FOR ADOPTION: PENELOPE aka NELLY is an approximately 8 month old spayed female large breed mix. Penelope was left starving and quite sick tied to a dumpster in Houston. Kind citizens picked her up and got her to the vet clinic where she eventually made her way to our care. This sweet girl has been given many reasons to not trust people yet she is still a sweet dog with a giant heart. She has been in foster care for just under 5 weeks and we are told she is very easy going around the house, and loves to hoard bones (she loves frozen beef marrow bones best) and toys into a comfy area and then sit there and relax with her treasures. Throughout the day, she also likes to bring items into her crate for when it's bed time. That being said, apart from a couple of accidents, Nelly respects her foster family’s belongings and does not chew them or add them to her piles. When outside Penelope loves to run around with her doggy foster brother Maverick. They are often chasing each other, play wrestling, and playing tug of war with the hol-ee roller dog balls. They do wrestle a bit inside, but it's usually pretty mellow (a little cheek or leg biting). We think Penelope would be happiest in a home with another dog that loves to play. She is also quite respectful of her two feline foster brothers and could easily live with cats in her new home. She is still quite skittish and if there is a loud noise in the house, she often runs to her crate, or behind the couch for safety. When she meets someone new, she usually barks but will quickly settle down. She is quite hesitant to approach new people and takes longer to warm up to men than women. She is really trying to learn to trust but does still have a ways to go. She loves walks but can easily get spooked while out in the world. Her first reaction when she is scared, is to try and run away, so she is walked in a snug harness. With more time and patient understanding handlers Penelope will get the hang of walking in town. Due to the fact that she is still quite scared of loud, unexpected noises, we are looking for a home with children aged 10+ or no children at all for this sweet girl. Penelope has learned to sit on command (usually). She is a smart girl but does have some guards up that require a little more time and patience on her handler’s part to make training break throughs. Penelope is a dog that would benefit from taking regular obedience classes with her new owners to build bonds and learn new skills. She sleeps nicely in her crate at night, and only cries if she needs to go out. She can almost make it through the night but needs to go out first thing in the morning. She cries in her crate if put in there during the day but she quiets down once she knows her humans have left. Nelly’s foster mom has described her as “my little guard dog”. If she is working in the kitchen, folding laundry, or doing basically anything that has her back to a room, Penelope will sit against the back of her feet looking out at the room watching for danger. This truly shows how loyal Penelope will be to those she learns to trust. She is spayed, vaccinated and up to date on parasite control. If you this PENELOPE could be just the pooch for you apply today for a chance to meet her.