I wanted a black standard poodle, a girl, and I wanted to name her Ruby.

But the puppy isn’t for me, not this puppy anyway. So when I spotted an ad for lab/Australian Shepherd mix puppies — best of all, from a rescue group — I knew we were adopting today.

Ray and Annabelle are madly in love. Sophie and I are more the joiners of the group. Someday I’ll get my poodle. (Probably after the Obamas do, dooming the poor breed to over-exposure. Oh well.) For now, we’ve got Jack — the name that’s stuck so far.

I have to admit he’s darn cute. But I know what the future holds. Puppies are way tougher than babies. Yawn.  He comes home Tuesday, freshly neutered.