Blog Feature: Friendship Collar
| Back in September, we were featured on the Friendship Collar blog and I wanted to share our full survey here on our blog as well! They chose to post a few of their favorite answers out of all the ones I sent and they also edited some of my answers for length. Answers originally written on September 9, 2019; featured blog posted on the Friendship Collar website on October 16, 2019. If you want to read the entire interview, it’s listed below!
What is Friendship Collar?
Friendship Collar is the coolest company that makes pet collars with matching bracelets so that you can #twin with your BFF! They have tons of awesome patterns and designs, plus their “leather” is vegan and they donate a portion of their proceeds to feeding hungry animals.
1. How did you meet?
I grew up with Dachshunds and knew that’s what I wanted for my first dog! I also definitely wanted to raise a puppy, so when the time was right, I started researching local Dachshund breeders and visiting their facilities. It took a few months to finally find a great family with a fantastic full-time breeding program about 5.5 hours North of San Diego.
We booked a hotel for the night and drove up there, just so I could see the facility with my own eyes and make sure it was a reputable and healthy place to get my puppy. When we arrived the next morning, and without going into extensive detail, it was everything I had been looking and hoping for in a Dachshund breeder! Ben and I lied down in the grass and they opened a gate… suddenly about 10 baby wiener dogs were running over and climbing on us.
Every single puppy there was adorable and they all had great personalities, but Penny and I had an instant connection. She waddled straight over to me, looked at me with her gorgeous green eyes, and immediately rolled over to show me her chubby puppy belly. It’s been true love ever since!!
2 How did you come up with your dog’s name?
The name Penny came mostly from her copper color, but was partially inspired by the sweet and bubbly personality of the namesake character on The Big Bang Theory!
3. Do you have a silly pet name for your dog?
I have so many ridiculous names for Penny… I call her “Scooters” a lot, which came from “Scooty Boot” because she’s low to the ground, I guess LOL! I also call her “Pen Pal” all the time!
4. Does your dog like going to the vet?
She actually does! Penny is super outgoing and loves people, so she loves getting attention from all of the vet’s staff. She’s usually really excited to go there, but once she was nervous because the time before she had gotten shots… I felt so bad!
5. Does your dog like meeting other dogs?
She likes meeting small dogs, but she can be pretty vocal, which makes some dogs uncomfortable. It’s something we’re working on… She’s pretty scared of large dogs and doesn’t really enjoy meeting them unless they’re able to spend some quiet time getting to know each other.
6. Does your dog like to play with other people or with dogs?
7. Does your dog enjoy a bath?
I wouldn’t say she enjoys it, but she definitely doesn’t mind taking a bath. I bathe her at home in the bathtub with a detachable shower head and I’ve always tried to make it a relaxing experience for her. After her bath, she rolls around on a towel while I blow dry her and I actually think she enjoys that part more than the bath itself!
8. What is your dog’s favorite season of the year?
We live in San Diego, where it’s pretty much summer all year long! Penny has been in the snow, but I don’t think she cared for it. I’d say summer is her favorite! I like fall for all of the holidays and costumes!
9. Does your dog like to be outside or is she more of an indoor dog?
Penny likes to be wherever the people are! She’s fine with both indoor and outdoor activities, as long as she’s getting lots of attention!
10. Does your dog love to be dressed up?
I don’t think she loves it the way some dogs do, but she tolerates it. She doesn’t really wear clothes on a regular basis – most of her costumes and accessories are just worn for photoshoots, so she doesn’t mind it. She’s so funny – she’ll wear a hat or sunglasses for a few pictures, but after I say “okay,” she actually takes them off with her little paws! It’s so cute!
11. Where is your dog’s favorite place to go?
Honestly, anywhere that I go! She just loves to be out with me!
12. How does your dog greet you when you get home?
Penny is very smart and quite mischievous, so if there’s somewhere I can’t take her, she stays in her crate at home. She doesn’t mind napping in there at all and is usually yawning and stretching when I get home to let her out! When I open the crate, she jumps up and gives me kisses, then runs out of the room with the zoomies!
13. Has your dog always been the pawfect model?
Pretty much! Since she was a puppy, she’s loved posing for the camera because she knows it means lots of treats and attention from mom! There’s a white furry stool I use a lot for photos that she knows is for modeling! Sometimes I keep it in my car and take it places since she’s so short… Anyways, whenever I put it out, she runs over and jumps onto it like she’s ready to go!
Penny and I are wearing the Prickly Pup set from Friendship Collar throughout this post.
14. Any fun tricks your dog likes to show?
Penny loves to do her cute tricks – shake, spin, up (stand on her hind legs) – but only if you have treats or belly rubs on hand! We’re currently still working on roll over! Of course she can also do basic commands that we don’t really consider tricks, like sit, down, stand (down to sit) and stay.
15. What is your dog’s favorite game?
She has a couple of hilarious games that she’s invented and loves to play with us. The first one is a modified version of fetch, where she brings you one toy to throw, but carries another toy in her mouth when you throw the first one. Then she’ll switch the toys, take the one you threw in her mouth, and look at you to walk over and throw the other one to repeat the game. It’s pretty funny to see how excited she gets if you actually get up and play it with her! The other game is where she brings you a toy with multiple squeakers. She wants you to squeak one of them in a pattern while she squeaks the other in her own little pattern. All the squeaking can get really loud but her tail wags like crazy the whole time – she loves it so much!
16. What’s the naughtiest thing your dog has ever done?
Penny hasn’t done too many naughty things! Her worst problem is sometimes randomly peeing in the house… She’s both outdoor and pad-trained and I know she knows where to go potty, but for some reason she loves to pee on the rug in our front living room. Ugh!!
