I recently went the same route and added a boy (Brando - also a retired show dog) as playmate to Ruby. If it goes anything like it has gone at my house, you are in for a blast and so is Ziggy.
The coat looks gorgeous - it's just the skin…I have noticed since it is persisting it down here (and cold - well it is Summer...) that the flaking is much better - I wonder if the flat is too dry for him? It has got central heating...which is till occasionally switched on - and it's nearly June :(
There's one that comes to our dog park named Rocket and he's very fast and focused on retrieving. I have yet to see him play with the other dogs. He's never mean or anything just not interested in play.
I'm afraid If I do decide to get another I won't have a chance to introduce them beforehand as it Will probably be a puppy I bring from the US.. I doubt there will be a problem since she will be a young puppy…
Abbey was almost banned from my son's house after she killed the cat's feather on a stick thingy. We don't have our own cat although she'd like to have one of her own. She loves cats!