Lexington couple Lewie and Beryl Phillips got into contact with the Cyrus family over a year and a half ago [pictured above]. They recognized that one of Billy Ray Cyrus’ most beloved pets is a German Shepherd and asked the family (the email) if they would be interested buying a puppy for Miley. You see, the Phillipses have been breeding top of the line German Shepherds for four years now so they naturally felt that Miley may want to follow in her father’s footsteps. They were right– she did.

When a new litter of puppies were born, they immediately made the family aware and Trish Cyrus (Miley’s mother) became interested in a specific puppy. That puppy was Mate who was named after Miley’s Australian boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth.