Meet Penny

I've been meaning to talk about this topic for quite some time. It's sort of a touchy subject for me so I waited for the longest time and now almost a year later, time keeps slipping away. I have better pictures but I keep thinking I'll get them and post and never do (again the whole Road to Hell is paved with good intentions kind of thing).


So I guess I'll just talk about it with only one picture.


So this Friday will mark the one year anniversary that we lost our English Shepherd, Gypsy. Not more than a week or two after that we acquired Penny, a red heeler.

We had adopted Gypsy from the Sioux Falls Humane Society when my beloved foster failure, Leroy passed away. He hadn't been with us for very long but he had claimed me so what could I do. I had wanted another big outside dog, and Gypsy fit the bill. She'd been a handful for a number of years until the last one or two. I had thought that I should start putting out feelers for another big outside dog at some point because both Gypsy and Farley were getting up there in age. Farley is 13 and will turn 14 in November.


A year ago this Friday, there was a terrible accident. I have no idea how it happened but Gypsy hurt herself horribly. She didn't tell us she was hurt. You see, she was a fuzz ball. So much fur, it was hard to know that she had managed to do serious damage to her and it went unattended. When we discovered that she was injured, it was too late. I'll never forgive myself. She died in front of my eyes. It wasn't the way she should have gone. I take full responsibility for not noticing her injuries until too late. I run through all the what-ifs and scenarios and how she could have done so much damage and we could have been so oblivious to it all. Just the thought of it makes me sick.


We buried Gypsy out back. This weekend for the past two years has been extremely tough for me. Last year we lost Gypsy to that terrible accident and the year before, we lost Trouble. She had had a stroke sometime Friday between the time I left for the Irene rodeo and the time I got back. We had to take her in that Saturday and say goodbye. I was even more heartsick over Trouble but only because she had been with us for so long. I knew the time was coming but with Gypsy it was a shock.


When I mentioned that we were in need of a new outside dog to keep Farley company (last time Farley got severely depressed), Penny arrived in short order. A friend of mine was looking to rehome Penny and she's been a blessing ever since.


Before we started the Sanctuary, we fostered for a small dog rescue. We had dogs come and go each month and they all had their quirks. I was expecting these quirks but Penny didn't have any. Her only pitfalls....licking faces and jumping. Both of which we can easily manage (not running off or anything else along those lines).


Penny loves the horses. She would prefer to heel them but she'll come up to them and say hello (at least to those that want to say hello). She's still so very young and inquisitive. She took a liking to me and my daughter instantly. I'm her dog when Leila isnt' around but when Leila is around, Penny is hers and only hers.


Even though I'm saddened that we lost Gypsy, I think Penny is an angel in disguise. She's not very protective of me but I think she's what keeps Farley going. Her heeling Farley will probably be what ends him. An almost 14 year old shouldn't be heeled if he has bad hips. Although I think Farley would rather turn into a house dog now that he's older. He's discovered the AC (I'm trying to spoil him in his old age). And I can't get him out of the house once he's in.


So I know I didn't ever really introduce Penny like I had wanted. But she'll have been here at the Sanctuary for a year at the end of the month. It saddens me that we lost Gypsy but it did give us the opportunity to meet Penny. I know some don't believe in God and I don't normally talk about it but I do think in a mysterious way, Gypsy sent Penny to us. If it was Gypsy's doing or God's doing or whatever. It just seemed like more than fate. To some it would simply be a coincidence.


Penny is a loyal dog and I'm sure glad she calls the Sanctuary home.