September 27, 2017
Published in the October 2017 issue of
Sarasota Magazine
Belle the Style Setter
Belle, a 12-year-old Pomeranian, weighs a skimpy six pounds, but she lives large. Because of health issues stemming from diabetes (she gets two shots a day), owners Diane and Todd Reinbolt keep her coat close-shaved. All the better to show off her extensive wardrobe, which ranges from a gauzy wedding dress to a red-and-white Santa outfit. Belle flies all over the country in a stylish carry-on, and she prefers to stay at Ritz hotels because they provide her with a separate bed. A carriage transports Belle to restaurants with the Reinbolts. “O’Leary’s is No. 1,” Diane says. “She likes the smells.” Her favorite treat? Popcorn—but make that movie theater popcorn, please. —Rick Morgan
You may think your dog is cute, but 4-year-old Boston terrier Stella is a worldwide sensation. It all started when Mike Devaney, Stella’s owner and photographer/co-owner of Sarasota’s Little Skull Photography, posted a picture of Stella as a 6-month-old puppy. Soon that adorable mug shot was showing up on marketing materials for companies around the world, from a Chinese company that manufactures puppy pads to iTunes. Today, pictures of Stella have attracted 21,000 followers to Little Skull’s Instagram feed. Devaney says the canine celebrity loves the limelight. “She poses for the camera so much we use her to check our lighting,” he says. —Kate Flanders
Max, a Bichon Frise and Shih Tzu mix, is only 6 months old, but he’s already helping people with traumatic brain injuries. Several days a week, Max visits patients at Sarasota’s NeuroInternational Center. Rebecca Newman, a speech pathologist who adopted Max from the Manatee County shelter, says the patients, who are often anxious and depressed, relax as he plays and cuddles with him. “He is able to calm people down and keep them focused on the good in their lives,” she says. And he’s working towards an official title: pet therapy dog, a process that includes three rounds of training and passing an American Kennel Club exam. —Stephanie Hagan
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From showing off new outfits on the daily to appearing on ads around the world to helping patients with brain injuries, these Sarasota dogs are stars.
