Making the daily deposit is just another task on the to-do list for many small-business owners.
But not for Bluey. It’s the best part of his day.
Bluey is an energetic Australian cattle dog who loves hanging out with owner Patrick Brenton at Brenton’s Automotive in Leeds, Alabama. He’s content relaxing under his desk until he hears a familiar sound: the zip of a bank deposit bag opening.
That’s Bluey’s cue.
The moment he hears it, he’s ready to jump into the truck and head to the bank because he knows exactly what’s waiting there.
Dog treats.
A Favorite Stop in Leeds
Bluey has become a regular at the Regions Bank branch in Leeds, where associates know him just as well as Patrick – and other customers and their beloved pets.
“Pat always pulls his truck into the first drive-thru bay, and we put the treats in his empty deposit bag,” said Marnie Harding, lead banker at the Leeds branch. “Bluey usually gets two or three at a time.”
Harding said Bluey is not the only four-legged customer who enjoys a visit to the bank.
“We give out at least 25 treats a week to our dozen regular drive-thru dogs,” Harding said. “We look forward to seeing them.”
For Harding and her team, the dog treats are a simple way to show customers they care by doing something extra for their canine companions.
We know how special these dogs are to our customers, and we want them to know how glad we are that they’re part of our Leeds branch family too.”
Marnie Harding, team lead at Regions’ Leeds branch
“My drive-thru tellers are huge animal lovers, and they love seeing how excited the dogs get when they get a treat,” Harding said. “We know how special these dogs are to our customers, and we want them to know how glad we are that they’re part of our Leeds branch family too.”
According to Johnny Taylor, Retail Sales and Service Manager for Regions, the bank’s branches have already ordered 1,753 boxes of treats for customers’ dogs in 2026 through October. That’s more than half a million individual treats!
Introducing Regions’ Drive-thru Dogs
Bluey may be one of Leeds’ best-known canine customers, but he’s far from the only dog who enjoys a trip to Regions.
That’s why Regions is launching Drive-thru Dogs, a social media feature celebrating the dogs who accompany customers on visits to the bank.
From loyal co-pilots riding shotgun to pups eagerly waiting for a treat at the drive-thru window, Drive-thru Dogs highlights the special connections Regions associates build with customers and their families, including the furry members.
A Relationship Spanning Generations
While Bluey’s relationship with Regions began a little more than two years ago, Brenton’s goes back much further.
“My family and I have been banking with Regions personally and through our business for about 63 years,” he said.
Brenton has operated Brenton’s Automotive at its current location for 41 years. Before that, his family operated a service station for 22 years.
Over the decades, he said Regions has helped support both his family and the business.
As people keep their cars longer and customer demand has grown, Brenton said lending solutions, including a line of credit, have helped him manage cash flow and continue growing the company.
It’s the kind of long-term relationship Regions strives to build throughout the communities it serves across its 15-state footprint.
The Best Part of the Day
As for Bluey, he’s less interested in small business banking than he is in the rewards that come with a trip to the bank.
“He’s the playful and the lovingest dog I’ve ever owned and has a lot more energy than I do,” Brenton said. “When he hears the sound of that bag opening, he’s all about getting in the truck and going to the bank!”
For Bluey, it’s all about the treats.
For the associates who greet him by name, it’s another reminder that great relationships are built one interaction at a time.
Sometimes, those relationships even come with a dog biscuit.
Show Us Your Drive-thru Dog
Share a high-definition photo with us of your drive-thru dog at the bank enjoying their treats. Don’t forget to include:
- Your name and location.
- Your pet’s name.
Email the photo and information to: [email protected] with the subject line “Drive-thru Dog.” 1 Deadline for submission is end of day Nov. 26.
1I understand that by submitting my photo, I am agreeing that Sponsor may use such photo advertising, social media, Doing More Today, and all other commercial or non-commercial manner. I hereby irrevocably grant, transfer, assign and convey to Regions Financial Corporation, its affiliates, parent corporations, subsidiaries and agents, and successors and assigns, all present and future right, title and interest of every kind and nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all copyrights, and all rights incidental, subsidiary, ancillary or allied thereto (including, without limitation, all derivative rights and so-called moral rights) in and to my submission’s content and attachments for exploitation throughout the universe, in perpetuity, by means of any and all media and devices whether now known or hereafter devised. I hereby acknowledge that I reserve no rights (including, without limitation, moral rights) in or to my submission and that Sponsor has the sole and absolute right to edit, modify, adapt, distribute, stream, post, publish, broadcast, reproduce, store, copy, transmit, publicly display, exhibit, exploit and/or otherwise use any or all of my Entry in any way and in any manner, without compensation.