Hi, Pet Buddies!
I’m telling you, there are so many interesting pets up this way, I’m in no danger of ever getting bored. Plus, I’m broadening my canine horizons. For example, this week I met another very friendly pupster with international roots. Bentley Leserra is a 2-year-old Miniature Australian Shepherd who lives on a ranch in Fellsmere with his humans – his adopted dad and mom, and big sister and brother.
I was to meet Bentley, his dad Jeff and sister Lindsey at their store, Sportsmen’s Specialties, where he likes to hangs out and greet the customers when he’s not back at the ranch making sure everything is safe and sound.
I was a little early – I pride myself on being a prompt pup – and was sniffing around when Lindsey and Bentley came through the door at a pretty good clip and you should have seen his gait. It was soooo Michael Jackson. His front paws were moving forward and his rear end was bouncing along out to the left side. It was very cool and hilarious. Everything was wagging except. . . . .
“What the woof,” I said to myself. “No wonder everything else is wagging. He’s got No Tail.”
“Hey there, Bonz! Welcome to Fellsmere!” he said, very friendly and happy, still with a lot of puppy-ness. He had really long soft hair, black with white ruff, white sox and a white streak along one side of his nose, very rakish. For trim, he had some nice reddish highlights, and was one of those pooches who actually smiles. I love that. (I can do it, too.) I forgot about the lack of tail for the moment. This was going to be a fun interview.
“Cool place,” I told him.
“If you think this is cool, you should see our ranch.”
“So, tell me about yourself,” I said.
“Well, my first family didn’t have enough room for me to run around like we shepherds totally love to do. Even though it made them sad, they knew I’d be happier at the ranch with 10 acres and a pond. So I left and got a fabulous new family. But my first family visits me a lot, so it’s ok. My name was Jake, but my forever family decided to change it. They had another dog named Jake who went to Doggy Heaven and it made them sad. They couldn’t decide between Maverick and Bentley, so they let me pick. I mean – do I look like a Maverick to you?
“I was so cuddly and cute that my humans sort of spoiled me. They let me jump on the couch and the bed and gave me snacks at the table. Man, that was sweeeet. But it didn’t last. They came to their senses pretty quick and that was that. But, no worries, mate.”
When he said that, he slipped into an Aussie accent for a moment and I remembered his roots.
“What do you do for fun?” I inquired.
Well, my sis puts on my harness and leash – that part isn’t fun – and we go for a nice walk along the river. She’s all gung-ho, with a back pack that has a pop-up water dish for me – and a poop bag, of course. We walk pretty far up Indian River Drive and back. But sometimes I’m not in the mood. Once I was just – done. You know? So I plopped myself down and looked all exhausted and pitiful. So – if you can believe it – she carried me all the way back. We got a lot of stares, me with my legs dangling down and her lugging me along. But I think she’s got my number now.” He nose-bumped Lindsey and she friffled his ears.
“I also have toys,” he said, nosing under the chair and coming out with what he said was a quail toy. It looked to me like an old, mushy rag, but he obviously loved it.
“I like to hide my toys. If my sis finds them, I go hide them someplace else, usually in the palmettoes and pine needles. Stealthy, that’s me.”
“What’s on your menu?” I wondered. He dines pretty high end, it seems – a mix of Beneful wet food and River Run dry.
“My favorite snacks are pickles, bananas, Milk Bones, pigs ears”. . . (I made a face at that, couldn’t help it. He just laughed) and, he added, “Frosty Paws.”
”What in the name of Rin-Tin-Tin is Frosty Paws?”
“They’re like a popsicle. But for dogs. They’re terrific!”
I made a note.
Then Jeff came in and said to Bentley, “Hey, boy, do you wanna go herd the sheep? Let’s go.”
“Sheep? What? Herd the sheep?” I was floored. Until I remembered that Bentley was a shepherd, after all.
“Herding our sheep is my totally favorite thing to do. We have eight. There’s Isabella and Noel and Lola (she’s the black sheep).”
Bentley was up and bouncing around Jeff. Every inch of him was wiggling. “I love to chase bunnies and squirrels but moving the sheep is the BEST. And I’m really good at it . . . VERY fast, or I stalk them, get way down on my belly and creep up on them. It’s so-o fun.”
“Bentley,” I said as we walked to the door, “it’s been great meeting you. You sure live a happy, active life.”
“Bye, Bonz, thanks for visiting. Come see me at the ranch!” With that, he dashed off with Jeff and Lindsey.
“Sheep! Wow!” I thought, as I headed home. I had completely forgotten to ask about his tail.
Til next time.
The Bonz
