Name: Penny Age: 3 years Breed: Boston Terrier
Nicknames: PJ, Bubba, Peeper, Peeps, Peepy June.
Penny in three words: Rabbit/cat hybrid.
Meet Melissa, Jett and Penny. The heart-warming, often-times quirky bond shared between these three is a sight to be seen. There’s really no love quite like a parent’s love, and as Melissa and Jett gaze at their Penny, eyes full of adoration, they begin to tell the story of their “cutest little weirdo.”
“If Penny was a person, she would be a grumpy old lady with a resting bitch face. She doesn’t like to be patted unless she demands it, and if you try and do it when she hasn’t, she’ll get up and walk away. And she hates being cuddled.”
Mum Knows Best
Melissa, Jett & Penny’s story began about 3 years ago, all thanks to Melissa’s mum. At the time, Melissa was struggling to face life without her old dog, Hugo, who she had lost in a relationship split. Alone in Melbourne without her Adelaide-based family to support her, Melissa’s mum suggested she find another dog to help her move on, but heartbroken Melissa was adamant that no dog could ever come close to Hugo.
As we all come to learn in life – when wise ol’ Mum gives advice, you better just take it. So after relentless poking and prodding from her Mum, Melissa eventually relented and took a trip to Bendigo, where one special little Boston Terrier puppy was waiting.
“She was 5 months old when I went to meet her and the breeder wasn’t even sure if she wanted to give her up. But when we met it was like she was always meant to be mine. She climbed straight into my lap, and that was the end of it.”
Sometimes at the most unexpected times in our lives, the stars mysteriously align.
Not long after Melissa brought Penny home, Jett entered Melissa’s world and the two began dating. And so a fur family was born!
“It was like we were always meant to be a family. Now we couldn’t even imagine life without her, or eachother.”
Just the 3 of Us (+ A Few Hiccups)
Now, owning a four-legged fur baby can certainly bring copious amounts of joy into one’s life.
Think endless play time and cuddles on tap, a living creature that thinks you’re consistently brilliant, and an exclusive ‘pack’ membership complete with (hilarious) insider code words the rest of the world can only admire from afar.
But owning a fur kid can be kinda messy.
When Penny was a puppy, she had a sweet little habit of sleeping sprawled across Melissa’s head and neck. That was until one night when Penny suddenly became unwell, and Melissa awoke to a pool of vomit streaming down her face. Safe to say, Penny has slept at their feet every night since.
And while Penny’s love for her Papa Jett was made very clear from the beginning, she was still unimpressed about having to share her mum when he first moved in.
“She let us all know it by revenge-peeing on the bed. Several days in a row.”
Singing Lullabies + Suckling Monsters
Early doggie dramas aside, Melissa and Jett glow with love and pride for their Penny. A typical day spent together involves family walkies, playing chasey around the house or using their hallway as a cricket pitch to play fetch.
Bedtime is more of an eye-brow raising affair however. To help Penny drift off to sleep, Melissa and Jett lovingly sing her lullabies, with Somewhere Over the Rainbow her favourite.
Penny also loves to suckle her favourite monster toy when falling asleep. She pulls her monster beneath her – Melissa and Jett call it her “ugly,” because apparently it’s gross – and lays on top of it as she suckles. People often think Penny’s trying to hump her monster, but in actual fact, it’s just a very particular way she likes to fall asleep.
Love + Raspberries
She may snore like an old man, drop farts that clear a room and dig up the floor like a crazy person when raspberries are blown on her belly, but Melissa and Jett wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sometimes when life throws a curve ball and it’s all too easy to sleep the day away, Penny is Melissa and Jett’s reason for getting out of bed. Besides, it’s pretty impossible to ignore her demands for walkies, which they always feel better for doing. Just don’t try to cuddle her.
“She makes every day better. She brings our lives so much joy and she makes us laugh every single day. We may be biased but we think she is the cutest dog in the world, even if she is a bit of a jerk.”
At Dogfolk Pet Photography, we photograph dogs and the people who love them.
If you’d love a shoot with your furry family, we’d love to hear from you! Make a pet photography booking enquiry here.
Stay up-to-date with our featured pet stories and special offers by joining the pack.