Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,
I had been thinking about adding a third dog to our family for quite a while, and started to work toward making it a reality after Christmas 2022. I knew it would be a little easier on Penelope and me if we already had another dog in the house when Franklin leaves us. I dread his death. He is an old man at 15 or thereabouts. He has some difficulty getting around, and last year––for the first time since 1998––I had to go for walks by myself. Franklin couldn't manage it anymore, and Penelope is lousy on a leash. I needed a walking buddy.
So I went on Petfinder, the online adoption website, where I spotted Penelope back in 2015.
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This is the photo of a smiling Penelope that beguiled me into adopting her at a rescue in Georgia. |
This time, though, I hoped to find a dog who was fully or partially of a breed that was naturally intelligent and easy to train. I looked for a Collie and couldn't find a single one available for adoption. I know German Shepherds are intelligent and can be quite beautiful so I decided to search for them and discovered some were available not too far from our Little House On The Swamp.
I was especially interested in one shepherd, but when I called about him the contact person wouldn't help me find a time to visit the dog when I didn't have to work. Then I saw the story of Princess along with pictures of her and a video of her running and playing.
Princess was described as extremely shy and traumatized. She would need a home with a pet parent who would be patient with her. She had been with a person who kept her chained outside. Then the person became ill and couldn't keep Princess anymore. Fortunately, she ended up in a shelter especially for German Shepherds in Green Cove Springs, Florida. She was definitely a pretty girl. And German Shepherds are protective.
I was sure I could give Princess a happy, secure home, and in return, she'd be a good dog for me. to be continued
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug