KEENAN WEVER, 9 months old, is a female Rhodesian ridgeback from Mountain View who came to Carmel to enjoy digging in the beach sand and playing with all the beach dogs.  She’s not keen about the water, though, probably because recently she fell through the cover of a backyard swimming pool. As stunning as that was for Keenan, she managed to paddle to the side of the pool, where Mom Melissa and Dad Rudy pulled her out.

At home, she sleeps near her dad and mom in her own bed. “She’s like our best friend who never says

anything,” Mom Melissa said. Evidently, Keenan only barks when absolutely necessary — about every two or

three weeks.  Keenan has a sister: a bearded dragon lizard named Lightning who generally reclines languidly in a terrarium and doesn’t interact too much with her. Halloween is just around the corner, and Lightning and Keenan’s costumes have already been made. Lightning will be dressed as a tiny clown, and Keenan as a bat. Keenan wasn’t born in time for last year’s Halloween celebration, but Lightning, 4, was outfitted as a little witch.

Keenan loves to ride in the car. She’s enjoyed one trip to Yosemite and has visited the 23-acre dog park in

Richmond. She drove to Moss Beach recently, where she won Cutest Dog title from the Moss Beach

Distillery. Between her beauty contest title and her debut in Sandy Claws, Keenan is well on her way to becoming a star.