Benny and swoon

Benny, looking suave in the low morning light

Yeah, I have a type. I like 'em shy and needy with huge blocky heads. The squintier, more wide set the eyes, the better. Benny isn't particularly shy or needy, but he's just so handsome, I absolutely fell in love when I met him at the Barn last week. I knew this cutie already had a girlfriend -- Joon, the beautiful redhead he'd showed up with -- but I didn't feel that meant we couldn't hang out.

Sadly though, my efforts to talk to him proved fruitless. Outside of his kennel, Benny couldn't be bothered to glance my way. (What am I -- back in high school? Over here, cute boy...) The big hunk was more interested in marking, digging, and sniffing around. Boy stuff. I'd ask for a sit and he'd turn around and bark.

Back at his place

This week, it was a whole different story (again, eerily high-school like). Not sure whether it was the focused one-on-one time that had happened over the past few days or the fact that he was now neutered (probably both), but Benny was listening and heeding cues like we'd been dancing together all our lives. Ok, I exaggerate a little, but holy cow, what a difference -- and what a testament to the folks who'd worked with him all week -- a little training makes. "Sit," "down," "leave it" -- no problem.

So now Benny and I weren't just talking, we were communicating. And the best part was that every so often, instead of rewarding him with a treat, I scratched his cheeks and kissed his head. And Benny, that big lug, nuzzled in for more. A week ago, I would've said this guy is never gonna be one of those dogs who's into affection.

Wrong. Once again, initial judgment proves horribly inaccurate. Thankfully, Benny wasn't offended.

Benny's real girlfriend, Joon