Penelope the Goose is a 3-year-old Italian greyhound who lives with her owner Kayla Harvey in Gardner, Kansas. She was brought home three years ago when she was just eight weeks old. The fluffy companion was meant to keep Kayla company after her youngest child was about to start school so she wouldn’t be at home alone. “When my youngest child started school, I realized I would be home alone for the first time in years. I had 2 dogs who were both seniors and had a senior dog recently pass away. I was too ill to go back to work and as I’m often stuck in my house for days due to being chronically ill, my dogs are my best friends and often all I have to keep me company. I thought I would adopt another older dog, but the family whom Penelope belonged to told me that there was something very special about Penelope,” says Kayla to Bored Panda.
Kayla says that Penelope was very different from the other puppies in her litter. While others were bouncy and wild, she stayed calm, gentle, and cuddly. She was told that Penelope would be perfect for someone who is chronically ill. “When I got to the home that had Penelope, my son and I were greeted at the door by her puppy brothers and sisters. They were wild and bouncy and one grabbed my son's shoe and ran off with it! But Penelope was shyly cuddling in bed. Much calmer than the other dogs. When I picked her up, she was so tiny and gentle and just cuddled up to me and slept. For me, it was love at first sight!”
After posting a few of Penelope’s pictures on Facebook, Kayla realized that people love her unique “goose-like” look and created her own Instagram account. She instantly gained online fame! Now Penelope has 87.2k followers on her Instagram account, who enjoy her funny expressions and “fashionista” nature. "Penelope overall does great posing for pictures! She is such an inquisitive little thing that she often stays very still while she is scoping things out. Most of our pics are just natural looks from us cuddling on the couch, but the more 'posed' pics she enjoys doing because she gets treats and loves having all the attention on her!”
Many may have noticed that Penelope has many fashionable outfits. When asked how Kayla chooses her clothing, she says that her breed requires clothing to stay warm, so she decided to make it unique and fashionable. “Italian Greyhounds often require clothing, they have very little body fat and can get cold easily and so in cold climates, they often need warm PJs or jackets. They also are susceptible to sunburns with their thin fur and sensitive skin. So in the summer, they often need thin layers to protect from the sun. With all that in mind, I love finding clothes or collars that match Penelope's Goosey personality! I love things that are whimsical, unique, and colorful for her. There is an amazing woman that owns a company called duds4buds and she often makes Penelope incredible, unique custom clothing and comes up with really unique ideas for Penelope's outfits!”
When asked how she would describe Penelope’s personality, Kayla says: “She is not like any dog I have ever met. She is funny! She loves playing games and even seems to have a sense of humor. Penelope is sassy! She does what she wants how she wants to do it. She is sneaky and mischievous and an evil genius of sorts! I have never seen a dog be able to figure out the things she does to get a hold of what she wants. We’ve gone through lines of trash cans trying to find one she can’t figure out how to unlock! Any of The Goose's mischievousness is balanced out by pounds of sweetness! She is incredibly loving and affectionate. She adores kisses and hugs and snuggles and is always cuddled up with me or one of my kids. She will wrap her arms around us in a hug when we are kissing her.”
Penelope loves children and especially playing with them. Kayla says that Penelope can sense if one of her children is ill and then cuddles and stays with them. “She seems to prefer children over adults (besides a special few adults). She loves playing with my kids and their friends and if one of my children is ill, she seems to know and cuddles up on them and stays with them. She is loved by my children so intensely and she seems to reciprocate the feelings. She keeps our entire family laughing with her goofy antics on top of that!”
