Pretty as a Penny

Pen is so good on walks, including our walk down the lane this morning. No pulling, no tugging, no lunging - I could have held the leash with my pinky.

Sleeping Beauty

Penny does more than curl up in sphere chairs with Radar...really, she does. But she's so darn cute when she does it that I can't help but take pictures.

Pointer Yin and Yang

Radar: Look at me - pretty girl, brand-new sphere chair from the Tar-zhay boutique (that's Target for those Pointers who don't speak French)...


Penny: Radar, did you cut the cheese?

A movie of Pen!

Play Time

Pretty Pen

The Pen Blossoms

If I hadn't been here the last three weeks to experience the changes in Penny, I wouldn't believe it. The little female Pointer I picked up from the shelter three weeks ago today was scared, recovering from injuries, and severely underweight. Her tail remained perpetually tucked between her legs, and she approached everything with trepidation.

As I write this, Penny is nudging my hand on the keyboard wanting affection. She has just come in from running around the yard with Radar. She walked over a little while ago, picked up a Nylabone, and happily settled down for a chew. She's becoming a Pointer again - happy, confident, and athletic while remaining sweet, affectionate, and mild in the house. She loves the snow, and she loves the sun. She loves to nap, and she loves to run.

I underestimated the resilience of this little girl, and every day with Penny brings happy surprises.

They're not hyper!

The first question out of many of our friends' and family members' mouths when we tell them about fostering the three birddogs is, "Aren't they hyper?" Our answer is universally, "No."

Our answer was reaffirmed last night as we watched the three Pointers sleep while our Labs and Coonhounds played, roughhoused, barked, and generally created a melee. Wilbur slept on the recliner with Ben while Penny and Radar slept on doggy beds despite the ruckus being created around them. The Pointers are much like greyhounds in that they really just want a soft place to sleep in the house, and if that place is your lap, all the better, as they like to be close to you.

The secret to the Pointers is a good daily run or piece of exercise, even if it's just running and playing in the backyard with their owners or other dogs. It seems as though the Pointers have a reserve of energy that, once burned off - and it doesn't take a great deal, just a good run in the yard or some exercise with their owners - leaves them wanting little more than to sleep and relax in the house. The Labs, however, seem to have a higher sustained level of energy. While they don't really stretch their legs outside in the same way as the Pointers, they're more "on the go" more of the time.

We're finding the Pointers to offer the best of all worlds. They inspire us to get out and exercise ourselves - whether it's a good, long walk, a jog through our fields and woods, or running and playing in the backyard with the other dogs while we work in the yard with them - and then allow us to come inside and relax while they sleep. Our vet was right - if you're looking for trainable, bright, affectionate, sweet-tempered dog who will jog by your side and then sleep on your lap, it's hard to beat a Pointer.