A Case of Mistaken Dog-dentity??

I'd been looking online at photos of available dogs for several months, wanting to find a doggie companion for our dog Pepper.  After Dan's accident, he finally acquiesced (meaning: gave in) to the idea of having 2 dogs.  Actually, I owe thanks to the ranch manager Rowdy who agreed with his wife to get a new puppy in addition to their 3 dogs.  That tipped Dan over the scales, and the search was actively on.

I came across this photo of a dog in a shelter in Idaho:

I called the shelter quickly.  The dog was identified by a number- 4658.  There was a bit of confusion when talking to people at the shelter; the had been 2 dogs- one was gray and white and had been taken, and the other was gray, white and brown and was available.  It sounded like the 2 had similar looks.

I was told the available dog was a miniature schnauzer mix, had been picked as a stray, was about 30 pounds, and was very sweet.  She sounded perfect, and since I'd been looking for months, I told them I wanted her. She was about a year old, spayed, and sounded like a great match for Pepper.  I arranged to pay her fee on the phone, and told them I'd work out a way to get her to us.

A friend of the ranch manager's son lived in Idaho, and we arranged for him to pick up the dog (which we named Chilli) and bring her to us.  In the meantime, a woman who fosters dogs for the shelter volunteered to keep Chilli in her home, since the shelter environment is very stressful.  This angel/woman's name was Sandi, and she gave Chilli a good home visit until the dog could be picked up.  Sandi told me Chilli was very sweet and loving, and we were excited about our new addition.

A week and a half later, Chilli arrived on our doorstep.  She and Pepper hit it off immediately.  Although skittish at first, she quickly adapted to her new forever home and we all settled in comfortably.  Here's a photo of our little girl:

The question I still have is... is this the same dog?  To be honest, I don't know.  One minute I think it's a match, and the next I don't.  The photo at the top shows a lot more white around the muzzle, but maybe that's the lighting.  The Chilli we have is about 15 pounds, and looks like a Yorkie-Dachshund mix.

Regardless, we're very happy with our Chilli, and still feel getting her was meant to be.  She and Pepper are now inseparable- they play together, eat together, go out on forays together, and sleep together.  It's been mostly great fun adding her to our family.

Here's a few more photos:

Another closeup- "mom" has trimmed some of her hair, but only on one side

Naptime after a hard day playing

Life is good with a bone and a toy

A tight fit in a comfy bed

But I want to share EVERYTHING......