“Bentley” is an adorable little interactive puppy released by Spin Master, the founders of the original Zoomer robot dog released in 2013.
Bentley just happens to be Zoomer’s best friend AND he’s learned a few more tricks than his buddy Zoomer.
How can you resist those long brown ears on his cute tan and white face — think he looks a little like a cocker spaniel?
Enjoy all the fun of a real puppy in this robot version when you teach him tricks and he responds to your every command. But don’t be surprised if Bentley, like all puppies, has a mind of his own!
Here we will take a look at all the things that make Bentley special. We will also detail some of what you can expect when caring for Bentley as a puppy and how best to get him to respond to you before you adopt him.
When you play with Zoomer’s Bentley, you will undoubtedly laugh and have fun but younger children playing with Bentley will also gain some pretty important educational and developmental benefits as well. We will outline these for you as you continue to read our review.
If you choose to buy Bentley, here’s what will come in his box:
- 1 – Cute floppy-eared Zoomer Bentley Interactive Puppy
- 1 – USB Charging Cable that works in a laptop or computer only
- 1 – Guide for Training Bentley and the commands he responds to
- 1 – Reference Guide in case you forget one or two of his many features
- 1 – Adoption Certificate so he is truly yours!
Interactive Puppy Zoomer Bentley Features
If you are a first time buyer of a Spin Master Zoomer puppy, know that Bentley is a robot dog that will interact with you the same way a real puppy does. He will be excitable, will run around, get into things, perform some amazing tricks and will expect plenty of attention and love from you.
What Bentley will not do is require trips to the vet, get into your trash, pee on your floor (although he will try), shed hair on your furniture or chew up your newspaper.
There is no disputing Bentley’s cuteness factor and his enthusiasm as a puppy, when fully charged, makes him a fun companion for any pet lover. Here’s are the features that make him special:
- Zoomer’s friend Bentley gets his energy from a USB charger that plugs into your laptop or your computer. You can buy separately, a USB wall adapter that plugs into a household outlet that can be used instead of your computer.
- Fully charged, Bentley will respond to the sound of your voice as well as your hand and body gestures. He can perform many of the actions you would see in a real puppy like wagging his tail, sitting, rolling over, shaking hands, chasing objects, hiking his leg to pee — plus barking, whimpering, whining and growling.
- As an electronic robot dog, Bentley goes beyond the standard puppy traits by adding a few of his own — he can break dance, sneak in a crouched position, “burp”, say “I love you” in puppy language plus he responds uniquely to some secret commands.
- You can say “Show me your secret tricks” OR you hold his head down for 3 seconds and an upside down question mark will appear in his each of his eyes. This puts him in the “Secret Mode” — tell Bentley to “Show Me the Money” and “$” signs will appear in his eyes and you will hear Las Vegas style jackpot music. Say to him “Moo like a cow” and Bentley will make funny cow sounds. Tell him to “Go Fish” and you will see electronic fish swimming across his eyes. Some of his best break dance moves come when you say to Bentley — “Back it up” — He will then back up and dance while lifting his rear up and down.
- This little interactive puppy also has an “Independent” mode of play. In the “Independent” mode, when you are not watching him or giving him commands, he will wander around on his own — maybe exhibiting a little attention-getting attitude. You may see him:
- stretch his legs and arch his back
- stand and wag his tail because he’s happy
- pant like he’s hot or thirsty
- bark at you for no apparent reason
- wander around sniffing his surroundings
- sneeze because he is wandering around sniffing
- laydown and maybe even go to sleep
- In addition to Secret and Independent modes of play he also comes with a “Guard” mode. In this mode he will stand at attention and growl, ready to protect you.
Zoomer Bentley Facts for Parents
Bentley’s many features are what make him so fun to play with. But certain facts about Bentley may be nice to know before you make a decision to buy. Here’s what we think is worth mentioning:
- Initial charging time for Bentley is about one (1) hour. During charging, an LED light above the USB port on his underside will glow “RED” while charging. This differs from the way the original Zoomer is charged. The light goes “off” when charging is done.
- You can expect 20 to 30 minutes of continuous play time on a full charge.
- There are three (3) different languages Bentley understands — English, French and Spanish. To make a language selection, simply choose “A” for English, “B” for French or “C” for Spanish. Then pat him on the head to wake him up.
This interactive puppy will start out in a “Listening” mode. Question marks will appear in his eyes while he waits for your voice command. If you see an “X” in his eyes, it means he did not understand your command and you will need to repeat it. Be sure to stand no more than 3 feet away from his sensors for best results.- In “Training” mode, do not expect Zoomer Bentley to get all your commands right the first time. It will take some time for him to learn what you are telling him. The best way for him to remember your commands is to repeat them over and over until he gets them right. If you are impatient as he learns, it may put him in a bad mood and he will not learn as quickly. As long as you take your time teaching him, he will learn quickly and respond.
- If there are commands that you do not use on all the time, like “Protect Me”, then Bentley may forget them and will need to learn them all over again.
- Zoomer Pup Bentley measures about 8-inches WIDE x 9-inches TALL x 11-inches LONG and weighs just under 2-pounds.
- This is an indoor interactive puppy — dirt, gravel and grass can get trapped in his wheels and direct sunlight, whether indoors or outdoors can damage his sensors.
- Because this Bentley pup is an electronic toy, he should not be exposed to water or excess humidity. He can be wiped clean, as needed, with a very lightly dampened, scratch-free cloth.
- Bentley, the robot puppy is made outside the US and is imported from China.
- He is recommended by Spin Master for Ages 5 and older.
- Prices for this interactive puppy have been determined by the supplier and not this review website.
- Prices will change based on product popularity and availability. As it gets closer to the holidays prices will go up as available stock dwindles so buy early for the best value!
Developmental Benefits for Younger Kids
For younger kids this little interactive dog will provide a few benefits, during play, that will work as building blocks for more advanced life skills.
Since operating Bentley requires a number of steps be performed in sequence and over a period of seconds, this will help a young child with counting.
It will also help in developing memory as recall is required to repeat favorite features.
Problem solving comes into play when features do not operate as planned the first time a command is given.
Either it’s because the child did not speak clearly or is too far away from Bentley or there is background interference that prohibits Bentley from responding.
Learning how to work around immediate issues will enhance problem solving skills.
Because there is a learning curve associated with any new toy, a younger child will learn to become more independent and confident in Bentley’s operation as the child becomes comfortable with giving commands.
Then there are the rewards and the pride a child feels when this puppy responds happily to their request — how can you put a price tag on that?
Conclusion
This is a featured packed little interactive puppy toy with lots of personality and guaranteed to generate more than a few laughs in addition to hours of play.
There is a learning curve required to fully utilize all the tricks and moves this busy little electronic marvel has to offer. Patience is key because he will not be fully functional in terms of commands on a full charge.
He will need to be taught to recognize commands and this may frustrate some users. The rewards, however, when both you and Bentley become accustomed to each other, is well worth the effort.
Be sure to check out our review on Bentley’s pal Shadow HERE and if you like dinosaurs, meet “Dino” HERE.
