Tuesday, December 26, 2006

A Not So Very Merry Christmas

We got through Christmas and it was okay. Steve loves his train, the one that I had imagined Charlie would be entranced by. Ruger is afraid of it and Buttercup tried to bite it. I don't think Heidi even saw it. She's been hiding a lot in her blanket. Buttercup wants to be held constantly and if you don't pick her up when she wants to be picked up she barks until you do! Ruger is just Ruger, still a nervous Nellie, even more so. Steve is sad too, I know, although like all men he's being stoic. Buttercup has to go have her nails trimmed and her anal glands cleaned - acutally she needs to see the groomer yet, but I just don't have it in me to go to the vet's office. I can't believe it's only been 4 days. It seems like he's been gone forever. His little room still smells like him, even though Steve and I have both scrubbed the floor. I want to repaint the room. It needed it anyway.

We got a sympathy card from the vet's office today. That was so thoughtful of them. Mom and Bob sent another. It's a big thing to lose a fur baby, it really is. Although I'm sure some people think I'm nuts for being so sad about it. I just have to deal with this grief in my own way. Thanks to all my friends from Lovedachs and my e-mail friends. You're all wonderful - but then you're all doxie people, I expect no less...

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Thank you

So many people have said so many wonderful things about Charlie. We can never express our thanks in person to everyone who has taken the time and effort to let us know how Charlie touched their lives or to let us know they lit a candle last night to light his way to the bridge. He touched so many people and he was loved by so many. We'll all miss him. Thanks again. Please feel free to check back on his blog from time to time. As I find older pictures I'll post them.

Mindi and Steve

Charlie's tribute at the Dachshund Memorial Garden

I'm adding the link to Charlie's tribute so anyone who wants to can visit him. If you'd like to take the time you can look up Oscar Kurtz and Schnapps Kurtz and see Charlie's two olders brothers who went to the bridge before him. I"m sure they're playing and having a wonderful time.

http://home.it.net.au/~opalowl/december2006.html
and scroll down to his name or you can click on this link and go direct, but it takes a bit longer to download
http://home.it.net.au/~opalowl/december2006.html#cbkurtz

Mindi

More Pics of Charlie Brown









These pictures were taken the night of the 21st, after he had started sneezing the blood. Obviously, we knew he wasn't going to be around much longer. We had given Charlie his Christmas present early, his squeaky gingerbread man, but he wasn't very interested in it.


Some Christmas Pictures of Charlie

Here are some pictures we took for the Christmas card, but obviously didn't use. I'll be adding some more older pictures too. He loved the other hats and reindeer antlers, he thought they were toys to play with!
















From Charlie's Mom - A Sad Day

I write with a very heavy heart today that Charlie went to the Rainbow Bridge yesterday. I think he had been struggling for the past few weeks and we had an appointment with Dr. J earlier this week. We knew he was failing, but decided to wait until after the holidays were over before we made a definite decision. But then fate, as it always does, decided to take control of the situation. Charlie started sneezing and coughing up blood last night and we knew it was time. So, yesterday Charlie had an appointment with the vet (sadly, Dr. J wasn't available) and he went to the bridge to wait for us.

I have never in my life felt as sad as I do today. The house is so empty, remarkably so, considering he was only 8 pounds! I'm trying to work tonight, but can hardly see to type through the tears, and when I pass the little room where he slept for the past 15 months, the grief is totally overwhelming. The hardest thing to bear is that I know Charlie wasn't ready to go. When we were in the office waiting for Dr. S to come in, Charlie was actually crying tears. They were running down his face and I had to wipe them away with a tissue as I did my own. He knew he was loved and he was happy, but unfortunately his abused, battered little body couldn't take any more.

I look forward to the day when Charlie, Oscar, Schanpps, and all my other furbabies that go to the bridge before I do will be reunited. I know this will happen as surely as I know the sun will rise tomorrow, but not matter how long it takes it will be too long. Steve and I are both just devastated by the loss.

