Introducing Penny

Recently we made the difficult decision to find a new home for one of our beloved dogs. Solitaire is a sweet, affectionate dog... but she has some issues. After three years of incessant barking, digging, chewing, and the knocking of poor toddlers over with great enthusiasm, we decided it was time. We couldn't pass it off to puppy behavior anymore, training just wasn't helping, and our kids & neighbors deserved better. So did Solitaire, for that matter. She grew much bigger than we ever expected and really needed more room to be happy, quite honestly. And so we said goodbye. It was not easy... except maybe for Reilly. She wasn't too keen on being pummeled around by a big black dog.

But it's funny the way things work out. I have been telling Bryson for years now how much I miss having a little companion dog in the house. I grew up with Yorkies, and there is just something endearing about little dogs that melts my heart. So imagine our surprise when just such a dog literally arrived on our doorstep last week.

Bryson was getting the kids ready to get in the car for a night out, when I heard Taylor giggling and Domino barking. I came outside to find a scraggly-looking pup playing with Taylor-- half-starved and severely neglected, yet playing with wild abandon. Not wanting to just let this tiny little thing continue on its way to certain death, we decided to get her cleaned up and find her family.

Putting her in the bath, we were shocked to discover that what we thought was a light brown Shih-tzu was in actuality a pure white Maltese. It took us two baths to get all the grit from her fur, which completely covered her face and came down well past her feet. Over two dozen burrs were pulled from her fur, which was also terribly matted. After a really bad haircut (dog groomers we are not) we made another horrific discovery. On her neck, this poor little thing had a large gash-- most likely from an attack from another animal. A call to a family friend who happens to be a veterinarian eased our minds in keeping her overnight. We would continue our work in the morning.

And so we began the search. The next morning we visited animal shelters, had her scanned for microchips, poured over lost dog reports. Nothing. We got her vaccinated-- as a precaution to both her and our family-- and she had surgery to repair the wound to her neck. Twelve stitches. That's quite a bit for a five-pound animal. We followed a lead on a family in our area whom we had heard lost a similar-looking dog. It turned out to be a dead end. A lady at the local animal clinic didn't seem to be too surprised. "We've been finding lots of abandoned pets the past couple of months," she explained. "With the economic downturn, people are starting to turn their animals out of the house." How sad.

So, we have welcomed Penny-- as she is now known-- into our home and hearts.

The other day my mom asked me how we arrived at the name Penny, and to be honest-- it just sort of rolled off the tongue. Taylor and I were brainstorming names, and Penny was one that we both liked. Penelope just sounds like a name befitting a fluffy white dog, don't you think? Plus, the more I have thought about it, the more I think Penny fits.


Hee hee...
If you are an avid Lost fan, you know of what we speak. :)

Penny is a sweet little dog, despite her obviously traumatic life thus far. She is a fast learner, and easy to train. She and Domino get along splendidly. We have noticed only one interesting quirk of hers-- a fear of doors-- which we believe may be attributed to the noticeable kink in her tail. It was broken previously, and never set properly. She is content to be my little shadow, play with Taylor and Reilly, and run around in the backyard with Domino. And one thing is for certain:


We are completely in love.