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She had been picked up by the local S.P.C.A. as a stray puppy left to fend for herself in a Saskatchewan winter. For any of you that live in more temperate climates that meant she was living outside without shelter when the outside temperate averaged around –34 C. (about -30 Fahrenheit) Apparently her previous owner had simply tossed her out
into the outside world to Even as a pup she was big, and that coupled with her obvious hairiness and lack of training and social skills resulted in her adoptability being almost 0. Added to that she had other issues as well so she was obviously not on the top of the list when the average person visited the pound to take home a puppy. She had been living at the pound for a number of months the day I first saw her and I was told that she had at best, a few days left before she would be put down. They just didn't have room to keep an un adoptable dog forever. It was truly her last week when I arrived at the pound that day to look for a dog. The well-meaning people at the pound had told me that Penny would probably not grow anymore and she would not be a ‘big’ shedder. Both of these 'probabilities' proved to be just a bit off the mark. I told them that I lived in a condo and that I had no yard so really I was looking for a smaller dog. They reemphasized that her days were numbered and again told me that at 40 pounds she would not get much bigger, so anxious to find her a home, the pound staff offered her to me for the grand sum of $65. That day Penny became part of my household. It was obvious right from the start that she had very serious fear issues and that she had never been socialized or for that matter had never even been inside a house. After going for a couple of nice long walks to give her the chance to empty her bladder (which she never did) and get used to the neighborhood she walked into her new house, squatted and peed on the floor.
She had never seen stairs before nor I think anything other than the pound as far as the inside of a building was concerned. She had no house training, no social skills and certainly had not been on a leash other than the few times volunteers had taken her for short walks at the pound. But I had already fallen in love and regardless of what happened Penny was going to be my dog. It would just be a matter of getting her to understand the ground rules. Penny became my constant companion and using the Instinct leash system she soon learned to poop and pee (forgive the directness but as dog owners there is no point in gilding the lily) on command during our numerous walks and all the while she grew and grew and grew. Within a few months I was faced with a difficult situation.
I had been driving a vintage sports car for a few years Now in case you get the idea that Penny was just fat, let me assure you that she was and is not - fluffy yes, fat no. Her fear issues were considerable though for the first couple of months, and in case you are thinking that everything is curable in seconds with the Instinct leash system, sometimes some things do take a bit of time. Soon she began to shift her thinking and within less than two months she was over the vast majority of her fear issues. She no longer cowered at loud noises, machines backing up or garbage trucks, her single biggest fear. When she first came home, seeing a garbage truck at the end of the street would cause her to run upstairs and hide shaking at the top of the stairs. Now, understanding that I was there to protect her and using the Instinct Leash System, she no longer had to watch out for it. Though still a tad nervous she would trot by them with me as she gave them the eye as we passed.
In short, the death row dog who was considered un adoptable has become the toast of everyone who meets her. She is loving with everyone and everything she meets, amazes people at dog parks and parties with her behaviour, (not tricks, just her behaviour). Often I have been asked if she really is a dog because she behaves so unlike other dogs, meaning she behaves so unlike most dogs around food, people and other animals. I tell them its because she understands that I am her pack leader and that everything in the environment belongs to me so I have no need to tell her not to touch food she finds in the dog park or on coffee tables at parties we attend. Nor do I need to tell her not to drink out of dirty puddles when we are out. She knows they are mine and if she is to drink, eat or touch anything she needs the pack leaders permission first. People are amazed and often ask how she has been trained to do the things she does. Very few people believe me when I tell them that she had not been trained to do those things at all. She already knew how to do them; all dogs know, all she needed was to understand how to use her inborn instincts. In closing I would like to ask any of you who might be reading this who are without a companion dog, to go to the pound to get your dog. Many trainers and breeders will tell you that if you are to get a good dog you need good breeding and you won’t find anything but dogs with issues at the pound. Part of that might be true, many of the dogs at pounds
do have issues but if you are willing to use the Instinct leash method
and let the dogs instincts
take over then you will find that virtually every issue disappears as
if by magic. Don’t let misguided or just plain wrong information
stop you from saving a deserving dogs life. Get your companion from the
pound. She or he deserves a chance at life and with the right opportunity
to use their God given instincts THEY WILL be the best and most well
behaved loving friend you could have. And if you want to make a difference in the world then visit Pennys (next to this one) favorite page www.stopwhalessuffering.org and donate to Seashepherd. Penny's an avid supporter and you should be too! To have your dog work with Justis or get more information click here.
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fend
for herself as a puppy of perhaps two to three months old.
Her feet had been frozen badly and she was living in a garbage bin foraging
for food and using the bin for shelter.
It was obvious that Penny was not only scared but had had no training,
including toilet training. 
and
Penny simply would no longer fit into a two-seater. She had grown too
big. Weighing in at almost
100 pounds she was unable to fit herself into the bucket seat without
falling out. So reluctantly I traded my beloved car in for a van. 
Now
almost four years have passed. Penny is the toast of the neighbourhood
and even the vet loves seeing her (Penny thinks
I own the vet too) because
Penny will let the vet do anything she needs to her without fear. She
has starred in her own TV commercial and is a loving member
of our family. 