For anyone who ever knew Charlie or ever had any contact with him, you know he was one special dog with a presence about him that was just a joy to be around. He was so happy to be finally released from the prison of the puppy mill and I know he thanks Sonja and Grandma Judy in helping him find his way home to us. We're so thankful to everyone who ever had any contact with Charlie and to all of Charlie's Angels for being there for him and us. He will live forever in all our hearts.

If for some reason you have never been to Charlie's blog before and are touched by his story please, please make a committment to never, ever buy a puppy or a kitten from a pet store. The puppy mills would have a hard time staying in business if they weren't supported by pet stores. Please consider adopting a rescue dog or cat if you're looking for a new pet, there are too many dogs looking for homes to have any excuse to breed a dog or cat just to have a puppy or kitten. Senior dogs need love too, as do dogs with handicaps. And please, please, spay or neuter your pets. Do it for the love of Charlie.

We miss you little man. We'll see you again.

Love, Mom

Monday, November 20, 2006

Naked Dog

I think I'm still losing my hair. Mom and dad were watching a movie with grandma last night and mom was taking dead skin of my back (I know it sounds gross, but it feels so GOOD). All of a sudden a big piece came off and it had hair on it. Mom cried. Jeez mom, it's MY hair! How do you think I feel? I think it's going to be a really cold winter - being naked and all...

I haven't been to see the vet in a long time. Mom says that too, but then she says, "knock on wood". I have no idea what that has to do with anything, but I am glad I haven't had to go to the doctor. Dad was cutting Heidi's toenails Friday night and he made her scream and cry and her toenail was bleeding all over mom's leg. Cool huh? Mom didn't think so I guess, but Heidi got held and petted, and held and petted. It was sickening I tell you, sickening! I wouldn't be such a big baby about such a stupid thing. It's a TOENAIL Heidi, get over it. Geez what a girl she is... (Heidi, not mom.) I saw mom cut her leg in that big bathtub thing once and she didn't cry. She said those words that she doesn't say all the time and she yelled when she said them, but she didn't cry. Mom is NOT a baby.

Dad was gone for a long time last weekend. I guess it was only 4 days mom said, but that doesn't mean much to me. Anyway, when he came home he smelled so great! I just smelled and smelled all the stuff on his pants and boots. Then mom made him take a bath. She said he stunk up the place. I thought he smelled great. I guess he went out with his big gun and shot at some deer and that's why he smelled so good. Or maybe it was 'cause he didn't have a bath for a couple days. Mom made him though. She obviously doesn't know what a GOOD smell is!

I think tonight I'm going to get a bath. I'm not looking foward to it, but mom says I could knock a buzzard off the north end of a southbound donkey and I guess that's a bad thing. I've been trying not to eat so much poop lately, dad's been picking it up and throwing it over the fence so I can't reach it. Not very nice of him, is it? I'll forgive him though, because he got me more rabbit meat dog food. For a while they were buying other food for me. The gravy was nice, but it made me itch, so I got my old food back. Now I don't itch anymore. Guess I'll forgive him for throwing the poop away.

Dad got me some new toys the other day too. He says he got them for all of us, but I know he says that just because he doesn't want the other dogs to know how special I am. It must be hard to be them and never get any new toys. Mom found my favorite peanut treats at the store too. She says if I have to be bald I might as well have my favorite treats. I don't know if that's an even trade - hair for peanut treats, but I'll take them anyway.

Uh oh, dad's home. I gotta get off the computer. Love you all!

Chuck

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Hey! Have you Missed Me?

Mom has a job now where she's gone ALL day and I have to stay in the little room with the other kids. I don't like it one bit, but she says it won't be forever and pretty soon she'll be back home with us during the day. Nothing happens during the day when you have to stay in one little room. Do you know how BORED a guy can get with nothing to do? So far I haven't caused any trouble, but I bet I could if I wanted to!

