Hi Leah,

I am sorry it took so long to give you an update on Bently. I would like to let you know that Bently was THE missing piece of the puzzle to our family, we couldn't be happier to have him in our lives. Considering he previously was never around children from what we had gathered he is amazing with my 4 yr old daughter and my 7 yr old son. My daughter feeds him every day, she will even pretend to stir his kibble, it's really funny he just sits there and looks at her like... " well are you going to let me eat".. Bently is such a character in so many ways, we find he is still very much a puppy even though he is now 3 yrs old.

Bently gets on average a 5 km walk a day sometimes twice a day, we try to get him to some area's where we can let him off leash and he has the freedom to run. We did have to get him into obedience with Dan the dog father, who by the way is amazing with animals and i highly recommend to any who need doggie lessons. If you can, remember Bently was NOT good on a leash what so ever, well one lesson and he was walking in the heel position right from then. I have to say he is one smart pooch. Bently has some issues while on leash when another dog is passing us, however it's a working progress.

He has been on a few camping trips and did very well, he shows to be a good camper. He was very tired at the end of it thats for sure, I think Bently slept for a whole day when we got back from camping. LOL Not often is Bently left at home on his own, but when he has been we have had a couple of instances, one was where he ate a half a block of butter and half a loaf of bread, but for the most part he is a very well behaved shepherd. He goes to doggie day care a few times a month to have play dates with at least 10-15 other dogs and does excellent.

This is wonderful and I have to tell you this little story... The whole family along with Bently went and enjoyed Canada day activities down at the Halifax water front, then headed to a park afterwards. There was a man sitting watching us walk with Bently and he commented on how he has never seen such a happy dog before, he said "I can tell you love and care for that dog very much, he is actually smiling." It made myself and my husband feel very good to hear such nice words from a stranger.

You know i have heard that when someone adopts an animal from a shelter, that animal will turn into your shadow for the first few weeks, but I have to say, we now have had Bently for 5 months and he is still our 73 pound shadow. When we are in the house, if myself or my husband move to another room sure enough there is Bently right at our heels. I have to say though i don't mind he is defiantly good company. I could go on and on about Bently and how happy he has made the 4 of us, but this will turn into a novel. I want to thank you personally Leah for all your hard work in finding homes for these wonderful animals who deserve a second chance in happiness for if it was not for you, Bently would not be with us today.

Thank you very much

Andrea Simmons