About three weekends ago we offered to take care of a puppy for my friend D.M. (the hand model) while she was out of town. D. fosters a lot of dogs and cats in her work with the Isle of Wight Humane Society, and in fact, our felines came from this organiztion. The puppy we temporarily fostered was a small Walker Hound whose name at the time was Roxanne. She fit in very well with our existing canine/feline/humanoid mix. She did not try to dominate the other dogs and was respectful to Loretta's (the weather dog) quirkiness and Patsy's considerable age. She showed little interest in the cats, which suited them just fine. She was more housebroken than not, and she only barked for good reasons. Most endearingly, she was so very affectionate and just wants to be a lap dog.
As you may have guessed she is now officially ours, and we renamed her Penny (a.k.a. "Pencil Head") since one of the cats is Roscoe, and it would not do to have a Roxanne also. She continues to fit in well and knock wood, nothing has been destroyed, and we have had just one piddle in the house during the week that we have had her. So far she has been gentle to the garden, but we will keep an eye on that. I knew we would be getting another dog when Patsy goes, which I hope will not be soon, but she is 14. Getting 9 mo. old Penny now, seemed like the better choice than going through the brand new puppy process, plus she needed a home.
However, she must not like it here too well, for she has escaped twice. The first time I had her leashed incorrectly and fortunately she ran to see another dog whose owner grabbed her for me. The second time we were walking back from the dog park and she came out of her leash. She went about a block away where we were able to get her between two houses as she was visiting a good neighbor who got a hold of her. She lives to run!
I am crazy for hounds, or maybe its that I'm just plain crazy for getting another dog.
What a cute puppy(-: I am glad she has a nice home. Hopefully she will get use to you and her new home and not run away(-:
ReplyDeleteThat is a good story, from one sucker to another, a very good story. Very similar in oh so many ways. Monroe is 15 now Skyler was 9 months when we got him and he too, fit into the pack, getting along well with Newton. While mine aren't hounds, when one starts singing, they all join in. Have fun!!
ReplyDeleteNice and familiar story. We couldn't part from a foster cat last year and now we have 4. Way too many for my liking but once they are in your heart you can't give them away anymore.
ReplyDeleteSweet! That picture of the three of the dogs looks so right together. Your new acquisition sounds perfect. I bet she is most happy there too, some dogs just want to run and I think hounds are like that. Hopefully she'll come around.
ReplyDelete14 is a pretty good age for a hound like her. You should be proud at how well you and she have done!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cutie Penny is! And yes, those of us who share the insanity can attest to how much Hounds can inspire it. They are sort of like a canine addictive drug. Nothing quite like them, is there?
Mine are beagles. And like all hounds who go by scent, they don't mean to run away really, they just get shorted out when a good scent happens. You'll have to watch her to keep her safe. :)
Great story!
She's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteCindee,
ReplyDeleteI think she is settling in well. Thanks for stopping by.
Janet,
Thanks Janet. I am sorry to hear you are moving to SC, but I certainly understand your reasoning. I hope I can someday retire to a nice place in the country, but it looks like I'll have to work until I am 80.
Bek,
When you have one, two is a big leap. When you have two, three or four is not such a difference.
Tina,
I don't think she is running aways so much as just running to run.
Christy,
I love Beagles too, but they do bark so. Patsy has been one of the best dogs I have ever known and I don't look forward to saying goodbye. We had a basset who would wonder off slowly just following a scent.
Karenliegh,
Thanks we think so too.
Les
Isn't she dear!! Congrats on finding an appropriate member for your pack, while also giving a good home to a pup in need. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteSo very wonderfully perfect for you and Penny. She is very mischievous looking. I want a dog but am not sure I could handle the parting. I lost a dog 5 years ago that I had for 15 years and it still makes me uncomfortably sad to think about her. I get way too attached. But your Penny...makes me long to start all over.
ReplyDeleteKim D.,
ReplyDeleteAll dogs I have ever owned are rescues. Thanks for the nice comments.
Anna,
She IS very mischievous. I hear what you are saying about having to part with them. It is a gut wrenching experience, but I could not live without them.
Les
Love is blind! If you look at one of my earlier blogs you'll see we fell in love with a foster named "Taco". He went back to his family and we still have a 13 y/o rescue Chesapeake Bay Retriever and 3 rescue cats. We just adopted a puppy from Delaware Puppy Rescue - a 4 month old Daschund mini named "Palmer" - we just can't help ourselves. It's those eyes that look into our souls with unconditional love don't you think? Your dogs are adorable!
ReplyDeleteI totally relate...we have three cats, three dogs, and numerous things living in aquariums. Good job rescuing such a darling puppy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweetie! As a fellow pack person (you know the Pointer Sisters and the Stan) I have to say that although it's a bit nutty - I just love, love to watch a pack of dog do dog-like things. I am so glad that 'Pencil-Head' has a new home. She looks like such a sweetheart - and if it's at all comforting, the Pointer Sisters escaping every chance they can (which fortunately hasn't been so often lately, since they are OBSESSED with something living under the shed underneath the house).
ReplyDeleteI like hounds too. I just think they're the best.
She looks like she belongs with the group.
ReplyDeleteYou are a lucky she isn't into tearing up the garden. My dogs live for that :lol:
Oh she looks sweet with a sly little look. I know how this goes--we went to the SPCA to look at cats and brought home a mostly-Beagle. You have hounds so you probably already know that the key is to get them good and tired. We take Buddy running on a cruiser bike, and that tides him over til mid-afternoon. As for running off following his nose, it's one of my biggest fears. Hopefully when we get him a buddy, he'll want to stay home.
ReplyDeleteBrother - a perfect compliment to the pack would be a 1400 lbs, Thoroughbred. I just happen to have a couple I can send you. When do you want Certainly and Fatty McFats to come for stay?
ReplyDeleteJenns's,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I guess we are both suckers for puppy eyes.
Kate,
You have us beat, we only have 2 cats and no aquarium, but we do have a fish pond.
Pam,
I am not sure what our pack status is. The dogs only really interact when it is meal time. Everyone is civil to each other, but there is no play envolved. It could be because Patsy is so old and her interests are very simple, even for a dog, and Loretta - well she is just simple. Penny has found that one of the cats can be fun to play with and it is somewhat mutual. I always enjoy seeing one or more your pack's pictures.
DFP,
She has trampled a few of the corydalis, but I am OK with that as I am overrun with the stuff.
Lynn,
Thanks for the tip. We have taken the other dogs riding before and it wears them out but good.
Simple,
No thank you, we are a tad tight on space here. Maybe we can come visit them sometime this summer.
Les