Charlie: A Dog for All Seasons

                                             

Relaxed before his bath

It's almost impossible to believe that Charlie has been with us for over a year now, but then again, it's difficult to imagine life without him, too! He loves being told he's a "good boy" and he really is!

And yes, dogs do learn new tricks:

• He's learned to be annoying in the kitchen: jumping up and banging the cupboard door when I am preparing dinner or snacks. 
• He's also learned that it's ok to sit with his head on my knee when I am eating something in the living room because he will eventually get either a left-over or the plate to lick if he is patient.    
• Charlie has discovered that if he pesters dad at the computer he will get picked up and can lie on dad's lap, but if he comes to me, he puts his head on my foot, noses me or stands with his paw on my knee, and once I pet him and tell him he's good, he happily goes to play.
• He's discovered the joy of all  his squeaky toys, especially when it comes to bedtime and squeaking like mad before he falls asleep.
• He's found out that it's comfy squashed between us in bed and giving me a kiss before falling asleep, but dad would rather have a loving look than a kiss, thank you very much :)    
• He's good at "riding shotgun" in the car with dad, loving the feel of the breeze as it rushes over his face, but then he also enjoys lying on the floor on the passenger side of the car when he's had enough of the wind. He also loves 'helping' to pick me up when dad gives me a ride home after work.
• He has an amazing sense of smell and can "truffle snout" his way around the entire outside of the apartment complex, ignoring everyone who says "Hi, Charlie" except Ashley.
• Things do smell just as good the second, third and fourth time you discover a scent!
• He enjoys walking at heel with mom and taking dad for walks with the longer leash. All that training finally paid off!
• He is very vigilant and careful when "walking mom" when it's dark outside, even going so far as to growl if he doesn't know someone. This is new!   
• He's found that this apartment is simply not big enough to hide all his rawhide chews. He has no idea why we laugh at him when he tries so hard to conceal a chew in his mouth before hiding it (it looks like tusks!).
• He's a playing machine! He loves tearing around the apartment like a loony pup,up and down and off the bed and couch and around again. Especially when mom's playing the "rawrrrr" game, chasing him until we're both panting.
• He and Munchie kiss when he goes outside and comes back in again (probably because Munchie knows he will get a treat) and they sometimes headbutt and kiss just because. Also new.

Consider getting your own furry forever friend through animal adoption or even consider fostering a pet if you have time and room to do so. You won't be sorry, but remember, a forever friend IS forever!

Wired for sound after his bath (but loving it)

Charlie Takes Over the Apartment

Waiting for Mike to come home

We knew the day would come...Charlie has officially taken over our apartment! We came home to find him lying on the back of the love seat the other day. He had discovered it to be a wonderful place to spot passing dogs and their owners. I can only imagine the yipping and yapping during our absence. He also loves to lie there and wait for us to come home.


He has made his presence known in many ways: toys strewn throughout our home, dashing out the outside door when it's opened, sneaking into the bathroom to investigate the litter box (ewww), finding his favorite sleeping spots and spying-on-the-cat places. He and Munchie have been in the same room at the same time for the past couple of weeks now, without incident. The only time he really takes exception is when Munchie sniffs his dog bed; the only thing Munchie doesn't like is when Charlie curls up on the bed beside Mike. 


We have moved the furniture lately, and Charlie has discovered the joy of my new rocking chair, too. We vie for the seat now. He usually wins, since there's also a couch and love seat for me to sit on (and besides, he looks so CUTE sitting there!)

Charlie the Cute Dog on my rocking chair

He also leaves little "love offerings" - no, not the negative kind, just sweet little things. Toys in your shoe, little chewie bones between couch cushions, placing a toy on Mike's foot when he is at the computer, stuffed toys on the kitchen floor, things like that. We get a kick out of it. He really feels at home now, and shows it in every way.

We've learned to watch where we step (there's quite a "squeaker" on several of his toys!),  to pet him and give him attention while watching TV, to interrupt our use of the computer or while I knit, to take him outside or just rub his ears and jaw (he really likes that). Mike sings and does a little dance with him (I really have to get that on camera one of these days) and I talk to him...a lot...while working around the kitchen or cleaning up the place.