Mom and dad think I have pemphigus (I don't know if I'm spelling that right or not), so I take prednisone all the time and I also take Imuran. Aunt Missy and her friend Brad think my hair is growing back in on my sides and on my head, but mom's not so sure. Maybe it is. I know my back feels better, the skin isn't so thick and icky. Mom puts lotion on it every night and it sure feels good when she rubs it in, I wiggle and wiggle and wiggle... Last night she put her pajamas on early and went to bed to watch TV and I got to lay in bed with her under a blanket for a long time. It was so nice. I was kind of mad at dad when he put me in my bed, but I have my heating pad to keep me warm, so it was okay. I guess. It's really cold outside. At least none of that wet white stuff is here yet, but it's been wet and cold sometimes and I don't like that. Dad has to carry me outside after dinner because I run for my bed. He says I have to poop after dinner. How does he know when I have to poop?

Tonight all kinds of weird things are coming to our door and ringing the doorbell. Dad gives them candy to make them go away. The other kids are barking and barking, but I think I'll just stay in my bed and hope the monsters don't find me here.

Monday, October 02, 2006

My dad is the best

Maybe dad finally figured out what was wrong with my back. He thinks I might have something called pemphigus, which is actually and autoimmune disease and is a side-effect of my heart medication (ACE inhibitor). He talked to Dr. J and I'm taking prednisone all the time now and mom and dad think my back is looking better. I don't have any more open sores and it feels good again when dad rubs my back, instead of hurting. My fur isn't growing back, which I'm kind of sad about because that means I still have to wear those darm sweaters, but if I don't have any more sores that's okay with me!

Dad tried to find another heart medicine for me to take, but ACE inhibitors seem to be what I need and we can't find a substitute, so Dr. J cut my dose down to 1/2 a pill once a day. My heart seems to be doing okay with that, so maybe between cutting back the heart medicine and taking the prednisone my back will get totally better. Mom and dad are pretty happy.

It was really cold last week and dad took old the old soft stuff off the living room floor and some guys came in and put in a new floor in our living room. It's like the floor in the kitchen. Mom called them "wood floors". I called them stinky floors last week. Peeeeee Uuuuuuuuuu. It sure smelled bad in here. Mom says it smells better than the old carpet, I guess that was the soft stuff. I have to admit I may have been responsible for that soft stuff smelling bad. Sometimes I guy just has to go and can't quite make it outside, ya know? Mom has to find me a nice soft blankie or something to put in my corner again. It's not quite the same as it was. I haven't even moved my toys back there as a protest about the hard floor.

I'm still loving the heating pad Grandma Judy sent me. Mom has it on low and I sleep on a nice warm blanket in my bed. Better than the hard cold floor any day!

It was raining a lot too in the past couple of weeks, so being the mighty hunter I am, I was catching little snakes that were in the yard and all over the driveway. Dad laughed and said they weren't little snakes, they were only worms. Oh, well. I was having fun hunting them down anyway. Friday I got another bird too. All dad found was the wing and a bunch of feathers. Ha ha! I am a mighty hunter!

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

I'm the healthy one for a change!

We've had a bunch of sick babies at our house! I told you all about my sister Buttercup hurting her neck. She's feeling much better, but mom and dad still carry her outside and she can't go down the stairs by herself. Mom says she going to get a hernia carrying her around. What's a hernia anyway? Mom is also talking about diet food - I hope she means for the other guys. I don't think I'd like diet food. Mom says she doesn't.

Then, Ruger ate a LOT of chocolate and had to go to the vet! Boy was mom upset. At first I thought it was because the chocolate was gone, but no, she was worried about Ruger. He ate a whole bunch of chocolate that was almost all cocoa, I guess that stuff is BAD for dogs. First she tried to make Ruger throw up by giving him some yucky stuff to drink, but Ruger wouldn't throw up. Them mom had to take him to the vet and THEY had to make him throw up. He came home later that night, but he wasn't feeling very well. He got in trouble from mom yesterday because she found some more chocolate he hid behind the desk in her office, so he got yelled at. Why would he want chocolate when he always gets the good stuff mom has, like bones and stuff? I don't even get those because I can't chew them, but if I did get them I sure wouldn't be eating any icky stuff like chocolate. Mom said next time she gets a dog she's getting something called insurance. I don't know what exactly that is, but mom made it sound like a good thing. If you can eat it, I wish she'd get it now.

