Working with Penny

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Is fun and enjoyable.

She really likes to work and at the same time when she gets a chance during a break in her sniffing, she gets in some quality socializing time.

Greeting the cruise liner employees, passengers and crew.  She sucks it all up and milks it for all it's worth.
The passengers especially love it because as one passenger told me, it puts their mind at ease knowing there is someone like Penny keeping a safe nose out for them..
That and some of the older and younger folks that are just coming back, have a pet at home that has been waiting for their return for two weeks and they can't wait to get home to see them.

One thing I will say, if I haven't already, is that Penny really loves Tennis balls.  I mean REALLY LOVES them.  Almost to the point of being a fault.  I say that because during one of our rounds of sniffing luggage before it gets brought aboard the ship we came upon a folded up walker that had tennis balls on the feet.  Yes, that age old Cliche', I swear I could not make this up.
Penny did not sit or respond as if she came upon something devious, no, she saw the balls and dragged my sorry carcass straight for the rack with that walker.  SNIFF, SNIFF, SNIFF,SNIFF, SNIFF, SNIFF, YANK! She tried so hard to get at the balls too..  It only took a few seconds to get her back to work, but I thought to myself how funny was this, Lol..

Here are some photos of Penny relaxing in the back yard..

I HAS DA BALL!!

Smile for the Camera!

Channeling the spirit of a Swimsuit Model!

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Colonel Hogan would be proud....

This was a second dig on top of a prior one.  The 4x4 was put there after the first dig to prevent her from crawling under the gate again until I could get some fill dirt.  She didn't let that stop her the second time..

The funny part was when I caught her doing it again and her hind legs were the only thing I could see and they ere flailing all around as she twisted her way out from under the other side..

Edit: Hm? Hmm, I should probably have posted this in the Penny is home with me forum..
Up to you Mark..

[ClydesdaleKevin]

LMFAO!!!  She's SO CUTE!!!  Curb that digging and escaping as soon as you can though.  Don't want her escaping and running out in front of a car.

Penny is adorable man!

Kev

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So, I was out on the backyard with the dogs just watching them without interfering and noticed a couple things.

1: When left to play on her own, she will take a ball and roll on to her back and then using her front paws will take it out of her mouth lift it up and then drop it so that she can catch it.  This is what we in the K9 handler world calls self rewarding.  Cute as heck..

2: When My Husky is far enough from Penny, the Dutch shep, Sophie will put herself between Penny and Blake and try to keep her from playing with him..

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Yesterdays duty was very good for me and Penny.
As some of you may know, the month of May is 'Military Appreciation Month' and the passenger manifest for this day showed it.  I don't know if it was just the timing but Penny and I encountered Veterans from WW II, Vietnam, Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan, of which I am a Veteran of the last two.

Penny was a great ambassador for the K9 world as she was greeted with much enthusiasm from everyone, especially the Vets. I like this particular job because  our K9's were picked specifically to be sociable and Penny sure fit that bill easily. After we do a search of a specific area, we visit with the cruise passengers and she just soaks it in.

It's great seeing the smiles of not only the kids, but of the older adults and seniors too.  And for me most especially the older Vets we met Tuesday..

More to follow I'm sure..

Penny says 'Woof' which I think means Hello..

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Friday my boss showed up to fill in for another handler who could not work that day and he brought a new piece of equipment with him. 

Here is a photo of Penny sporting it..

Now she looks "TactiCool"!

(To be honest gang, I'm not sure about this thing, thank goodness the patch is velcroed. I want to replace it with one of mine that just says K-9 because I have had passengers and new pier side employees as if 'Explosive' was Penny's name...)
More soon to follow I'm sure..