Spotlight on Penka

It all started with a photograph

Hi everyone, I'm Kat, and I'm 31. I grew up in Saint Petersburg, but Estonia called me five years ago, a place where half my family roots run deep. I used to design things on a computer, UX/UI, you know? But something was missing. Even as a child, I had this old film camera and always found a dog to photograph. It was a quiet passion, a whisper in my heart. Then, Penka happened, and that whisper became a roar.

You see, we dog parents, we take a million pictures of our pups, don't we? But how many of us are together? Capturing those moments, the ones where you can feel the love radiating out, that's what I wanted to do. Penka, she showed me how.

Meeting Penka

I was scrolling through the shelter's website, page after page of beautiful faces, but then I saw her, Penka. Something tugged at me, hard. She looked big in the photos, and I lived in a small apartment. For a week, I couldn't stop thinking about her. Finally, I couldn't wait any longer. October 8, 2022, I was at that shelter first thing.

They brought her out, and she was terrified of the tiled floor. Instead of walking, she crawled right to me, had a little accident (we all get nervous!), climbed onto my lap, and fell asleep. Just like that. It was like confirming what my heart already knew from that photo: she was my dog, and she became Penka (It means coffee foam).

Her story is a bit of a mystery. She came from somewhere in southern Russia and spent her early months by a highway or in a field. Kind volunteers rescued her, and she landed in Tallinn. When I adopted her, she was maybe 5-7 months old. We don't know her exact birthday, so we celebrate April 20, 2022. It feels right.

Life with Penka

Penka is... well, she's everything. Loyal, active, endlessly cheerful, brave when she needs to be, so caring, and the funniest creature I know. I love doing everything with her. Road trips, boat rides, watching TV (she's a terrible critic, by the way), and reading books aloud. I love hearing her breathe beside me as I read.

Now that spring is here, our morning walks are magical. We cross this little river and watch the ducks from the bridge, or we go to the sea, play, and then sit on a bench, sharing a banana and watching the waves. I love it because I know she loves it too. She chooses to be there, and that makes all the difference.

One of my happiest memories is when I realized Penka finally felt safe at home. Seeing her sleep on her back, belly up, completely relaxed? It brings tears to my eyes. It took time, so much time, for her to trust me like that. Every time she overcomes a fear, like crossing a bridge by herself, my heart swells. We started with so many fears 🙂 

A perfect day with Penka starts late, at 9 or 10 AM. Neither of us is a morning person. I have my coffee, she plays with her banana toy, and then we head to the forest. She runs through the moss, jumps on rocks, and eats blueberries. We sit and listen to the birds. She has lunch, gets a belly rub (a must!), naps, and then we're off again. On a perfect day, we meet her best friend, Kinai, a Shiba Inu. They tear around, digging holes at the beach, practising tricks. Penka loves cafes, always begging for treats, and we might visit a park or a dog playground. At the end of it all, she falls asleep in my arms. Most days feel perfect with her, honestly.

Penka taught me patience, calmness, and that fear isn't forever. She came into my life when I was struggling with depression and anxiety. A dog doesn't magically fix those things, but she gave me the push I needed. I realized for her to be calm, I needed to be calm too. So, I started yoga, breathing exercises, and daily walks. I faced my issues.

She had so many fears, my brave girl. Stairs, doors, bushes, bags, people, cats, sounds, but she's worked through them. Now she walks into cafes confidently, crosses bridges, and has her human friends.

She's also a little thief 🙂 Socks? Her favourite. She gathers them and sleeps with them in her bed. I can't even be mad. She once begged a stranger for a carrot, and she's a master at making funny faces in photos. I have hundreds of her sticking out her tongue!

We love the forest, the sea, and hiking trails. Viitna järved is my favorite. I love taking her to Pärnu, where I decided to adopt her. It's a special place for us. She loves cafes, but not stores, so online shopping it is!

Letter to Penka

I tell Penka every day how much I love her, but if she could read a letter, I'd say, "Thank you for rescuing me, my love, my soul, my brave girl." On October 8, 2022, she came home, and on April 20, 2022, we celebrated her birthday. She changed my life, in ways I never thought possible and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Epilogue

Penka is a 2 years and 11 months old mix breed rescue dog from Russia who now lives in Estonia. She has a white coat with reddish spots, including two big ones on her back, which look like coffee foam, that's how she got her name. Penka means 'coffee foam,' like the foam on a cappuccino. She’s medium-sized but often mistaken for a giant Jack Russell.

LOOMADE HOIUPAIK is an animal shelter operating in Estonia.

Editor’s note: Penka’s story came to life through a questionnaire completed by their loving human parent, Kat.

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Credits

Gratitude to 

• Kat, for submitting Penka’s story.

• All members who support us by liking, sharing, and commenting.

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For questions and other inquiries, reach out via email: [email protected]

Dayo, Editor - Paws of Tallinn

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