Tail Wagging Tuesday: Portrait Complete and a Special Pup Feature

Katie, the winner of the Tail Wagging Tuesday Giveaway a couple weeks ago, was super fast in getting me some photos of her sweet little dog Bentley.  As soon as I got the photos, I immediately got to work.  After all, Bentley is completely adorable so it was going to be fun working on him.  I got so completely engrossed in working on his portrait, that I finished pretty quickly, and now I'm so excited to share the finished product with you!

Here is the adorable little Cavalier mix, Bentley.

Is he precious or what???

I also thought this would be a good time to start something new I had been thinking about for my Tail Wagging Tuesday posts.  I know a lot of people enjoy a sweet dog story, and who doesn't like some precious pooch pictures?  With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to start featuring different reader's pups so they could share their stories and share a few smiles with other animal lovers.  

Katie graciously agreed to let Bentley be my first "Special Pup Feature." (Thank you Katie!)  So let's see what she had to say about this sweet little guy in our "e-mail interview."

1.  How did Bentley come to live with you?

 

After living with a family dog all of my life, living in the dorms my first year of college was lonely without one! As soon as I moved into my first apartment, I adopted a puppy from an animal shelter.  Unfortunately, a few days after I got him, he died in my lap of Parvo. But just those few days with him reminded me of how much I need a loyal friend in my life.  I checked the Animal Rescue Foundation's (in Milledgeville, Ga) website daily for updates on dogs they had to adopt. One day they listed a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix named Eddie. There was no picture, but something told me I had to go up there that day and look at him. They brought him out and he ran circles around me and just ate up my attention. I took him home that day :)  When I asked them why he was there, they told me an older lady brought him in but the only information that they got from her was that he had been abused. 

2.  How old is Bentley now?

Hes about 5 and a half.  They told me he was a year and a half old when I got him, but I actually think hes younger because of how he's grown.

 
3.  Does Bentley have any crazy quirks or funny little things he does to make you smile?

Where do I begin? I made the mistake of introducing him to the laser. He goes more crazy over that thing than any cat I have ever seen.  He actually busted his lip on the wall once from biting at the red dot. Ever since I showed him the laser, he thinks every light or shiny thing is for him to chase.  I cant take a picture of him because when he sees the red light (the focus mechanism) he looks up to the ceiling and walls looking for the laser, and then gets up and runs around. Now, he doesn't even need to see the light on a camera...if he hears me turn it on, or sees me take it out, its all over!!  If a CD or mirror reflects on the ceiling, he stares at it and barks and wines.


 

He is a bird dog, so he loves chasing birds, butterflies, and bugs.  Funny thing is...he doesn't actually chase the butterflies, but he chases the shadows on the ground.  He runs around outside for hours without hesitation.  He follows me everywhere, and if he can't find me he will search the house until he does. It isn't really healthy for him psychologically, but it just shows how incredibly loyal he is.  I dont need a leash to take him outside because he won't let me out of his sight (unless there is something he wants to chase!).  He does his business and comes right back to me. He can give a high five, shake, sit and he looooves carrots & icecubes (except when they get stuck on his lip and he runs around with is dangling). He doesnt mind cats...and only chases them if they run from him first.  (And he likes to sneak lil poops out of the litter box..........)  I take him to my lakehouse, and he runs up and down the side of the lake until I let him get on the float with me...loves boat rides too!

4.  In your opinion, what makes Bentley so special to you?

Everything.  I can't describe how special he is. I know it is cliche, but he is my best friend.  Never leaves my side, always there when I need him, and he knows when I am upset.  I have been to hell and back, and he has been by my side the entire time. He brings so much joy to my life. I have never gone more than a week without him (until this month! I will be without him for three weeks!).  It is hard to put into words what he means to me. You'd just have to be in my shoes!

Sweet stories like this always make me smile.  :-)  I hope you all enjoyed it too!  (And if you have a Special Pup that would make a good feature, shoot me an e-mail at TailsToTell [at] Live [dot] com and we'll set it up.)