Blessings Porter: A Fur Friend to All

Blessings Porter has yet to meet a human he hasn’t liked. And, in his 14 years, he’s met hundreds of people.

Since moving from Orange County to Montecito more than ten years ago, he’s become a frequent beachgoer on the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Miramar Beach’s oceanfront sand. He’s a favorite unofficial “ambassador” to other local residents and area visitors enjoying the outdoors, weather permitting. 

Blessings has competed in two recent Rosewood Miramar Beach’s Annual Best in Show dog shows, placing in the top five in his first show and winning the category of “Best Look” in 2023. Additional competitions include “Trick of the Day,” “Most Spirit,” and “Best in Show.” 

The Montecito Rosewood Hotels & Resorts location is one of 22 global brand properties. It features its acclaimed signature Caruso’s restaurant, recipient of the rare triple Five-Star status awarded by the Forbes Travel Guide.

Although he hasn’t experienced fine dining at Caruso’s first-hand per se, he has enjoyed the cuisine and attention with its Pampered Pet program. Blessings also completed the obstacle course challenge with great agility, thanks to his playground experience as a therapy dog with children outdoors during recess, on bikes, slides, teeter-totters and racing.

A Southern California native, he was one of a litter of five whelped from mother, Wee Bonnie Miss Muffet, and father, Linus’s Winter Sport, Jr.; both AKC West Highland Terriers owned by an Amish family.

Adopted by the Porters, and following his first visit to their Rainbow Rising Child Care Centers of California, he was given his official name by the children – Blessings Rainbow. 

After months of training on school sites with children, Blessings became a professional therapy dog for children, earning his official Red Vest honor coat. His specialty is helping children who are sad, unhappy, lonely and perhaps physically or emotionally injured. He also shares his gifts with every person he meets.

Blessings plays games, loves being read to, likes to be chased by children and understands several languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, French and a little Russian.

He’s always a polite gentleman to other dogs, especially female Cocker Spaniels, as well as people, babies and, notably, horses. 

He has been welcomed to attend the U.S. Polo Association’s illustrious 124-year-old Farmers & Merchants Bank Silver Cup, which returned to the famed Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria, California, in 2020.

His elevated status as a senior citizen canine is evident by the many teachings he has shared. 

“He has taught me to be a faithful friend, in good times and bad,” said his mom, Libby. “Also, don’t get involved with angry, misbehaving others and avoid a possible negative incident. If humans could listen like well-behaved doggies, it would be a better world.”

Libby recently took Blessings’ advice, revisiting her previous theatrical background as a vocalist, with a performance of popular and theatrical songs, “A Celebration of Life,” at the Miramar in May. (see www.montecitojournal.net/2024/05/21/singing-stars-at-the-bar)

Libby has been a SAG member since 1976 and is a well-known voice-over artist.

Over the past several decades, in addition to being a mentor to children and other adults, she has been: an aerialist performer; a ballroom-style dance competitor; a yoga, Pilate Reformer and dance teacher, as well as a Bodies in Motion Certified Spinning Instructor. She has also been an athlete – a USA/USCF Women’s Internationally Licensed Road and Velodrome Track Racer Master-level cyclist (winning a total of 10 Bronze and Silver Medals in America and England). 

Her success as an international cyclist allowed her, with others, to form the School of Champions and its national standard for training and certifying cycling coaches, trainers and instructors, plus children at all levels of the United States Cycling Federation. 

Blessings and his mom are looking forward to entering the 2024 Rosewood Miramar Beach’s Annual Best in Show dog show this August. He was one of 30 entrants in 2023.

Possessed of a share your gifts with others as a mission in life and a look-to-the-future attitude, Libby and Blessings are proof that age is only a number. 

“Always greet every morning with boundless energy and vigor, and know the wisdom of finding one’s inner peace,” said Libby of the approach to life she shares with Blessings.  

For more information on the 2024 show, email miramar@rosewoodhotels.com