Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling Adopt New Dog: 'The Newest Member of Our Family'

Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling have added a furry friend to their family!

On Wednesday, the Hitch actress, 45, announced that she and her longtime partner, 38, had adopted a Doberman puppy named Lucho from the Friends for Life Rescue Network.

“Meet Lucho. The newest member of our family,” she wrote on Instagram alongside a scenic photo of herself with her arms lovingly wrapped around her new pooch. “We adopted him from this amazing agency called Friends for Life Rescue Network @fflrescuenetwork.”

Mendes finished by encouraging her followers to adopt other animals from rescue groups and noted that if they were unable to do so, donating to the nonprofit organization she found Lucho at was also another great way to show support.

“If you’re looking for a fluffy family member, adoption is a great option. So many little dudes out there needing a home,” she said. “If you’re not able to have a pet but love animals, you can donate to this nonprofit… Your donation helps keep animals off the streets and out of shelters where they euthanize ❤️”

Lucho, who previously went by Apollo, was born in mid-November 2018 at the rescue organization, Friends for Life founder Jacqueline Santiago tells PEOPLE.

His mom, Athena, had been listed for free on the “Offer Up” app (a mobile marketplace similar to eBay or Craiglist) in “poor condition” and was recused by the organization just two weeks shy of giving birth, Santiago says.

Lucho was one of four puppies in his litter and according to Santiago, he was also the largest. His weight, however, proved to hinder his development as he was unable to stand until he was 5 weeks old and only began walking and running at 6 weeks.

“He has always been the sweetest, most gentle puppy,” Santiago says. “He has a wonderful temperament and makes a fantastic family dog because he’s mellow and affectionate.”

The founder also adds that Lucho was adopted by Gosling and Mendes in March when he was 4 months old after he had been fixed, microchipped, and received all of his vaccines.

Mendes and Gosling, who are parents to daughters Amada Lee, 3, and Esmeralda Amada, 4½, have been dog lovers for quite some time.

In addition to Lucho, the private couple previously owned Mendes’ Belgian Malinois Hugo, who died in 2014, and Gosling’s loyal canine George, who died in December 2016 at the age of 17.

Mendes also often posts photos with dogs on her Instagram and teams up with animal-friendly causes, including Cesar Millan’s PACK Project.

Speaking to PEOPLE in Sept. 2018, the mom of two revealed how owning dogs prepared her for motherhood.

“You know what? It’s not that different. It really isn’t,” said Mendes, laughing. “The love that you have for your dog, and how you are with your dog, I think, is really similar to how you are with your children.”

“I really feel that, and people will probably get really mad with me for feeling that way, [but] it’s just so beautiful,” added the star.

She also opened up about losing her beloved pup Hugo, telling PEOPLE, “He was so special.”

“I would just talk to him and I would treat him like a person, like, I think, most dog lovers do. I just have that bond that will be there,” she said. “He may be gone, but that feeling has never left me. It is one of the most special presences in my life.”

“Hugo — who, again, I miss so much — he prepped me for motherhood,” continued the actress. “George, who I miss so much, prepped me for motherhood. It was the best training that I could have.”

Gosling also reflected on his time with George during an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in Oct. 2017.

“He was a good friend to me,” Gosling said, adding that his pooch traveled everywhere with him, joining him on the set of nearly every film he’s made.

As he started to age, he looked “like an aging rockstar,” Gosling joked. “He was sort of skinny-fat, had big hair and no teeth, open sores — but still sexy.”

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“It’s funny to say ‘dog’ because I feel like there was something about George where he felt like being a dog was beneath him,” Gosling quipped.

“He would not do tricks. If you wanted him to even sit down you had to kind of convince him it was in his best interest.”

At the time, the actor also hinted to DeGeneres that the possibility of another pooch may be in his and Mendes’ future. “We’ll see,” he said.