Dog 'christened' in lavish church ceremony

London, Nov 21 (ANI): A dog owner proved his love for his pooch when he got the puppy 'christened' in an exuberant church ceremony.

A Shih Tzu puppy called Sheridan wore a specially made silk shawl and was brought to church in a chauffer driven Jaguar.fter the ceremony, the puppy was taken to a hotel where 75 guests drinking pink champagne toasted his health.

For his part, Sheridan ate melon as starter followed by butterfly chicken and a sherry trifle to finish while an official photographer recorded the event for posterity.

Sheridan's owner Russell Smith, a former wedding planner turned funeral director, wanted the church blessing and naming ceremony to reflect his devotion to his new dog.

"It cost me more than 1,000 pounds but it was worth every penny. I rented a chauffeur driven, cream Jaguar. We decked the church in flowers. Sheridan wore a silk shawl I had specially made for him," the Telegraph quoted Smith as saying.

"It was a beautiful cold, clear morning. The bells were ringing in the church, which was absolutely full. I cried my heart out. It was a very emotional service. The vicar, who is a big dog lover and has bearded collies of his own, was fantastic," he added.

While vicars have been known to stage unusual blessing ceremonies for pets, farm equipment and even laptop computers, Sheridan's ceremony is believed to be among the most lavish ever staged for a single dog.

Smith picked three godmothers and three godfathers to watch over the puppy, which had enjoyed a special makeover the day so he could look his best.

The local vicar, the Reverend David Fowler, blessed the dog in church but refused to actually christen the animal there and rather did it in a hotel. (ANI)