BLACK FLASH: COLD NOSE, WARM HEART

After my Heart and Grandlove leave, this little, sweet guy gets up in my lap for some one-on-one cuddling.  He faces me and I can read that expression, so well, "Hey, you guys, I love you!" 

We've left his winter coat grow out and once Spring is here, he'll get his fancy grooming and this rag-mop look will be gone.  I trim around his black-button eyes and a few other "personal" places, but daily brushing keeps the tangles at bay.

SO MUCH RAIN: SO MUCH FUN

Bentley absolutely loves the rain, mud and digging.  He feels that it is his duty to dig as much as he can, as fast as he can and for as long as there is mud.  The end result is that half of our yard winds up embedded in his thick fur.  Baths consist of water, shampoo and scrubbing.  For him baths are tolerated and not enjoyed.  He did smell wonderful after he received his bath and then his hour long comb out made his coat shine.  He goes to "his happy place" during the whole grooming process, and I try to make it as pleasant as possible.  He is so different from our Cubby, who hated moisture in the yard and adored his baths, brushing and grooming. Bentley is a good boy and makes us laugh every day.  We were saved by this little boy, with the crooked smile and happy tongue.

WORN OUT: RECHARGING

Not long after daughter and Grandlove left, Bentley claimed his comfort spot and passed out.  He had to be with the baby throughout the entire visit and fretted constantly when closed doors kept him separated for all the action.  Kissing the baby, catching flying food from the high chair and getting belly rubs kept this little guy on high alert for the duration of the visit.  His "nap" lasted for quite a long while and a few squeaky, sleepy yips punctuated his dreaming.  If he could talk, he probably would let us know that he likes it when the company comes, but he LOVES it when they go home. 

PUTTING ON THE DOG: BENTLEY'S MAKEOVER

BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES OF BENTLEY'S MAKEOVER









We decided that our little Bentley needed a good grooming by professionals, so off we went this afternoon. Since Bentley's lineage is questionable, we went with the best guess that Bentley's major breed is Schnauzer. As you can see the before and after pictures above, I think our handsome little guy looks remarkable. The groomer said he was a trooper and stood still for the whole process.

We were tickled pink with the results and kept laughing all the way home whenever we looked at the magnificent transformation.

Tough week for us and we needed this break from reality. Isn't amazing how pets heal us without even trying to be anything but themselves?

Oh, I almost forgot that Bentley smells delicious, too.

MORE ENTERTAINING THAN POTATOES: C-PAP MASK

You know that sickening feeling when there are mischievous beings (toddlers, teenagers, pets) in the house and it's quiet and no signs of life nearby, yeah, that feeling. I had it. I turned to Hubby and asked, "Where's Bentley?"

Rushing towards the bedroom, he was mumbling, "I was afraid of this."

Wisely, deciding not to follow my husband, I just waited. I was soon made aware of what had been entertaining our robust little guy. It seems that my husband had left the bedroom door open and Bentley had jumped on the bed, where he found the c-pap mask.

Bentley came bounding out of the bedroom unaware that his entertainment for the last few minutes was an expensive piece of crucial medical equipment in our household. Great restraint kept harsh words from addressing the permanent damage to the squishy blue parts of the mask.

Until the doctor's office opens tomorrow, my artistic talents and a handy roll of medical tape pieced together an older worn out mask. The victim of Bentley's entertainment didn't have enough left to piece together, so luckily we had an older mask that had previously died a natural death.


As I type, the energetic boy, with the panting tongue, is still bouncing around, unaware that he is lucky to have such a forgiving master. No harsh words (yes, we did talk to Bentley about his misbehavior) and for sure no hitting. We (read "Hubby" here) will have to be more diligent with doors and keeping chewable items out of the exploring jaws of our little boy.

Potatoes okay to explore; C-pap masks not so much.

BENTLEY'S TOYS: Not found at Pestsmart

To update the readers who are interested in Bentley's adjustment to our family, the pictures above are representing Bentley's new "toys." Let's be clear, he does have store bought; inherited from Cubby; and toys given to him from his rescue shelter. Those ropey, chewy, floppy toys are enjoyed with gusto, but quite frequently Bentley seeks out other amusements. When he's quiet, I know that I have to rescue some forbidden object. Luckily, Crocs are durable and since I rescue them quickly, teeth marks have been slight.

On the other hand, the baby's blocks have "magically" appeared in the front yard and teeth marks have been left as proof of enjoyment. Since the Grandlove only has four little stubs of porcelain perfection, then the only logical suspect can be Bentley. His waggling tail expressed his delight as my husband hunted the yard for brightly colored blocks. Only two have been found, so far, but we'll see if other have been buried.

The other night, I prepared potatoes and when I returned to the kitchen to check on the boiling progress a whole potato had been retrieved from the bin and left on the floor for me. I guess Bentley thought the kettle wasn't full enough. Shaking my head and laughing I replaced the potato to the bin. No other time does Bentley get into the bin, except on the nights when I cook mashed potatoes. Funny little guy. I know that I have said this before, but I swear Cubby must be "channeling" his love for potatoes to Bentley and he's acting on this energy.

So, until next time, that's a little bit of Bentley's world. He is a charming, black streak of lightning who is still bringing joy to our world. We are grateful and healing.