If you follow our Instagram stories, you may have already seen that we recently welcomed a new member to the Petersik family. I wanted to properly introduce her here on the blog — say hello to Penny!
After Burger, our chihuahua of 15 years, passed away in October, we were devastated. Losing him left a very quiet house, so in the weeks that followed we donated many of his items — treats, food, his crate and medications — to other dogs in need. We kept a few small keepsakes like his collar and blanket, but tucked them away because seeing “dog things” everywhere felt too raw at first. Every sun spot felt empty without his clicking paws and jingling collar.
We wanted to give another dog a loving home eventually, but we weren’t sure when we’d be ready. Many readers kindly shared their own experiences with pet loss and told us, “you’ll know when you know.” It sounded vague at the time, but it turned out to be true.
Gradually we stopped feeling a sharp pang when a dog walked by, and Burger’s memories started bringing more smiles than tears. We found ourselves laughing at little things — how he would have inhaled that piece of spaghetti or ended up with a scrap of paper stuck to his nose.
In December we began casually browsing shelters on Petfinder and local rescue Facebook pages just to see what was out there. At first it felt like research, not a serious search, but on New Year’s Day — about two and a half months after Burger passed — we saw Penny on a local rescue page and immediately felt a connection. We filled out an application, messaged her foster mom, drove to meet her, and were thrilled to be chosen as her adoptive family. All in one day — a pretty amazing way to start the year.
This photo is from the day we met her at the foster home — she put her head right into our daughter’s cupped hands and we all fell for her in an instant.
Penny’s previous owner surrendered multiple dogs to the rescue, believing they deserved better care, which is how Penny ended up with her foster mom (who that night was caring for many dogs). Penny is about two and a half years old and hadn’t had any vaccinations or veterinary care before she reached the rescue. She was even in heat when we adopted her, so those first few days of the year were spent getting her up to date on shots, scheduling her spay, and running a full checkup. The vet gave her a clean bill of health. She was a little underweight, so Sherry has been having fun spoiling her to help her pack on a bit of healthy weight.
Penny is definitely a mutt — the rescue guessed Chihuahua/Yorkie, which some folks call a “Chorkie.” We also see hints of MinPin or Dachshund. We sent off an Embark Breed Identification Kit our friends recommended; the swab was quick and Penny was perfectly happy to cooperate. We were excited to get the results back.
UPDATE: We received the Embark results about a month after sending the swab. The top breeds matched the rescue’s guess — Chihuahua and Yorkie — and a bit of Dachshund showed up too. Pekingese and Maltese were unexpected, and we were surprised there was no Miniature Pinscher in the results despite people often thinking she looks like one.
The kids named her Penny and it felt right. She has copper-colored patches like a penny, including two round spots between her ears, and she’s become our little lucky penny. We’ve nicknamed her many things — the family favorite is Penny No Pants, Sherry sometimes calls her Penny Lane, and I embarrassingly enjoy stretching her name into silly variations. Dads will be dads.
Penny is a true snuggler. If anyone is sitting down, she’s likely to hop up beside or even on top of them. Her one floppy ear is utterly charming and we wouldn’t change a thing. She already fits right in.
She also loves the beach — the sand, the breeze, and especially the birds. Watching her chase scents and try to catch a glimpse of a bird is endlessly entertaining.
We originally thought we might adopt a puppy so we’d have more years together, since Burger was a puppy when we brought him home. But puppies move quickly through adoption lists, while slightly older dogs sometimes wait longer. Looking at adult dogs led us to Penny, and we’re so glad it did. She’ll turn three this summer and we can’t wait to celebrate her. It saddens us that she and Burger never met, but it feels right — like she was sent to us when we needed her most.
She is happiest when she’s cuddled next to a person, which works well for two people who work from home. Right now she’s trying to rest her head on my laptop because Sherry’s lap is occupied. The kids are quick to claim Penny as their snuggle buddy when they get home from school.
Penny clearly favors Sherry and will check every room if Sherry steps out, making sure she hasn’t gone missing. After nearly a month with us, it’s been a joy to watch her relax and reveal more of her personality.
She shares some habits with Burger — like finding the warmest sun spots — but she has many unique quirks. Her agility is almost cat-like; she’ll spring onto tables and over couch arms without hesitation. We joke she’s part mountain goat.
She also relaxes in a funny way with her back legs splayed out behind her, as if they fell asleep mid-stretch. Maybe it just feels good on her belly — dogs are full of delightful mysteries.
One of our favorite things is the sleepy smile she makes when we snuggle her. We don’t know what her first two and a half years were like, but she clearly enjoys living with people who love her. Sometimes she even flashes a toothy grin — who could resist that face?
In short: we’re so happy to have Penny and grateful we felt ready to welcome another dog. She truly seems like she was meant for our family — thanks, Burger.
Now that you’ve officially met Penny Petersik, you’ll likely see her popping up around the blog — lounging in room photos or scaling furniture for a better view outside. We hope you enjoy having her around as much as we do.
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