Bentley Madsen was the first child born to Brandon and Kelly. Of course, Bentley wasn't a human infant; instead, he was a new member of their family in 2017.
Yet since he was like a child to the Washington, D.C., couple, Tyler, their first actual child, kind of stole the show when he was born in February of last year. And amusingly, the dog insisted on joining in the fun when Brandon and Kelly decided it was time for a picture shoot with their newborn.
According to Kelly, Bentley is a 5-year-old goldendoodle that is "goofy, funny, smart, devoted, and affectionate." He is so distinctively Bentley in so many ways, including his complete incapacity to catch a ball.
Yet after Tyler was born, they were hesitant to share their new baby with their playful fur child.
Bentley had a chance to get used to the aroma first because we sent home from the hospital a blanket and hat that smelled like our son. "Two days after we left the hospital, we let Bentley to greet and sniff Tyler while also caressing and loving him. And without a doubt, there is where their friendship started.
At first, Bentley was quite curious about Tyler and would frequently approach him to give him a sniff while he cried. Bentley was referred to by the pair as their "baby monitor" since he frequently detected Tyler's distress before they were even aware of it.
When Tyler later learned to throw bits of food for Bentley, their attachment grew even stronger. From that point on, the dog was usually there when Tyler napped or played with his parents.
The photo shoot followed.
We were aware that we wanted to capture the newborn stage in photographs, said Kelly. While they chose to forego hiring a photographer and instead shoot it themselves, Bentley wouldn't be left waiting for the action to start.
"We prepared everything, and as soon as Tyler was set in his place, Bentley appeared!" Kelly remembered. He was always by Tyler's side when he was a baby, and he's used to being the center of attention and having his picture taken all the time.
No matter where they put Tyler, Bentley had to either lay next to him or rest his head on him. The mother claimed that Bentley and their son have a "undeniable bond."
Since that photo session, a year has gone. And when Tyler turned one in February of last year, his parents had taken a year's worth of pictures of him, including one for his first birthday. However, guess who else was standing by Tyler's side? Of course, Bentley!
The mother said of the developing relationship between the youngster and the dog, "Bentley and Tyler's adventures have only just begun!" He will probably say "Bentley" as his first word, she continued.