It's been kind of cold outside, so mom put my sweater on me today. It was one of the sweaters that Grandma Carole gave to me last year. I tried to take it off, but it got stuck. Mom couldn't find the camera, but she said it looked like I had a skirt on. Don't girls wear skirts? I think I should be insulted, being the manly dog I am, but I'm not sure.

We found a great big spider outside yesterday. I would have eaten it, but mom actually screamed and grabbed me before I could get it. I guess she doesn't like spiders much. Maybe next time. We had some company at our house and they took it home with them in a jar. I wonder if they're going to eat it? Probably not. Humans don't eat bugs much.

Well, I hear mom coming back, so I better get off the computer. We can't have any more excitement around here. Mom says she had enough, so I don't want her to know I can type!

Love,
Chuck

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

I've been a resident of Omaha for a year. Can I vote now?

I've been living with mom and dad for a whole year now! They thought I was sick when they brought me home and that I wouldn't be here long. Silly them! Guess I fooled them all, didn't I?

Mom had people over to our house for dinner yesterday and baked me a cake and everything. She said it was the end of summer and we should all have a cookout, but I know that really the celebration was for me... Because I'm special. She tells me that all the time. I bet she just didn't want to tell everyone that it was for me because then the other dogs would be jealous and mom would be baking cakes all the time for their birthdays and to celebrate the day they came to live with her and dad. It would just get to be too much, so she tells everyone it's the end of summer even though I know it's really for me.

My uncle, Tucker the Cat, has been sick again. He has congestive heart failure and grandma and grandpa have to give him some kind of yucky medicine in the morning and at night. Poor Tucker. Mom says that I have it too, but I don't feel sick, so I don't think we have the same thing at all. Besides, mom and dad don't have to shoot medicine in the side of my mouth. Mom hides stuff in my food sometimes though, but I don't spit it out. I'm not BAD like other dogs I know... Don't worry Buttercup, I won't tell mom that you spit that pill out on the carpet in the living room yesterday. She won't hear it from me. Huh uh. No way and I a tattletale...

Grandma Judy sent me a nice warm heating pad that mom and dad put in my bed and it makes me so warm! I don't have to curl up in a little ball to be warm and I sleep really, really good with it. But, I think grandma told mom to put my water up at night because they don't put it in my bedroom with me anymore. I never have to get up and go pee during the night anymore, but I'm not sure if it's because I'm so warm I sleep really good, or because mom doesn't give me my water. I know mom's glad she doesn't have to scrub the floor every day!

Grandma and Grandpa S gave me a new octopus for my birthday. It squeaks and squeaks and squeaks. I guess maybe it squeaks too much 'cause mom put it on the piano last night. She gave it back to me today though. I guess she never found the Kong though. I'm kind of sorry she hasn't found it because I can't remember where I put it!

I'm going to post some pictures that mom took the other day. I don't want anybody to be upset or anything about my back. Really it doesn't hurt. Even where there's scabs, mom and dad put lotion and medicine on them, so they don't hurt, so don't worry about how it looks okay?

I'm starting to lose some hair on my head now. Mom says I'll look like my grandpa Art if that happens. Uh oh.

Gotta get those pictures posted. I hope you like them.

Chuck

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Dog days of August

Hey, remember me? I can't believe this month has gone by so fast and I haven't had a chance to get to the computer. It was so hot this month, I spent a lot of time just laying around trying to get cool, so I haven't felt much like typing. :-) There really hasn't been too much going on either. Just eating, sleeping, and spending a little time outside. I've been feeling really, really tired lately too, so I've been sleeping a lot.

