Bentley at 8 months old and 90 pounds and London at 3 months and 5 pounds

I want to introduce you to my dogs Bentley and London.  Bentley is a Bernese Mountain dog and a Standard Poodle mix.  I found this breed about two years ago.  I have always wanted a Bernese Mountain dog but swore I was not having another dog that shed.  I had a difficult time finding a breeder in the US.  At the time of my research there was a breeder in Canada named Swiss Ridge, Molly’s in Michigan and hallelujah Rocky Mountain Bernedoodles in Colorado.  It was a no brainer I live in Utah so Rocky Mountain was the closest proximity.  We put down $500 and our name was put on the wait list.  It was about a year wait and he was worth it.  What a fun, loving, teddybear.  He was about 8 pounds when we adopted him at 8 weeks.  We drove to pick him up instead of choosing to fly him which saved some money as well as the stress for the dog.  He was dewormed, had a chip and his first few sets of vaccinations.  He was about the size of a standard cat.  Not as long but as tall.  He has continued to grow quickly  about 10 pounds a month.  He is now 8 months old and weighing in at a whopping 90 pounds.  The veterinarian thinks he will put on another 10 to 20 pounds.  He thinks he is a lap dog.  He loves to always be touching people.  If you are working at the kitchen counter and he has the chance to sit close enough to touch you he will, even if it means sitting on your feet.  He eats and drinks a lot which means his poops are gigantic.  He needs space to run and he can run fast.  The breeders claim they act like a puppy for about 3 years.  He also has his quiet times when he wants to sleep.  He has very thick curly hair and he doesn’t shed.  We do brush him out regularly to keep his hair from getting tangled.  He loves to go on walks but definitely a gentle lead collar is a must with his size and strength. He was bred to pull carts so he is very strong.  We also have a lap dog named London.  He is a Yorkie-Poo so a miniature poodle and a miniature Yorkie.  He was 3 pounds when we bought him and he is now 5 pounds at 3 months.  He is supposed to only be about 8-10 pounds fully grown.  He is adorable with his brown nose and hazel eyes.  We bought London from the Puppy Barn in American Fork Ut.  They have about 4-7 new litters of puppies a week.  Always  different breeds.  The Puppy Barn allows people to come in and hold the puppies making sure to wash up between the different litters.

Dogs are such great therapy for stress, loneliness, boredom, recovery from trauma, or addiction, they are a true friend for a person with autism.  Individuals with autism can struggle with personal relationships but can often find joy in a dog.  Dogs can also be great for getting one out to exercise and enjoy the outdoors.  They add new dimension to a family.  We have two teenage daughters and the dogs have been great for them to care for.  They give them a sense of responsibility.  Dogs are always so happy to see you when you return home which immediately makes everyone smile.  When the girls have had a hard day at school or struggles with friends the dogs can bring them great comfort.  Dogs are very reliable and humans can trust them.  That is not always the case within our human relationships.  I have also seen the joy my parents receive when they visit and get to pet and hold our dogs. I’m just discussing dogs because we do not have any cats at this time but I read the book A Street Cat Named Bob.  I loved the book and it was a great example of a true story of a recovering addict who finds this cat that he becomes responsible for.  That cat changed his life.