Sometimes when I’m here at The Aerie, Penny will run in from the backyard with quivering whimpering excitement. We will look at one another expectantly. A little wheeze will escape (her, not me) and I will relent saying, “Show me…”
C’mon! C’mon! C’mon! C’mon!
Before I can finish, she’s off to the yard — waiting impatiently.
C’mon! C’mon! C’mon! C’mon!
Usually, all I get is this. I mean, I’m sure there was something in the bushes, but typically it’s long gone.
It’s Right HERE!
But today I stopped and caught a little glimpse on the rock. See it?
See it!?!?!
How about now?
Stand-off!
Sadly for Penny, the fence kept her schnoz just out of reach and so we endured a bit of a pointer-lizard stand-off. Eventually, I had to encroach on the lizard’s space or I might have never gotten Penny back in the house.
Stevil 
Oh Penny. You’re the bestest.
She is the bestest of pups. I tell her that every day.
And she pointed right at it too.
She takes her job as a Pointer very seriously.
Better call Geico if you want to ensure Penny’s covered in case of injury.
I only worry about the occasional rattlesnake.
I put in Geico as a reference to geckos…that was a gecko on the rock? :)
Hah — I guess an insurance company wouldn’t ever use a rattlesnake, would it? I think it was a gecko, though I think it could have been a skink.
Or Aflack…….couldn’t you just picture that duck being devoured by a rattlesnake?
What a compliment! She wanted to share with you the special thing she’d found. That means you’ve been accepted as an honorary dog, Steve. :)
I’m not sure I can live up to the Unconditional Love standard that Penny sets, but it’s worth a try!
LOOK STEVE LOOK STEVE STEVE LOOK!
Eventually, I had to close the door so that she could turn it off… ;)
OMG, Penny is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! I LOVE that she came to get you. My two little sausages just corner whatever they’ve found and bark at the top of their lungs, leaping forward to poke whatever it is with their sharp little dachshund noses. Poke, jump back, poke, jump back. Barkbarkbarkbark. (And there a hundreds and hundreds of lizards in our yard, too, so you can imagine how much of this goes on.)
Penny is SO good to lead you to her find. What a special dog. The look on her face waiting for you by the door makes me want to hug her and kiss her! (And I love that great, big, gorgeous Mexican sage behind her! Salvia leucantha? Actually, I love everything visible in your yard, and the view beyond, as well.)
Great post, Steve! Thanks for sharing such a fun moment.
:)
Marcia — Penny is pretty fun in that she really does like to share what’s going on. And when we’re out on the chaparral, she always checks back to make sure that we’re in view.
Nice pick out of the sage. The hummingbirds love it. We have to cut it out pretty hard every few months, it grows like a weed.
I thought I recognized the salvia. I love them, and that’s one I grow, too, though none of mine have ever looked that healthy and gorgeous. Penny just might be my favorite online dog! If I were ever planning on having another one, which I’m not, I think it would have to be one just like her. It’s always nice to get a Penny post.
Ah, what a special relationship between you two. I am glad you indulge her desire to share. :)
LOM — she asks for so little, but gives so much, it’s hard not to indulge her just a little.
Penny is irresistibly adorable. I just realized, if she had longer hair she’d look a lot like my sister’s English Setter Skipper. Same coloring, same soulful eyes, and I bet they would get along great too.
cranky — The Beloved’s best friend has an English Setter and yes, they’re pretty close in temperament. Sadly, they live in New Hampshire — so that’s a long drive for a play-date.
Loved your post, Steve! It took me a while to find that lizard. Penny has got really sharp eyes and she makes some interesting friends :)
Vishy — I’m not sure that the lizard saw her as a friend! :)
Penny kills me. Thanks for sharing her with us.
SS — she’s pretty fun to have around the house.
She points like a Pointer should! Loved the shot of her 1/2 way into the bushes :)
MJ
MJ — she takes her job very seriously. Except when she’s napping.
DAAAAAAAAAD! Come lookie!
Lily — I know, right? Most of the time I can’t find it. One time there was one on the wall of the house and you can imagine the excitement!
It’s like “Where’s Waldo!” Took me forever to see the lizard. I would make a very bad pointer.
GOM — I wonder if she’ll lose it when she’s a GOP (Grouchy Old Pointer) — though I doubt Penny will ever get really grouchy.
I’ve witnessed similar behavior quite a number of times.
Steve, I am very impressed that you were able to capture the excitement with the camera. Well done. I love that pup, Penny.
LD — Let’s just say that we had a lot of “takes” yesterday. It was a VERY exciting day in the backyard.
AWWW! I love Penny!
Dogs truly are our best friends!
Lauri — we must be best friends, we haven’t gotten tired of each other yet.
It’s funny that such a large pup would be interested in such a small critter. Nothing gets by her! That’s good in a house companion!
Amelie — we don’t have a very big yard, so she scrutinizes that pretty carefully! :)
Photographic analysis has revealed that the “lizard” in question is really just a lizard-shaped leaf, the eyes are raisins left from a bran cereal breakfast Steve had enjoyed earlier, and the alleged scuttling motion of its departure was caused by an errant breeze from a neighboring ionizing air filter.
Senator, I can neither confirm nor deny those allegations.
What a lovely view you have. What a lucky dog!