Life is about as good as it gets I think. Every night when mom has to go to work I go downstairs with dad and watch TV. He spends a lot of time with just me, petting me and putting lotion on my back. What else could a guy ask for? My back was getting pretty sore earlier this month so mom talked to Dr. Jesske and got some MORE pills for me to take. I really don't care though, if I'm really lucky dad gives them to me in a hot dog. If I'm not so lucky he gives them to me in a little chunk of my regular food, but either way I get to eat more, right? I also got a prescription for prednisone, so mom gets to take her medicine back. She doesn't really care though because her doctor said she doesnt have to take it for very much longer. Mom thinks maybe she'll lose weight if she doesn't take it anymore. I hope I don't lose any weight when I quit taking it, otherwise I'd blow away in a strong wind! A kite that pees mom says and then she laughs. Hmph. I don't think it's very funny.

My sister Buttercup is pretty sick tonight. Her neck is hurting her really bad. Mom was crying about it earlier, but dad says not to worry until they go to the vet tomorrow. I guess mom and dad had another fur baby, Schnapps, and he went to the Rainbow Bridge when his back started hurting him, so mom is really worried. I didn't know what to do to make her happy tonight. I peed in the hallway. That's didn't make her happy, but at least it took her mind off of Buttercup for a minute or two. Hey, give me some credit for trying! When mom was trying to get Buttercup to drink some water she took this thing called a heating pad off of Buttercup's back and put it on the floor, so, being the curious guy that I am I decided to lay down on it. Wowser! It was nice and warm! I wish I could have one of those things in my bed. Mom made me get off of it though so she could put it back on Buttercup. I hope she gets me one!

Next week is going to be special for me. I've been living with mom and dad for a whole year! Isn't that great? I can't believe it's been a whole year since Grandma Judy took me in and put me on Petfinder so mom and dad could find me. I've been so lucky! I can't decide what the best part is though, my own bed, ALL the toys, having good friends like Lucy in New York and her human Melissa; Sasha, Roxie and Cosmo in Minnesota and their human Kate; Grandma Judy; all my great friends in Missouri; my own toys; all the cool dogs on Lovedachs; my sisters and brother; my human sister and brother; good dog food; all the toys, my own blanket; applesauce; bananas; my furry cousins, Medusa and Shorty; all my toys; grandma and grandpa Sieborg; grandpa Art; all my toys; going outside and just laying in the sun; chasing the neighbor kids; Mr. Tucker my cat cousin... And did I mention ALL THE TOYS? I wonder if mom will bake me another cake? Ooooooo with ice cream. I love ice cream too...

Well, I think mom is up to check on Buttercup so I better sneak back to my OWN blanket and go back to sleep. Zzzzzzzzzzz

Love ya! Chuck

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Hey, I'm Back

Well, really I didn't go anywhere, but I've been so busy (sleeping) that I haven't gotten around to using the computer. The weather here has been really, really hot. I don't want to go outside, but I don't want to get scolded for going potty on the carpet either, what's a dog to do? I spend most of the day laying on mom's lap while she watches TV or reads, which is fine with me, but the other guys get, you know, jealous or something. Heee hee.

My human brother Matt came over yesterday and I let him give me some banana. He doesn't live here with us and when I first met him he scared me a little. He's really, really tall, even when he stands by mom he's really, really tall, so he makes me feel very, very small. I wasn't sure I liked him for a while. Every time he would come over I wouldn't let him get close to mom, I would growl and show all of my teeth, but he would just laugh. He never hurt me so and today he gave me a whole banana (well, little pieces at a time) so I guess he's okay. I let him pet me today for a long time, but when he tried to pick me up I screamed for mom! I don't want to be that high in the air!

