Penni

"A well-balanced bitch puppy who shows herself excellently and has a very pleasing feminine expression. Correct proportions. Good body, beautiful topline and neck. Correct bone in feet and correct angulations. Excellent coat. Moves superbly. This dog has a great future." - Judge Pekka Teini in Kaarina Puppy Show where Penni went Best of Breed and Best of Group 4.

This is Penni, a little friend so special that I find it difficult to even attempt to describe her only in dull words. You should see her flying in the agility tracks! All that movement, passion and swirling colours coat! You should see her train heeling or retrieving and trembling for eagerness to do together and how she enjoys work. You should see her curled up comfortably on the sofa after a long walk in the snow, stretching and meowing like a cat after a nice nap and, only moments later, full of sparking energy when playing with Spinnu or chasing a ball around the living room. She does live her life to the fullest and quite often I find I really envy her for it!

Penni came to me as a co-owned with her breeder and has since made a litter of four for the kennel Snowpaw. One of these puppies, a girl called Snowpaw Queen Quinevere (Siri), has followed Penni's footsteps as a triathlete. Siri has already gained fame in the show rings despite her young age, always judged excellent and frequently placed in her class. Siri competes in agility class three and trains obedience during her free time. Two other puppies of Penni's first litter have tried their paw at various dog sports, too.

Penni herself competes in agility class three (the highest class) and loves every second of it. She is an extremely fast dog and seems to live for the sport. I see a bright future ahead of us and have a solid trust in her in the track. Agility is by far the best thing Penni knows and also what she does best. Sometimes she does get a bit over-enthusiastic and crashes into the obstacles. For that reason, we have had a couple of bad days when she has been suffering from bruised back muscles.

Penni has a right to compete in the obedience class three (the Finnish winner class) and has gained three first prizes in both of the two lower classes, thus being titled both TK1 and TK2. She is eager to do obedience and learns very fast. Training her for obedience is an interesting challenge because I have never before been involved in that sport as a competitor. So far I have been enjoying the sport with a full heart.

And finally, in the show ring Penni turns people's heads with her long, effortless trot and beautiful, correct structure. An experienced dog masseur once told me she had never felt a structure more symmetrical than Penni's, and she has had her hands on many dogs. Penni has an elegant neck, an even topline and a very feminine, beautiful sheltie expression. For her virtues she has been awarded a CAC despite a very limited showing. Penni's grand-mother is imported from North America and this has sparked my interest and admiration for the American Shetland Sheepdog.

My goal for Penni? That's easy, a triple champion!