Penny, 6 months old (estimated DOB June 2025), spayed female, Shepherd/Hound mix, currently 30 pounds. We expect her to be a larger size when full grown. She is currently in a foster home in WASHOUGAL, WASHINGTON and is available for meet and greets!
Penny, her sister and mom were brought as strays to a shelter in San Antonio, Texas. They spent 40 days there until we could rescue them. She has thrived in foster care! Please note part of her adoption donation covers the cost to have her transported to WA where she is currently residing.
Meet Penny
Penny is a bright, high-energy puppy with a huge heart and tremendous potential. She is smart, curious, affectionate, and deeply devoted to her people. Penny is still learning about the world, but her confidence is growing every day, and it has been wonderful to watch her blossom.
Dog Social Skills
Penny is a high-energy player, especially at the beginning of playtime. She enjoys running, chasing, and bouncing around with dog friends and does best with dogs who set clear and appropriate boundaries. She has shown a strong ability to read other dogs’ cues. When another dog growls or stiffens, Penny will roll onto her back submissively and respect the correction.
She has interacted well with dogs of many sizes, ranging from approximately 25 pounds to 95 pounds. Because she is young, excitable, and enthusiastic, she will benefit from continued guidance and structured play as she matures.
On leash, Penny is alert, friendly, and eager, often pulling toward other dogs with a wagging tail. While hiking or walking on trails, she may bark if she is not allowed to greet another dog. She is already improving with treat-based redirection and continued training.
Cats and Other Animals
Penny has not lived with cats. She has been around a bird and showed curiosity but no signs of aggression.
Children
Penny lives with older children and does very well. She is affectionate, playful, and gentle with her family. She would likely do fine with younger children as well, as long as the family understands puppy behavior and is committed to patience, supervision, and training.
Leash Behavior
Penny likes to be at the front of the pack and can become distressed when separated from other dogs during group walks. She is doing much better on solo walks and continues to gain confidence. With a properly fitted harness, she walks nicely and shows significant improvement with pulling. She remains alert to her surroundings and is learning calm leash manners with positive reinforcement.
House and Crate Training
Penny is not fully house-trained yet but is making steady progress. She now goes outside regularly and is beginning to show signs when she needs to go out. Accidents still happen, but she is intelligent and eager to learn, and continued consistency will help her succeed.
She is crate trained overnight and sleeps peacefully from approximately 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. During the day, she may bark or whine briefly when crated because she wants to be involved with people and other dogs. Penny is very social and people-oriented and should not be crated excessively.
Food and Toys
Penny loves her food and currently eats very quickly. A slow-feeder bowl is recommended. She has shown no food guarding toward people and is comfortable being hand-fed.
She enjoys toys, bones, and treats, especially stuffy and crinkly toys. Occasionally, she may growl at her sister during play or when competing for attention, but this behavior is easily managed with supervision and redirection. She has had no issues with toys or resources around other dogs in shared spaces.
Energy Level and Activity Needs
Penny is a high-energy dog who needs daily exercise, training, and mental stimulation. She thrives with long walks or hikes and plenty of playtime. She would do best in an active home and may enjoy advanced training, agility, or other structured activities.
She may benefit from having another dog in the home but would also be happy as an only dog if her exercise and social needs are met.
Personality
Penny is independent, curious, serious, playful, smart, and affectionate. She seeks attention, enjoys physical affection, and forms strong bonds with her people. She is loyal and emotionally connected and wants to be involved in daily life.
When meeting strangers, Penny was initially timid and cautious. With time and positive experiences, she has become much more relaxed and now passes people calmly on hikes with a loose body and growing confidence.
Car Rides and Daily Life
Penny rides well in the car and generally remains quiet while observing her surroundings. Like most puppies, she may chew if left unsupervised, but overall she does very well during car rides.
She initially struggled with stairs but has gained confidence and now navigates them comfortably.
Fun Facts and Special Traits
Penny has six toes on her back feet, which are slightly outturned, giving her a unique and endearing look. Her confidence is developing quickly, and she takes pride in new accomplishments. When she plays, her joy is obvious, and when she seeks affection, she radiates warmth and trust.
Training and Growth
Penny arrived with very little training but has already learned sit, down, name recall, and improved leash skills. She is eager to learn and would thrive with continued basic and advanced training.
Ideal Home
Penny would do best with adopters who enjoy an active lifestyle, value training and bonding, and want a dog that is affectionate and engaged. Her future family should be patient, loving, and excited to help her continue growing into the confident dog she is becoming.
Penny is truly a special dog with incredible potential, and she is ready to find the home that will help her shine.
***Listed BREED and AGE - We are taking our best guess & recommendations from our veterinarian on age, breed and size when fully grown. We rarely know a dog's exact age nor are we able to tell the true or full breed mix of dogs as our information is limited most of the time. ***
Adoption Fee: $400
Interested in applying to adopt her? Fill out an adoption application at the link below!
https://new.shelterluv.com/matchme/adopt/PRP/Dog
