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
Carlos and I are talking about another dog since Ozzo left us, but it's quite the commitment and there are logistics as to the size of dog; our yard is fenced but the fence is about three-feet tall and jumpable for a larger dog.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear what you've decided ....
xoxo
My fence is about six and a half feet so I don't have limits on the size of the dog, other than providing a dog with room to run. I haven't had any complaints about that from the dogs.
DeleteSuch a beautiful girl she is too. It is so nice to watch her grow into who she will be in a loving and caring home. Penelope will always be my best girl though.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty cute photo of Penelope, isn't it? You can see why I drove to Georgia to adopt our sweet girl.
DeleteLooking forward to hearing more about Princess!
ReplyDeleteComing up as soon as I have time!
DeleteExciting. The video is hilarious... and so spot on.
ReplyDeleteThat guy makes a lot of dog videos that are available on Facebook and Youtube. I love them.
DeleteMeant to be!!
ReplyDeleteShe has really adapted to her new home and roommates. :) :)
We had some problems for a while but she's doing well now.
DeleteWatching our dogs deteriorate before our eyes is so sad! 😔 Excellent idea to add another one to the family. Princess is a lucky girl to be chosen by such a wonderful dog mom. 💖 Looking forward to the rest of her story!
ReplyDeleteNow that Franklin is a cancer survivor I'm especially concerned about him. Every day with him is a bonus. As long as his tail wags, we're good.
DeleteI grew up with Shepherds and adore them. I took my first steps holding onto out dog's tail for support - and I am told that he just about crossed his legs so he didn't pull me off my feet. I am also told I teethed on his ears and he merely looked aggrieved. He paid me out by draining my bottle every chance he got.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing more about Princess.
How lovely to have good shepherd stories to tell. Princess is my first shepherd, although I used to have Harper. My daughter thought he was a mix of smooth collie and Belgian shepherd.
DeleteI'll look forward to meeting her.
ReplyDeleteShe's a sweet, pretty girl, although at the moment, she's stinky. She's napping on the couch next to me and she has terrible gas.
DeleteRight now I am fighting the urge to get another dog. I have been looking at fostering one.
ReplyDeleteGlad you found a new baby.
I fostered for a while when I lived in Illinois. It was very rewarding.
DeleteWelcome, Princess. Traumatized souls requires a lot *more* care and work, but if your new family is up to it, you will be their Princess without a doubt.
ReplyDeleteIt's appropriate that we live on Royal Ave now that we have a princess of a dog. She knows how special she is.
DeleteI just stumbled upon your blog when I was reading Bob's blog. I have been a dog owner for years, but for the last two I have been without one. My last dog died a little over two years ago, and I haven't had it in me to get another as his death really was hard for me. I also read a couple of your other posts. That Trump supporter video was priceless.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Michael. Maybe you'll feel like adopting a dog one of these days. So many dogs need homes. When The Original Dog, Faulkner the smooth collie, died in 2010, I had already added other dogs to our family, who comforted me when he was gone. I can't live without dogs. Glad you liked the Trump supporter video. Those people are nuts.
DeleteThose people are more than nuts. I just don't get it. I understand that people have different political view points, but I just don't see what allure that Trump has to people that he absolutely cares nothing about!
ReplyDeleteThey don't seem to care that he doesn't care about them!
DeleteI'm anxious to hear about Princess and gain some knowledge of German Shepherds.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
I've already learned a lot about shepherds. They have their cute peculiarities.
DeleteSounds like Princess needs a good home. I hope it works out for you.
ReplyDelete