If you happen to observe our Instagram tales, you’ve in all probability seen the information that we welcomed a brand new member of the Petersik household just lately. However I needed to take a second to correctly introduce her right here on the weblog. So… say hi there to Penny!
After Burger, our chihuahua of 15 years, handed away in October, we had been wrecked. It was an enormous loss for our household, and within the preliminary days after Burger’s passing we donated a ton of issues he left behind (our vet was in a position to cross alongside his treats, meals, crate, and coronary heart medicine to different canine in want of these objects). In fact we saved a couple of keepsakes like his collar and blanket, however we tucked them away in a field as a result of we couldn’t bear to see “canine issues” everywhere in the home when the absence of his clicking paws and jingling collar felt so loud in our ears. Each solar spot felt silly and annoying with out him in it.
We knew we appreciated the thought of giving one other canine a loving house, however we weren’t certain once we’d really feel prepared. Lots of you comforted us by sharing your experiences with pet loss and saying “you’ll know when you already know” which sounds cryptic and amorphous however turned out to be true.
Over the weeks, little by little, we seen that we now not felt a pang of unhappiness anytime a canine walked by. Progressively recollections of Burger elicited extra smiles than tears. We might snicker about how he would’ve devoured up that piece of spaghetti we dropped on the ground or how some scrap of paper would’ve undoubtedly ended up caught to his nostril.
In December we began shopping shelters on Petfinder and native rescue Fb pages ” simply to see.” For some time, it felt extra like a fact-finding mission than a severe hunt, however then on New 12 months’s Day, round two and a half months after Burger’s passing, we laid eyes on Penny on an area Fb rescue web page and simply had that quick feeling. We crammed out an utility by means of the rescue web site, messaged with the foster mother, drove out to fulfill her, and had been fortunate sufficient to be chosen as her adoptive household. All in sooner or later. What a strategy to begin the 12 months!
That is really a photograph of the day we met her at her foster mother’s house when she put her head proper into our daughter’s cupped palms. Just about from the second we met her, all of us fell for her.
Her outdated proprietor had a number of canine that she surrendered to the rescue as a result of she thought they deserved higher care and a spotlight, which is how Penny made her approach into the foster mother’s care (together with a ton of different canine – I feel there have been 11 at her home that evening!). Penny is 2 and a half years outdated and had by no means had any pictures or been to the vet ever – and was really in warmth once we rescued her (by no means bought spayed) in order that was a brand new expertise for us. Catching her up on all of her pictures and scheduling her spaying and getting her all checked out was how we spent the primary few days of the 12 months, and she or he bought a glowing invoice of well being, which we’re very grateful for. The vet mentioned she was a bit underweight, so Sherry has had enjoyable spoiling her to get her all caught as much as the place she needs to be.
Penny is most undoubtedly a mutt (the guess from the rescue group was Chihuahua/Yorkie – which I assume the cool youngsters name a “Chorkie”). Though we might additionally see some MinPin and even some Dachshund being in there. We’ve already despatched off this Embark Breed Identification Equipment that our buddies really useful. You simply rub a q-tip alongside the within of their cheek – which Penny very fortunately did whereas we laughed about how Burger would NOT have appreciated it. Can’t watch for the outcomes. I’m certain Sherry will share what we be taught on Instagram tales when it comes again.
Penny was a reputation that our children got here up with, and it shortly felt proper for her. She’s small and has copper coloring like a penny in a number of locations – together with two spherical little spots between her ears (you may see what I imply within the photograph under). Plus we had been all feeling very lucky to have discovered her – she’s our “fortunate penny” of kinds.
Among the many many nicknames we’ve got landed on, the group favourite is Penny No Pants and Sherry, our resident Beatle-maniac, generally calls her Penny Lane. I, our resident weirdo, discover myself elongating her identify into random phrases that “Penny” may be a nickname for (ex: Pendulum, Pennsylvania, Pensacola, Penicillin). Nobody thinks it’s humorous aside from me however, hey, dads gotta dad.
She is certainly a snuggler. Anytime any of us are sitting, she’ll come working to snuggle subsequent to and even on prime of us. And don’t get me began about her one floppy ear. It’s simply *chef’s kiss.* Wouldn’t change a factor about her. She suits proper in.
She additionally loves the seashore. Like really adores all the pieces about it, from the sand that she kicks up behind her to the very thrilling second when she sees a fowl.
All she needs to do is sniff a fowl, however for some motive they preserve flying away.
Initially, we assumed we’d undertake a pet so we might maximize our time collectively (I’m certain the psychology of wanting as a lot time as potential together with your subsequent canine after shedding your final one is smart – and we had gotten Burger as a pet so we had the expertise of coaching him to really feel assured that we might do it once more). However as we browsed the native rescue pages we realized that puppies have a line a mile lengthy, and generally the canine who’re a couple of years older sit some time longer.
So we began canine who had been a couple of years older than all these fast-moving puppies, and we’re so glad we did, as a result of Penny got here galloping into our lives. She turns three this summer season and we are able to’t wait to rejoice her. It breaks our coronary heart that she and Burger can’t meet one another, however Sherry says he despatched her to us, and by some means that feels prefer it’s true.
As I beforehand talked about, she is EXTREMELY snuggly and likes to be cuddled up by an individual always, which is nice for 2 work-at-home individuals like us. She is presently attempting to sleep together with her head ON my laptop computer keyboard as I write this as a result of Sherry’s lap isn’t obtainable (she’s doing one thing that requires standing – how dare she?). And as soon as the children come from faculty, they’re fast to imagine the place of Penny’s snuggle buddy.
She does have a specific comfortable spot for Sherry, and every time Sherry leaves the home Penny will go on a fast hunt round every room to ensure she’s not hiding wherever.
We’ve had her now for practically a month, and it has been enjoyable to look at her ease into life at our home and for her persona to extra totally present itself to us.
Whereas she does most of the identical issues Burger used to do round the home – like search out heat spots within the solar – she undoubtedly has a persona and quirks of her personal. As an illustration, she’s bought some cat-like agility that springs her up onto tables and over sofa arms with none worry. We joke that she’s half mountain goat.
She additionally enjoys this odd approach of stress-free, together with her again legs splayed out behind her like they fell asleep on her mid-stretch.
Perhaps it simply feels heat on the stomach? I dunno. Canine are bizarre.
Maybe our favourite factor is how her mouth curls up into this smile once we snuggle her. We don’t know what her final 2.5 years had been like, however she simply appears so genuinely joyful to reside with individuals who love loving her.
Typically she smiles with enamel. I imply, how will you resist this face?
In abstract: we’re so so so thrilled to have her and we’re grateful we felt able to welcome one other canine into our household. She actually does really feel like she was hand-picked for our household (thanks Burger!).
And now that you simply’ve been formally launched to Penny Petersik, you received’t be stunned when she begins popping up in weblog posts right here and there – most certainly laying round in some room photograph…
…our scaling some piece of furnishings to get a greater look exterior.
Both approach, we hope you take pleasure in having her round these components as a lot as we do.
