The year was 1998 and I was still in the depths of depression following a series of personal losses which I had suffered, one after the other, over a period of three years. 
 

Then, on July 1, 1998, this all came to an abrupt halt with the addition of Penny AKA Dufus Face or Rosie O'Donnell in a dog suit!

I had heard about Penny from Jane Dempsey, who runs Old English Sheepdog Rescue in Southern California.  I had worked closely with Jane on several other rescues, so we were old friends.  Little did I know it at the time, but Jane had been hoping all along that I would come and look at Penny because she knew that Penny would provide exactly what I needed:  laughter in my life.  Jane was so right.  Penny has not only brought laughter, but she also won't let me get depressed again.  It's impossible to be sad around someone so happy  who is such a nut.  She gives "comical" a new meaning and there isn't a day goes by that she doesn't do something that makes me laugh.  She also makes friends with everyone she meets.

Before coming to me, Penny had been through four homes through no fault of her own.  The first family who had bought her as a puppy had moved to a house with a yard too small for her and placed her with a military family who also had moved and turned her over to Southern California rescue.  Before this, however, they had hired a trainer to come in and try to train her using a shock collar.  Sheepdog rescue then placed her with an older couple, but the new owner had a massive heart attack and just couldn't handle such an active dog.  They aren't all couch potatoes!

Then Penny lived with a young girl who fostered her and actually cried when I came to look and ended up deciding that this dog and I really needed each other.  You see, Heidi had fallen in love with her too.

I wish I had known Penny as a puppy even though there's no possible way she could have endeared herself to me more if I had gotten her earlier.  Things might have been a lot different, though.  Penny is a show quality dog and I could have finished her championship even though I would never have bred her.  I was lucky enough to get her pedigree and discovered a lot of very nice dogs in the background.

It's been four years now since Penny found her forever home and I think  she's happier than she's ever been.  I know I sure am.

At the present time, Penny and I are taking an agility course and she's loving it.  It keeps us both active and if only somewhat fit.  She really is a natural at jumping and never misses a contact.