Meet Penny. This cute little nugget was abandoned in an industrial park and for a whole week, she stayed in the same place hoping her owners would return to her. A Good Samaritan heading to work saw her laying in the woods by the road but when he tried to approach, she would flee. Sadly this is not the first dog WDR has taken from this area, which has become a known dumping ground. The Good Samaritan contacted Worthy Dog looking for help, and we provided him with a trap to help catch Penny. He worked all weekend to catch her and on the fourth day, it finally worked. This sweet baby girl was just scared and now that she’s safe, she is nothing but kisses. A huge thank you to the man who saw her and took action by reaching out for help, ultimately saving her life.

Penny has been fostered with both dogs and cats. She is confident and social with other dogs, plays well in a pack, and doesn’t need to be the alpha. She will chase cats sometimes, and other times will completely ignore them... but she’s still probably best in a cat-free home. Penny has a medium energy level and loves to play with the other dogs, but will also snuggle up with you on the couch. She housetrained, potty-trained, and walks pretty well on-leash too. Her foster mom takes her out twice a day for walks and she seems to really enjoy them.

We have not seen her around young kids, and she’s definitely hand-shy and will cower when you first reach out to pet her. She doesn’t come to new people right away and needs some time to trust. She’s never been nippy and is a timid dog, but is probably best in a calm home with older kids. We think she would do best with another dog and playmate in her family too. Penny is a very sweet pup who needs a little TLC to help overcome shyness. She will bark but it’s within reason. Her favorite thing to do is to romp in the yard and play with her toys. 

FOSTER MOM UPDATE - 8/19/19

"People are always complimenting Penny for her unusual brindle coloring and sleek and royal looks when we walk around the neighborhood; some say she looks like a Bengal cat from the back. The coloring around her face give her a permanent concerned look but don’t let that fool you; if she could smile she’d be doing it often and her big tail is often wagging. She’s a bit of a slow walker as she likes to stop and follow her nose, but will speed up to chase her squirrels and rabbits (so keeping her leashed is a must). She is friendly with other dogs and has made some good dog pals in the neighborhood. She is skittish around fast-moving young children, but will enchant kids who are calm and can wait for her to go up to them.  She’s a healthy, happy pup who loves to play tug and fetch with toys but calms down and plops in the couch for long stretches. She’ll snuggle in bed beside her person, but is also calm and comfortable in her crate. Her fur is so super-soft and silky. Someone needs to give this pup with a regal bearing the home she deserves!"

Breed: Chihuahua/Doxie mix
Weight: 11-12 lbs
Age: ~1.5 - 2 years
Gender: Female
Adoption fee: $350
Vetting: updated on vaccines, dewormed, spayed, microchipped.   
Location: Alexandria, VA

FOR MORE INFO OR TO ADOPT: Please go to http://adopt.worthydog.org and complete the application.

You can also help save dogs like this one by becoming a foster, providing a rescue dog with a temporary home and giving them the love and care they need until they are permanently adopted. Every person who fosters is directly responsible for saving the life of a dog, because we can only save as many dogs as we have foster families available to welcome them into their homes. If you think you might be interested in becoming a foster and want to learn more, please go to http://foster.worthydog.org and fill out an application.

Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area.