I haven't been to the vet in a long time! When mom told grandma that today she said, "Knock on wood". I'm not sure what that means, but maybe you better knock on some wood, just in case. A few weeks ago mom went to get me some food, but they didn't have the good soft stuff in the can, so she bought some of that dry stuff. Yuck. I wouldn't eat it. How can mom and dad expect me to eat the old dry stuff when I'm used to the good soft stuff. It smells so much better and the taste... Yum! After a couple days of me not eating very much (except for bananas and applesauce) mom and dad finally got the idea and went back to the vet and got me some REAL food. I guess they aren't trained as well as I thought, since it took them 2 whole days. I better work on that some more.

I have a couple more sores on my back, but dad is putting medicine on them every night. I don't like the stuff, it doesn't taste very good. The sores don't really hurt a lot, except when dad touches them so I cry and stuff and then he feels sorry for me. Sometimes I try to lick them when I think mom and dad aren't looking, but they always catch me. How do they do that? Mom always says, "Charlie stop licking yourself like that?" Well, geez, how am I supposed to lick myself anyway? I heard mom tell dad today that they were looking better and I haven't been licking, so maybe she knows what she's talking about...

All the other guys got their nails cut tonight. Haha! I only have 2 nails and they're short most of the time. Sometimes Dr. Jesske cuts them for me. It doesn't hurt, but you wouldn't know that the way the other dogs carry on. Mom has to hold them while dad cuts their nails and Ruger runs and hides as soon as they get done. Even I'm not that big of a baby. Mom said one time Heidi had her nails cut at Dr. Jesske's office and she cried and screamed so loud they had to come get mom to hold her. What a BABY! I guess that's a girl for you.

Well, I think maybe it's going to rain because it started to thunder a little while ago. I hope it rains, we haven't had any good mud or stinky things to roll in for awhile and rain always helps that. Maybe it won't be so hot outside either. I can't even lay down outside by mom's chair because it's too hot. I don't like it when it's like this. It burns my feet on the cement.

Well, I better go. Thank you to all my friends who read my blog. I didn't forget about you, I've just been a lazy dog. I love you!

Chuck

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

My pictures

I put some new pictures up from my birthday. I really had a lot of fun. I found a new good thing - strawberry ice cream! Wow! Where have they been hiding that all my life? Mom didn't let me have very much, but it was the best thing I ever ate. She won't let me have any more though, even though it didn't make me itch or anything. Oh well. Grandma and Grandpa came over again and all the people got to eat cake with their ice cream. Doesn't seem fair to me that I didn't even get a piece of my own cake. Does that seem fair to you? Humph. Mom baked a cake especially for me. I put a picture of it down below. Mom thought it didn't look very good, but I thought it was great - it was my very own doghouse! I liked it. Mom is taking a cake decorating class, so I think we're probably going to have lots of cake around the house. I bet I won't get any either. I think mom was going to e-mail our friend Kate in Minnesota to get some good recipes for dog treats. Maybe she'll have something that I can eat too. I remember at Christmas she made some very good peanut butter things, but I don't think I can eat them now.

It's been really nice here, mom had the windows open and I was outside a lot. Then it rained and I didn't like that so much. Now it's hot again and the windows aren't open. I don't like that as much, there's nothing to smell but old inside smells. You don't know how boring it is to be a dog and live inside the house! Mom's glad when I don't like to go out very much, she doesn't want to have to take a bird away from me. All the baby birds are gone now, so mostly I just bark at the ones that come to eat the food that dad puts out for them. Silly things. Dad puts all the bird food in a nice place for them to eat it and they sit in it and flap their wings and get it all over the deck. It doesn't even taste that good. I like to try and eat the corn that mom puts out for the squirrels, but it's hard and I can't chew it. Mom says I'm not supposed to eat it anyway and always takes it away from me.

I still have a sore on my back. You can see it in the picture of dad and me. It just won't go away. Dad puts some medicine on it every night and mom keeps putting lotion on my back, but it's still kind of dry and itchy. I love it when people rub my back - it feels so good! I like the lotion too 'cept it makes me smell like mom! Maybe she can find some lotion that smells like dad. I'm no sissy.

