Bentley is an adorable 10-year-old French Bulldog who was found as a stray and came into Oldies Club rescue via a dog pound. Bentley is in an Oldies Club foster home near Westbury in Wiltshire, waiting for someone to offer him a permanent home.
URGENT: Bentley needs to move from his foster home towards the end of April. We are hoping he will find a new forever home before then, to save him having to move to another foster home.
Introduction: Bentley is a fabulous little chap. He’s a playful and affectionate boy who could live with teenagers. We don’t know his past, so he would be best as your only pet. He’d enjoy living with a home-worker or retired person but can be left for a few hours. He loves a car ride and likes to get out for a walk – but not so keen when it’s raining!
Settled well: Bentley settled very quickly at his foster home. He was up in the night a couple of times in the first week but after some reassurance he settled back in his bed. He generally sleeps through the night now. He got used to and anticipated his foster carers’ routine after about a week or so. He has been fine when left on his own for 2 to 3 hours but would prefer a home with someone around for a good part of the day.
Might be best as an only dog: As far as we know, Bentley hasn’t lived with other dogs before. When he meets dogs out and about, initially he will greet and sniff them, but then he gets excited and barks. If he is then walked alongside the other dog he will calm down and walk calmly. He has done this with several dogs in the village where he is being fostered.
Unknown with cats: We don’t know if Bentley has ever lived with a cat. Since coming into foster care, he has seen one at a distance and he didn’t seem bothered.
Unknown with children: We don’t know if Bentley has ever lived with children, so we wouldn’t rehome him to live with young children. He loves people generally though, so sensible teenagers should be fine.
Loves walks: Bentley gets excited, barks, wriggles and thrusts his head through the harness when getting ready for a walk, then he calms down once he gets to the door. He’s good on the lead, walks nicely, and has quite a turn of speed sometimes, despite his wonky back legs. He’s not been off-lead on a walk since coming into rescue. Sometimes he can be stubborn and just stop and refuse to move. His carers have been working on this, and generally with a bit of patience and encouragement he will get going again. It’s happening less often than when he first came into rescue. His foster carers told us: We can be out for between 15 and 40 minutes twice a day, depending on his mood. He likes a good sniff around and investigating the base of hedges! He’s not keen on going out when it’s raining but if it starts raining when we’re already out, it’s OK.
Good in the car: Bentley loves going in the car – and it doesn’t have to be a Bentley! He will get excited and bark but once the car is going, he stops barking and is very relaxed and calm.
Bentley’s favourite pastimes: Cuddles and playing (with his foster carers, rather than toys, although he occasionally picks up a doughnut-shaped toy and gives it a shake).
Bentley’s ideal home: He would love someone at home for a good part of the day – maybe someone who is working from home or retired – as he loves company and cuddles.
Sleeping arrangements: At night, Bentley sleeps in his bed in his foster carers’ bedroom. During the day, he sleeps in his other bed in the living room or on the sofa.
Health notes: Bentley is neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, wormed and flea treated. He has proprioception deficits, i.e. wonky back legs, which doesn’t seem to bother him. He’s had a dental and been neutered. He was found to have a low grade mast cell tumour on his scrotum, which was removed. He has a low grade heart murmur. A heart scan showed a slightly leaky valve but his heart is currently compensating for this and he doesn’t need medication at the moment. They recommend keeping an eye on his breathing and exercise tolerance for any deterioration. While scanning his heart they also scanned his other organs and didn’t find anything abnormal.
More from Bentley’s foster carers: “Bentley is affectionate, playful, inquisitive, and occasionally wilful – in a good way! He is a delightful character, he’s very affectionate and loves nothing better (other than food!) than having cuddles or lying next to you. He can be very playful and almost puppylike sometimes. He loves meeting people and having a fuss. He’s good at letting you know what he wants and he’s a joy to have around. He will make someone a very good companion.”
If you would like to offer Bentley a permanent home, please read our Adoption Procedures for information about the adoption process. You can then contact the Oldies Club rehoming team as follows:
Email: rehome@oldies.org.uk for an application form.
Or phone 0844 586 8656, leaving a message including your email address, and we’ll email an application form.
Bentley can be rehomed anywhere on the UK mainland – the closer to his foster home the better – subject to a satisfactory home visit. Note that you will be required to travel to the foster home to collect him.
If you would love to offer a home to an oldie but your circumstances aren’t suitable, perhaps you would be kind enough to sponsor one of the special oldies we are caring for that, due to health problems, are unlikely to be offered a permanent home.