Pets of the Pandemic: From a Dog’s View

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Mrs. Montalti

The Montalti pets! Molly is the one on the left, sitting. Bentley, the narrator of the article, is resting on the lawn.

Mrs. Montalti

The Montalti family has three pets: Molly, a 13-year-old golden retriever; Lucy, a seven-year-old tuxedo cat, and Bentley, a mixed breed dog who is also approximately seven years old.  Both Lucy and Bentley were adopted from Last Hope Animal Rescue in 2015 and 2016 respectively.  This is a tale of Bentley’s role as a Pet of the Pandemic.

“Who wants to go for a walk?” she announces as she holds my leash. My ears perk up and I start doing my happy dance, or as she calls it “wiggle butt.” Sometimes, my sister, Molly comes along. These walks keep us all in shape.  Yesterday, she told our family that we have walked almost 200 miles since  May.  One of the best things about our walks is that most of the time Mama lets me plan the route; each time it’s a new experience.  Sometimes, she forgets to bring some water, but I’m a pretty smart guy because I can drink from people’s sprinklers.

Oh, let me tell you about something else special that I do with Mama.  I can do tricks!  Mama wants to show that you can “teach an old dog new tricks.”  There are lots of really yummy treats involved. We have bonded as she and I practice together.  One of the last tricks that Mama has taught me is “play dead.” She says, “Bang,” and I roll on my side. Next, she says “You’re alive,” and I roll back and stand up. Sometimes, she takes videos of me as I’m learning and we pose for selfies.  She always says, “Good boy.”  I know that I’ve got the best mama.