Age: 5 years Gender: Female Color: Liver/White Weight: 42 lbs. Variety: Field-bred Penny is a little lady, sweet and delicate. She is calm and quiet and well-behaved. She was found as a stray in rural eastern Washington. She had foxtails stuck in her paws and was very matted, dirty, skinny, and exhausted. A local vet kindly took care of her infected paws, and animal control called rescue. Penny came to us very tired and sad, with very young-looking teeth but ancient-looking eyes and a cautious demeanor. We don't know much about her background, but we've been able to learn more about her in foster care. For example, the officer who found her named her "Sweetie" but we've found she responds to "Penny." Although she was reported to be quite timid, she warmed up to ESRA volunteers right away. She was patient and cooperative as we shaved her down and pulled ticks off of her. She seemed to know we were helping her, and she leaned into me as I clipped her. I was very impressed with her trust. With strangers, she seems to be drawn to women, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't become a "daddy's girl" in time. She likes men and women, and warms up quickly. She especially liked the foster dad's college-age daughter, and instantly seemed to think she was her best friend. Penny did well meeting the resident Springer and was great with the cats. Recently, she and the other Springer have tussled a bit over a rawhide bone, but otherwise they respect their space and do OK. We saw her personality begin to emerge in foster care. She loves people and attention. Penny has settled in remarkably well. The first night, she saw a doggie bed in the corner and immediately plopped down and sighed with happiness. She is very content being inside. Penny is definitely housetrained and completely trustworthy in the house. I would not trust her outside in a fenced yard at first, as she might dig out. She did try to do that when at the kennel. She prefers petting to playing. As far as possessions, she loves rawhide bones and fluffy beds. Penny is good off-leash and stays close. She also walks well on the leash and doesn't pull. She rides so nicely in the car, and seems to really enjoy it. She is most comfortable as a mostly-inside dog. She likes to get on the furniture but gets off when asked. She likes to be with people all the time and she loves to see what everyone is up to. At Penny's vet visit, the vet discovered a few more foxtails in her ears and legs and another tick. He estimated her age to be five. She does need to put on a few pounds. Penny prefers canned food, which might help her bulk up, but she eats dry food, too. She takes an interest in garbage (but has not gotten into it) so we presume that living off garbage was how she survived on her own. She has an amateur's haircut, but she will have a beautiful coat when it grows out and sees a professional. Penny would be happiest in a home where she can get a lot of attention and can be the pampered little girl she deserves to be. She would be great with cats, and OK with or without another dog. We haven't seen her with small children. However, she is so calm and docile, it's hard to imagine that she would have a problem. She should only be with GENTLE children, however, because she is a gentle soul and would not like rough-housing. The main thing she needs is love by her family. We want those sad eyes to be shining with happiness and confidence, knowing that she has found her Forever Home.