August 5, 1993 - March 8, 2004

I lost a treasured friend today
The little dog who used to lay
Her gentle head upon my knee
And share her silent thoughts with me...

She'll come no longer to my call
Retrieve no more her favorite ball
A voice far greater than my own
Has called her to His golden throne.

Although my eyes are filled with tears,
I thank Him for the happy years
He let her spend down here with me
And for her love and loyalty.

When it is time for me to go
and join her there, this much I know...
I shall not fear the transient dark,
For she will greet me with her bark.

- author unknown -

Pictured above at over eight years old, Penny was the first dog I ever showed in the Conformation Ring.  She taught me to love the sport.  She seemed to "just know" exactly what to do in the ring.  As my first attempt at a "show dog" she was an excellent dog to learn on.  As a complete novice it took me some time before I realized we would only go so far with this sweet dog in the Conformation Ring.  Showing her gave me the desire for a dog we could get a bit more serious with.  It was because of this that I went in search of my first serious conformation dog.  I was lucky enough to see a close relative of Simba's at a show and began my plea with his breeder.  So, even though Penny wasn't a winning conformation dog, she was a very vital part of our beginning. 
After deciding that Penny was not for the Conformation Ring, I could not just let her stay home.  So, we tried our hand at obedience, again, first time for me.  She was so smart and quick to please me, finishing with a Specialty First Place for her Final leg and a Third Place for her second leg at an Obedience Trial (with around 50 entries in our class).  If Penny ever made a mistake - it surely was because of me! 
On October 17, 2003 Penny had her spleen and an attached mass removed at Cornell Vet Hospital.  Two weeks later I received the worst news possible.  The mass was a very aggressive cancer and she was only given three months to live.  She fought a hard fight and for the first four months after her surgery she showed little signs of having any problems.   She almost made it to five months when I had to help her to the bridge.  I am eternally grateful for those last few months to spoil and love this special dog.  She is greatly missed and will never be forgotten...
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