Well, enjoy my pictures. I'll be back with more adventures when I can.

Love,
Charlie

It was my birthday and I got to eat some strawberry ice cream. Ummmmm, it was better than rabbit! Posted by Picasa

This is one of my new toys that Grandma and Grandpa got me. It's a squeaky monkey and I love it! I have it next to the piano right now. My favorite hiding place.  Posted by Picasa

Here's a picture of the cake mom baked for me, it's it cool? I didn't get any though. I tried... Posted by Picasa

Here's a picture of me and dad watching a scary movie. Heid was asleep on the bed, silly girl.  Posted by Picasa

Friday, July 07, 2006

I'm having a birthday party

I'm so excited! My mom is baking a cake and everything! I don't think I get any of the cake, but I bet I get some kind of other treat! Maybe a whole baked potato. Maybe some more of my rabbit and potato! WOW! I'm so excited.

My real birthday was July 5, but mom had a cake decorating class that night, so we had to wait until tonight, but my grandma and grandpa Sieborg came over and gave me presents anyway. I got a whole bag of potatoes (yum) and a squeaky monkey. I love my monkey. Heidi tried to take it away from me, but I growled really loud at her and she ran away and let me have it. Smart girl, that sister of mine! I'm sure mom will have some more pictures of me tomorrow, so I'll be sure and put them here on my blog.

It's sure been noisy around here! Mom said it was the 4th of July, all I know about that is it's the day before my birthday. Maybe they were making all that noise for ME. If they were, I hope mom tells them I didn't like it, so they don't do it again. I stayed in the basement with dad and watched movies, it was scary going outside. Heidi didn't like the noise either, she hid under a blanket by mom, but silly Buttercup would bark and bark at the noise. Every time there was a big BOOM Buttercup would start barking. Mom said she didn't know which was worse. I don't know if Ruger was scared or not, he was under the sofa like he always is. I don't think he's scared all the time. Well, I don't know, he's kind of a chicken, maybe he is... It doesn't matter I'm brave enough for both of us.

Well, I better go stand around the kitchen while mom frosts my cake. You never know when she's going to drop something good.

Monday, June 26, 2006

THE BEST NEWS EVER!!!

I'm adopted! I'm not a foster dog anymore! I know mom and dad are really excited too! I'll miss being part of Grandma Judy's foster family, but I really belong to someone now. For the first time EVER I belong to someone who loves me! Mom and dad are really excited too! Woo hoo! Mom and dad are going to get some pictures of all of us together so we can put a brand new picture up - and send one to Grandma Judy of course, 'cuz she'll always be my special grandma! Mom gets paid today so she says we're going to PetSmart, just the 2 of us, and I get a new squeaky toy! That's good 'cuz I've broken all the squeakers on all the other toys. Even Ruger has been hiding his favorite duck from me, it has one squeaker left - I know 'cuz he squeaks it sometimes when he has it in bed with him and I can't get to it!

Isn't that the best news? I'm so happy I'm doing the doxie happy dance!

Friday, June 16, 2006

Please read this...

This is pretty much the story of my life until someone saved me from the puppy mill and then grandma got me, and from there I came to live with mom and dad. Please rememeber there are a lot more dogs just like me in places like these. These are evil, wicked places where dogs have no fun and we're always afraid.

Born In A Missouri Puppy MillBy Brenda Shoss 6/14/06
ht tp://www.KinshipCircle.orgShe waddles over, a puffy "hair-do" perched upon stubby legs. The four-pound pup nestles against my chest and gives me the goofy sideways glance. I'm a goner. I'll call her Mandy.

I first laid eyes upon this irresistible Lhasa Apso at Flawdogs Adoption, a rescue dedicated to "little puppy mill leftovers" about 45 minutes southwest of St. Louis in Morse Mill, Missouri.

