Introducing Miss Tilly

Please love me!

 I know, I know, could you look at that little face and not fall in love?   This is Chantilly or as she is known, Tilly.  She is the latest and very much loved newest addition to our family.  Its been just over a month since we lost our beloved Peppy.  If you had asked me then when we would think of getting a new dog i would have said, at the time, never.  No one could replace him but in truth, the hole he left behind had become so huge that in our small family of 3 it felt like we were missing a limb.  This absence in the home of a pet for all of us to cuddle and love had become "a thing".  I don't know how to describe it any other way.  So, Rob and I, unbeknown to each other, were casually looking to see what was available to fill this void.  We both searched the rescue places and didn't see what we were looking for.  Then we both started looking at Maltese breeders but both of us felt that to get the same breed would be like trying to replace Pep, or we would keep making comparisons.

Look at those lashes

Hubby found advert on Gumtree for a breeder that lived only a short distance away and came to me to show me what he had found.  Tilly is a pedigree Chinese Crested (Powderpuff).  They come in two different varieties, hairless and powderpuff, which has a beautiful soft coat that doesnt shed.  The litter is usually mixed and Tilly comes from a litter of 4, 2 hairless and 2 powderpuff.  We both spent a night researching the breed and going on forums to see what kind of temperament she would have but at the end of the day i believe that it comes down to the individual dog, training and environment.  Tilly's brother was very boisterous and feisty while she appeared to be timid (which she is not) and very loving (which she is).  I spent quite a bit of time with Rebecca from Entourage Cresteds discussing her care and the breed in general waiting for Hubby to arrive to inspect only to be presented with Tilly, fate accompli.  Could you refuse that face?????

The hairless mutations of this breed are a fascinating genetic twist.  Cresteds fall into the toy category of breeds and she should be no taller than 30cm when adult.

Her real name is "Entourage The Cats Whiskars"

We don't have any intention, at the moment, of breeding her so at six months she will probably be desexed.

This is her Mum (Inka) and Dad (Quigley).

Tilly's colouring will lighten and she will be white and sable when older

They can both be groomed in a variety of styles but i think we will just keep to grooming for comfort rather than appearance and keep the coat short in summer and thicker in winter as we did with Pep. Tilly is a very fine boned little miss at 8 weeks and is very loving and cuddly with a bit of spark in short bursts.  I can see that we will have to deal with the usually puppy traits of mouthing, chewing and house training but this comes with the territory.

Last night i went onto the River Cottage Australia link posted on Rhonda's Weekend Reading post and watched the entire series in one night.  It all became too much for Tilly and she flaked out on me.

Ten minutes before this shot i was holding onto a tug rope beside my chair and she was pulling with all her might making tiny little growling sounds.  It doesn't take long to wear her out.

Tom automatically became Mr Mum when she arrived and at the end of the first day he came to me, gave me a big hug and said thank you.  He is besotted.  Last night he came to me and said, Mum can you take her tonight, i cant get any sleep.  Sound familiar ladies?    So she curled up on her blanket with her toy that smells like her siblings and slept all night beside my bed.  Only the bantams tapping on my window at 6.30am for their morning feed woke her up.

We like to take our dog with us and so her training began today.  She was popped into a dog carrier and went for a drive.  First i picked up Mum (visiting from NSW) and sister and dropped the borrowed cat cage back to Little River.  Then onto to Lara to visit my friend Ella for coffee, yummies and a garden tour.  Followed by a quick trip down to Queenscliff on the coast to visit my favourite eatery The Courtyard Cafe where Tilly sat at my feet under the table in the courtyard.  What a perfect little lady she was.  Being so tiny and cute there were lots of ooo's and arhhhs by the other diners, and she didnt make a sound.

Potato and Bacon Fritata with salad and relish.  I love the seed mix that they sprinkle on their salads and the flaked salt.

Mum decided she would forgo the desert cabinet for a Scandinavian icecream down the road.  It was so cute to see Mum sitting on a little sidewalk table licking a icecream that was so so big.  She looked like a little girl.   She also admired a double strand of brightly coloured wooden beads in a passing window, so on the pretext of getting a treat for Tilly i backtracked and purchased them.  The girls at church, of all ages, will be jealous.  Tilly travelled well and slept most of the time and I'm looking forward to going on holidays with her.  Midway through the day i got a call from Tom saying "Mum, can you bring Tilly back home, i miss her".

Yet another grandchild to add to the brood.  I think Mum has lost count of two legged and four legged variety.  

So, there you have it.  Im sure you will be seeing plenty more of Tilly as she grows up.

Oh, take a look at my pear tree blossom today, how pretty.

Thanks for visiting Living In The Land of Oz