Ah, San Francisco, where the dog population outnumbers the kid population, where you can’t go a day without seeing a canine happily padding after her human, and where you might be pleasantly surprised to find a pooch hanging out with his person at a bar.
I met Bentley Bear on a walk through Golden Gate Park. He was just too handsome to resist, so I asked Steven Finch, who was accompanying him, if I could take a photo of his lovely dog.
Steven was more than happy to oblige. He revealed that Bentley is so often photographed that he has his own Tumblr, the Painted Pups of SF (where you can buy a fabulous T-shirt — natch!), named after the row of iconic Victorian houses in the city known as the Painted Ladies.
Steven and I talked about moving to San Francisco (he’s recently moved here, like me!), dogs, and photography. He said that everyone who meets Bentley loves him instantly, because he’s like a cuddly teddy bear. He also said that Bentley has helped him meet lots of nice people in San Francisco.
Isn’t it awesome how dogs can act as a conversation point?
Once I turned the camera on Bentley, he hammed it up, striking some of the most adorable poses I’ve ever seen! Have you ever noticed how some dogs seem to looove having their photo taken?
Although I guess if you’re as handsome and celebrated as Bentley, you probably know how to work it.
Photos by Liz Acosta Photography