He's not fussy about the vacuum, but he has a reprieve. It's given up the ghost temporarily so we also have the pleasure of little tufts of black hair everywhere. It helps that he loves being brushed (another form of attention?) but I can't keep up with it! The joy of a long-haired dog! Now we have orange and white fur from Munchie AND black tufts from Charlie. *Joy*.

He is Mike's navigator when they come pick me up. Mike's talking about bringing him to work with him on his security job to keep him company - once Charlie settles down a bit, of course. They are devoted to each other, and nothing could make me happier. Charlie is my daytime buddy and he's Mike's night-time companion. Works out well all the way around! 

Yes, he's part of our lives now, and we are delighted with the little dog who was once hiding, overwhelmed, in the back of a cage and who now runs our home. Like Mike says, he really is "The best investment we ever made!"

"Love offering" in my walkies shoe

The Great Hunt: The Instinct to Hide Treasure

The Great Hunt: The Instinct to Hide Treasures

Charlie believes in The Great Hunt. He is the best dog at hiding his favorite treasures than any other dog I have seen or owned! He finds little hidey-holes in the couch cushions, behind boxes, behind the file cabinet, under the desk, by the TV stand, under his blankets (great for tripping!), on the ottoman, in empty boxes.... Wherever there is a little space, he will hide a treasure!


One of his favorite hiding places is his toy box. He loves to take out all his toys, put a special treat or bone in there, and cover it all up with toys again! Then, some time later that day or even later in the week, his little nose will follow an invisible path and then it's "Oh boy oh boy!" as he rediscovers his treasure, gleefully throwing it in the air and settling down to gnaw on it. Sometimes I don't understand dogs, except for the times when we have found a forgotten treat for ourselves in the freezer or cupboard... Maybe it's not so hard to understand them after all!


The great hunt for toys is only superseded by his great hunt for the elusive scent trail. His schnozz buries itself in the grass as he scoots it along, searching for that missing scent. Sometimes his head startles up and he sneezes when he finds something amazing! Then he cocks his head, looks at me and I swear he's smiling! Off to the next adventure.


Life, for Charlie, is indeed one adventure after another. Every day is new, the same old walk is different each time he takes it. He walks along the red curb like an intrepid circus dog, balance sure, trotting along. His balance is so much better than ours! This morning, he was so busy sniffing and exploring that he barely acknowledged a little dog he hadn't met before. He gave some cursory sniffs, a friendly wag of the tail, but he was totally distracted. It's compulsive, he had to search? Is there such a thing as OCD dogs, or is this instinct so deeply buried that they have to act on it? How he fights the leash when I try to tug him another way! But he is learning to obey (when he wants to).


There are always more dogs for Charlie to discover, new cats to spot, new birds to watch, and more people to charm. Even folks who don't particularly like dogs like him. He is so earnest and open! That's a dog's nature, isn't it? Last night, on our last walk before bed, he met Bella and her owner. The girl had seen Charlie before and thought him "adorable" (he took her compliment in stride, sniffing her toes and accepting a pat). Bella was over 4 times his size, a big gangling 2-year old baby! Charlie and she played, jumping, pretending to attack, hunkering down in the grass to slither toward each other. I think he's found another kindred spirit! Bella was enchanted to have a new friend; she sought him out twice during the course of that half-hour walk. Charlie was thrilled with his new friend. Now, when we walk past Bella's apartment, Charlie pauses to see if she is coming out to play, just like Chewie pauses outside our apartment to see if Charlie can come out to play. Just like kids!


Speaking of walks, it's pretty much time for our next excursion. I wonder what sniffs he will discover this time, and how many sneezes will mark his excitement as he finds an old trail. I wonder which buddies and new friends he'll find this time? Sometimes I think we live vicariously through our dogs! We have met so many new people since embarking upon this adventure! There's nothing like being adopted by a dog to give you a new lease on life!


(next time: The Meeting: Charlie and Munchie's Showdown)