If you follow me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook you may have seen my occasional updates about the puppy who burst into our lives in December. A Christmas present she was not, but a much longed for, four-legged member of the family.

Meet Penny Sprocker. Or at least that’s how she looked when she trotted into our lives. She was tiny! Today is National Puppy Day and it’s made me look back and appreciate our lovely pup.

Since December she’s been a whirlwind of adorable chaos and we wouldn’t have her any other way. She’s a Sprocker – a Cocker Spaniel, Springer Spaniel cross. This means she’s bouncy, energetic, greedy and intelligent, apparently.

She’s five months old now, give or take. In those months she’s learned some of the basics – sit, stay, lie down. She’s also learned how to climb onto the dining table to snaffle any unguarded human food. She’s also learned (hopefully) that drinking funny coloured water out of the pond will make her poorly.

This was her on her first big walk in January. 

Penny likes long walks, she gets three a day. I did mention she was energetic didn’t I? She also likes things she can chew (like my carpets) and lots of cuddles. 

I work mostly from home, so she gets to hang out with me most days, which is nice for us both. Sometimes she goes to work with my husband. He works alone so she is company for him and his customers seem to like her too.

This was her yesterday, we popped in to his work for lunch and to say hello.

She has made going out and trips away more difficult and sometimes impossible. Holidays have to be dog friendly and everything we do we now have to take her into consideration. We’d forgotten in the 18 months we’d been without a dog just how tying they can be. So don’t get a dog if you’re not able to consider their needs, just like you would consider the needs of a child.

Having said that, we wouldn’t change a thing. The benefits to having a big floppy mutt around the house far, far outweigh the other considerations we have to make. We love her and we’re pretty sure she loves us too.

Penny Sprocks rocks our world!