Beyond the classroom, Bentley volunteers at a local children’s hospital and shines as an influencer and model representing several brands. His days are full of purpose, but his greatest impact is the love and meaning he brings to Kristine’s life.

Follow their adventures and discover Bentley’s favorite brands on Instagram at @bentleyfromtheburbs.

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Brittany was on the response team, helping hold and calm him while vets assessed him. They’d warned her that he was aggressive. As she held him, the verdict came in. Medical attention was way out of the county budget. Extensive surgery was required. Drains would need to be placed to address his gashes and punctures. Plus, he couldn’t be trusted with humans. He needed to be put down.

Just then, in his moment of tremendous vulnerability and pain, with no reason to trust or love, he began to give her kisses and wag his tail.

She knew this could not be his end. Brittany and Ryan decided to restore his dignity. They chose love and possibility and new beginnings. They decided to foster him. They gave him hope. They gave him a name. Pacino came home from his surgery with ten drains in his body. He rode out the healing from his past life. He only needed someone to believe in him. Brittany and Ryan did just that.

Shortly after bringing him home, his lifetime of fear persisted. He cowered. He hid. Yet, slowly, he would come into his own. Brittany remembers the first sign of Pacino’s self emerging and hope shining. She showed him a ball and for the first time he lit up. A classic pittie smile beamed. She thought how special it is for him to have a crack at a real puppy life. Brittany realized, “Wow. I can really give this dog the life…I can really make a difference.”

Folks, this is actually what happily ever after looks like – one soul showing up for another, a chance to hope and trust, an opportunity for deep, unwavering love. This is the kind of love you feel in your bones. It binds to your DNA. It comes to define you, embody you, change you. That’s everything good this world is made of; not the absence of turmoil, but the persistence of love and hope.

The post Trusting Your gut. Trusting the Process. appeared first on Dog Mom.

Luc became Yena’s first reactive dog. For those of us dog moms with reactive dogs, we know the exquisite gift of loving a dog that needs us to show up in a special way to co-create our best lives together.

Yena shares,” I didn’t know how rewarding it would be to watch him blossom from a fearful little puppy to the confident, curious, and loving dog that he is now. There’s still a long way to go, but each progress makes me so hopeful, and he teaches me patience, resilience, and the importance of living in the present every day.”

In turn, Luc showed up for Yena in a special way, too, as they grieved the passing of Luc’s brother, Bodhi. “Even though we were both shattered after Bodhi’s passing, he supported me in a very quiet, but ever-present way. We quite literally held each other throughout the healing process and have developed a bond that is special to the two of us.” Yena says.

Both Luc and Bodhi inspired Yena to start the podcast Myth Barkers, which seeks to make life easier for pet parents. Meanwhile, Luc boasts his own career as a menswear canine fashion model. That’s right. You read correctly.

Follow along on their adventures here: @menssweardog on IG and MythBarkers on Spotify.

The post More Than a Rescue: A Story of Love, Loss, and Hope appeared first on Dog Mom.