Pupcake Pooch Parties: Meet the models

Shannon Gault got some of Longboat Key’s most prominent pups to model for her new business, Pupcake Pooch Parties. Here are the furry faces that agreed to work — but only for food.

B.B. Gault
Birthday: Nov. 29, 2003
Parents: Bob and Shannon Gault
Mark your calendars, because B.B. Gault has a birthday coming up. According to owner Shannon Gault, B.B. didn’t get a party last year but this year could get a new dress and one of her favorite apple banana cakes.
B.B. may be small but don’t let her size fool you. The miniature pincher’s parents describe her as the boss dog who lets her younger (but bigger) brother Shadow know who is in charge.

Shadow Gault
Birthday: Feb. 13, 2009
Parents: Bob and Shannon Gault
Shadow Gault is the four-year-old younger brother of B.B. Gault. The miniature greyhound’s parents say he looks elegant like Fred Astaire but has a personality more like Larry the Cable Guy.
Shadow worships his older sister, B.B., but has his eye on Muffin Larson, who lives across the street and even stole a kiss from her during a photo shoot.

Muffin Larson
Birthday: Feb. 13, 2009
Parents: Jim and Lynn Larson
You’ve seen that face around Longboat Key Town Hall and in this year’s Freedom Fest Parade. That’s because Muffin is the canine kid of Commissioner Lynn Larson.

Muffin, a miniature Yorkshire is the tiniest model and can easily fit inside a purse. And in addition to her political connections, she is also Shadow Gault’s love interest.
Muffin also has a pet sibling: a parakeet named Tweetie Bird.

Elvis Valentine
Birthday: Dec. 23, 2007
Parents: Allen Hovis and Marnie Matarese
Don’t think that Elvis ain’t nothing but a hound dog. His mom, Marnie Matarese, described him as a successful entrepreneur who wants to open his own pet salon called “Doggy Style.”

He goes by the last name “Valentine” because his parents picked him up from the breeder on Valentine’s Day. In his spare time, he enjoys watching NASCAR and frequenting Sarasota’s dog-friendly restaurants. He celebrated his birthday last year on the sandbar of Jewfish Key.

Ripley Wild
Homecoming date: Dec. 15, 2007
Parents: John and Elizabeth Wild
Ripley Wild was found running loose in Hillsborough County and got his home with the Wilds through Tampa Bay Beagle Rescue.

Today, Ripley maintains his own Facebook page with a little help from his dad. At press time, he had 42 friends and listed “Who Let the Dogs Out” as his favorite music and “Lassie” as his favorite TV show.