By Nick Murphy
Introducing Kingsley, senior Dan Tursky’s lion-hearted, shaggy-bearded Affenpinscher mix.
The Turskys had initially planned on adopting a dog named Scruffy however when they went to visit the pup, they fell for another even scruffier pup.
“I had always wanted a dog, so while I was away at college, my family went to look for a dog through Save a Dog. When my mom and sister first saw Kingsley they thought he was so cute. When my dad came to see him, it was a sealed deal because Kingsley would not stop licking his face,” said Tursky.
“The lady at the kennel said we were the only people to look at him. It was probably because he had an ugly picture on the website and he looked just like the Grinch,” he added.
Despite an unflattering website picture, Kingsley stole the Tursky family’s hearts with his hyper demeanor and signature endearing underbite smile.
Built like a little lion and packing enough attitude to back his looks, Kingsley has no problem hunting down and shredding the fiercest of squeaky toys.
“He loves playing with his toys, yet he usually ends up tearing them apart in the process. He grabs hold of his toy and shakes it side to side until he destroys it. ... He even goes right through the ones labeled “indestructible,” said Tursky.
When he’s not actively hunting down his next stuffed zebra, Kingsley is prowling for any unattended food he can snoop into. And don’t let his small size fool you, the little guy can eat.
“He’s definitely food-obsessive and he will pretty much eat anything and everything he can get into. This one time I had left a sandwich on a table in the den while I walked away to get a drink and by the time I got back, Kingsley had snatched and devoured the sandwich right o; the counter. Another time, he ate an entire lunch portion of chicken tenders,” added Tursky.
When Kingsley is bored of hunting stuffed toys, he sets his sights on more prized game – the elusive squirrel. While he’s never actually caught a bushy-tailed rodent, he sure tries.
“This one time there was a squirrel in the backyard and Kingsley decided to chase after it, only to run into a large pile of leaves. Before long, he was completely buried and not too long after he poked just his head out and it looked so ridiculous,” he said.
Move over lions – we’ve got a new king of the jungle and his name is Kingsley.
Editor’s note: “The Pawgress Report” is a bi-weekly column featuring FSU students and their dogs.