Once the decision was made to all co-habitate together, we had a “house” meeting to start to outline the structure around the arrangements. In one of the earliest meetings we all had an opportunity to table a few things we wanted. Someone wanted a bathroom with a window, a gas stove, someone just wanted their own room.
I wanted a dog.
Pretty much the only thing I wanted. We moved in in September 2009. I waited. I fidgeted, just like a little kid needing to use the bathroom. I wiggled, and shifted, and waited. When the spring rolled around I started the deluge of links to Craigs List, and rescue sites. We started the slow transition from, “NO”, to “Oh, I like that one”. From there we moved on to girl dog only, then eased into actual visits to the local shelters. We never told my parents, and sneaked off to view all the wagging tails that beckoned us as if in a trance. I a much bigger sucker, would have taken in any one of a host of dogs we saw. Then, I saw her.
Such a departure from my normal attraction to lug headed, big boned lazy boy dogs. An interesting dog to say the least, and I loved her on sight. She had all the warning signs, prior history of health problems, bad on leash, eats rocks. You name it. I turned my own puppy dog eyes on the Hubs, he said a resounding “NO”. I turned to the volunteer, “Can we take her out?”
DOOMED. It was a swift shift to a reluctant “Yes”. I used my most persuasive guiling ways on my parents, who also reluctantly agreed. Officially she is the family dog, but I spend most of the time with her. And, she isn’t the most likable sort. With one blue, and one green eye that are a little bit off some of my family calls her Marty, for Marty Feldman. Penny has all these terrible habits, eats trash, herds the kids, steals food, and jumps on people. Not a dog for the faint of heart.
I love her goofy look, her love of all creatures, how she is physically awkward, and yet has an athletic ability that never ceases to wonder, a sense of humor that never leaves her. I love how she leans on me, runs across the house all day long to sniff the smells the breeze brings to her through the windows, how when she sleeps she rolls on her back in a position that makes her look like she is suspended in space. She is a vegetarian at heart, and with the exception of swimming, will give most things a try. I so love this crazy dog who most people in the house could live with out.
She and the Hubs have a relationship where they wrestle, and it sounds like someone is losing limb.
How could such a sweet girl have such a big growl?
