told him I didn't want to get the boxer-pitbull mix because pitbulls+little kids=a situation I just don't want to mess with. Apparently, he's "just a big baby" but that's not a chance I'm willing to take!) she's still pretty great. Her name is Ginger and she's (allegedly) a Ridgeback Pointer. I'm not convinced, seeing as how she doesn't have, well, a ridged back! These dogs have hair on their spine that is supposed to grow in the opposite direction of the rest of their coat, but her's does not. She is, however, a great size and is just the sweetest most loveable thing you've ever seen in your life! The only problems I have with her is: 1. how much she sheds and 2. She's still a puppy so she's SUPER energetic. I'm hoping that regular brushing will take care of the shedding thing and that Jack will take care of the energetic thing. He's just at a great age for a dog to be his best friend--he's been feeding Lucy (our cat) for a little over a month now so he can help with the feeding of her and he loves nothing more than to run and run and run and run and run so it'll be great for him to have a dog to chase him, instead of Mom and Dad who get tired much sooner! We thought it would be great for him to get a dog to keep him busy when the baby comes and he no longer has our undivided attention. Hopefully it'll ease the transition a little! So I'm going home to Idaho for a few days and we'll go get her when I get back. Cross your fingers for us!! (The people we're buying her from DID say that they'd take her back if she didn't work out, that's comforting!)