Landon and Penny

Jesse wanted me to do a post on Landon and Penny's complex relationship. To begin, I will need to introduce you to Penny. Penny is a purebred Hungarian Vizsla. Common nicknames for this breed of dog are Velcro Vizsla and Sunspot Seeker. Penny is those things and more. I don't really like Penny, but I love her immensely at the same time. Each morning I open the blinds so she can take a morning nap in her favorite sunspot. When the sunspot is gone she comes and finds me so I can spend the rest of the morning stepping on her or accidentally kneeing her in the head. I love it when Landon wakes up so she can go shadow him and leave me alone. She has to be at somebody's feet at all times. I have never met a more loving animal, though. If you want Penny to learn her lesson for being naughty you simply let her know how disappointed you are. I normally just gasp, then in the most devastating voice I can muster say: "Penny, no no" and send her to time out. She wants more then anything in the world to please us. 

Penny in her favorite sunspot

Now for Landon and Penny's relationship. Jesse is Penny's distinguished master. I think she considers me more of Landon's master and the person you do NOT make mad. But what is Landon? Because Landon is just a little boy it has been a hard task to teach Penny that she is beneath him, but at the same time responsible for his safety. Dogs are naturally pack animals and, as puppies, they often attempt to move up in the pack/family, particularly over young children. Now that she knows her place in the family, she has taken a completely different approach to Landon. She is very maternal toward him; they aren't so much friends as they are companions. When I catch Landon doing something naughty, Penny is doing 1 of 3 things: watching, participating, or getting me/telling on him. Landon and Penny are always together. It's hard for me to find pictures of Landon without some part of Penny being in them.

Landon doesn't like it when Penny starts her nap before him.

When Landon is finished eating, he will throw his food on

the floor and Penny knows it.

Landon's timeout is on the bottom stair. He normally takes

Penny by the collar and drags her along, too. Penny will

sometimes bring a toy if she has enough time to grab one.

Penny's timeout is in her kennel. Landon normally likes to join her.

Landon and Penny normally play with toys and listen to music
in the morning.

Even though Landon is a little rough with Penny, you can tell that he really loves her. Also, you can tell that Penny really loves him. She will pretty much let Landon do what ever he wants to her, even if it's hurting her. A few months ago we were teaching Landon how to be soft with Penny. We would pet her softly on the head and say, "be soft with Penny." Now Landon thinks the word 'soft' means 'pet'. So when we ask Landon to be soft with something, he will pet it. It's really cute! Penny is the only one in the world who can have endless hugs and kisses from Landon. He will only kiss her on the nose, we tried to get him to kiss her on her head but he wont do it. It's kind of weird, but cute at the same time.