Being greeted with a smile is always a treat, but when that smile is on the face of an animal, it makes you look twice. Smiling animals have the ability to touch us in a unique way because most of them have a difficult time showing their emotions with facial expressions.
Nine-year-old Pomeranian Chevy is an exception to the rule. He is warming hearts across the nation with a thousand-watt smile on his face. Thanks to his nonstop smile, he has become a bit of a local celebrity, too.
Chevy lives with the Denlinger family in Kettering, Ohio, and has been unflappably happy since he was just a puppy. Owners Tina and Bart Denlinger adopted Chevy when he was 12 weeks old, after losing their beloved golden retriever.
“My husband and I were looking for a companion for our little female corgi mix, and found an ad in the paper,” Tina, 60, told The Epoch Times. “We first saw his smile when we went to pick him up from the veterinarian’s office after he was neutered.
“When they carried him out and he saw my husband, he broke out into the biggest grin. Everyone in the office laughed, and couldn’t believe the smile on his face.”
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Tina admitted she was impressed with Chevy’s talent and revealed that he has a lot more to offer than just his smile. Like clockwork, Chevy reminds them that it’s time for doggy dinner every evening at six, by spinning in circles. He even tosses his toys into the air with joyful anticipation.
When the cabinet door opens, said Tina, “it’s party time.”
Chevy hardly ever has a bad day; instead, everything is a celebration for him. Be it going for a walk, or if there’s food, he’s always happy. Among his favorite things to do, Chevy loves to be outdoors. Every year, between April and November, Tina and Bart head out to the woods for weekend campings. An excited Chevy always rides shotgun, harnessed in their golf cart, donning a sun visor, “like he’s in a parade.”
While smiling comes quite naturally to the diminutive dog, sometimes he frowns as well. He usually pouts when his parents head out, leaving him alone in the house. Or when Chevy is cold or uncomfortable, his expression again changes, alerting his parents that something is amiss.
However, the second food or the leash comes out, Chevy goes back to his default smile, radiating the room. Even though Chevy is now a senior dog, his energetic happy-go-lucky attitude would tell you otherwise.
“We have never had the pleasure of owning a dog that is so upbeat and acts like a puppy,” Tina reflected. “Everything to him is a celebration.”
So how did Chevy become so famous for his smile?
Shortly after winning first place in a competition, Tina, who was a retired assistant production manager, shared a picture of the sweet Pomeranian dressed in a Halloween costume to a dog Facebook group. Just like that, the picture went viral with tons of feedback and comments. The reactions were all incredibly heartwarming and this eventually inspired Tina to create an Instagram page for her beloved Chevy.
In a short time, the page amassed over 7,000 followers of the little dog with his contagious smile, which has now become an inspiration for others.
“A school teacher said that he starts his kids’ class every day with Chevy’s picture, to set the mood for kindness and positivity,” Tina told the newspaper. “I also had a lady reach out to say it helps her mother, who is very sick, to put a smile on her face. Some people have told me they use his picture as a screensaver.”
Tina is very fond of Chevy and calls him her “cuddle bug” who loves to spread joy wherever he goes. He never gets tired of affection and enjoys others as much as they enjoy him.
“He just loves everyone, and just the reaction on their faces is fun to see,” she said.
Smile is a precious commodity, and those who follow Chevy on Instagram have industrial quantities of the stuff right now. Chevy’s infectious smile never fails to make anyone’s day. There is something about this little dog that just makes you feel better. It’s as if a simple smile can make the difference to turn a gloomy day bright.