There are no kennels or cages at Flawdogs. A tree-lined bridge leads to a canine Shangri-La where Silky Terriers, Corgis, Chihuahuas and Yorkies frolic amid pools and sunbathing decks in outdoor runs across eight yards. Inside, Shih Tzus, Poodles, Bichon Frises, and Dachshunds tumble over toys and each other. It's Camp Cute, with an army of wide-eyed fluffballs auditioning to steal your heart.

But Mandy's doubtful peer recalls another setting. During her first week home, direct eye contact threatens her. Reaching han ds remind her of harsh hands that once threw her from cage to cage. She pauses before open doors, remembering other dogs smashed in gates when they tried to flee. She freezes on a leash. My gentle tug reminds her of a yank by the head or neck.

Love and a loose leash soon erase Mandy's memories of birth inside a Missouri puppy mill. Yet though Flawdogs had tested and vaccinated her for ailments commonly spread inside breeding mills, Mandy grows anorexic and lethargic. She is treated for coccidia and giardia parasites. Her back legs cave in as she walks. An x-ray reveals the head of femur bone is missing in her left leg. The same bone in her right leg is porous, ragged and dying.

Still, Mandy is one lucky dog. Flawdogs founder Sally Ives, former director of Open Door Animal Sanctuary in House Springs, MO, talks about wire hair terriers salvaged from a puppy mill in northern Missouri. One dog's entire nasal channel was exposed where his face had been torn away in a fight. A Dachshund came with third degree heating pad burns over 60% of her tiny body.

"It's a miracle that dog lived," Ives says. "Those are the heartwarming cases -- the ones who are supposed to die, but insist on living instead."

Puppy mills are profit-driven enterprises that typically fail to provide adequate veterinary care, diet, exercise or shelter. Large sites house up to 1,000 dogs in rusted chicken wire cages heaped three or four tiers high. Urine and feces seep into lower cages. Dogs at the top swelter in the summer and freeze in the winter. Smaller facilities may board 50 or more dogs in squalid kennel runs.

The mass breeder's bottom line is low overhead and high return. So bulk food purchases are often comprised of sweepings from the food manufacturer's floor. Dogs are so nutrition deprived, their teeth rot as young as one or two years of age. Sometimes their jaws di ssolve. Others lose their front teeth from gnawing on the metal bars that contain them.

There are approximately 5,000 mill-style outfits nationwide. Cruelty investigators have uncovered parasite-infested dogs with oozing eyes, ear infections, and fur so matted it forms a cocoon over sores. Mange can transform a puppy's skin into a blanket of red scabs. Dogs in congested quarters easily spread worms, upper respiratory infections, coccidia, giardia, and deadly parvovirus and distemper.

Dogs are found with gangrenous skin where collars became embedded in flesh. Others are balding, blind, emaciated. Some long-term mill dogs have been debarked by shoving a steel rod down their throats to mutilate vocal cords.


Breeding factories function primarily in Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. Missouri leads the way, with an estimated $40 million per year in puppy mill profits.

Ives' relationship with mill managers, mostly women, is unique. On 24-hour call, she awaits their invitation to collect the rejects slated for euthanasia. "They see themselves as professional breeders. I must appear positive and flattering. The few times I've leaked a look of horror, I've never been invited back. My commitment is to any dog I can get out.

"Federally licensed Class A breeders form contractual agreements with brokers, or Class B dealers, who purchase mill pups for resale to some 3,500 U.S. pet outlets. Brokers seek flawless 8-week-old puppies to pile into crates for shipment by truck or plane. According to the Companion Animal Protection Society, a half-million puppies pass from mill to broker to pet shop in the U.S. and Canada every year.

A dog who misses a broker's weekly pickup from the mill may be deemed "too old" by the next collection day and consequently killed. If a broker reaches his sales quota in a region, he has nowhere else to market puppies. In most cases, these leftovers are healthy young animals.A broker's criterion is based on what the public will pay for. "We've saved a lot of Bichon and Maltese pups who have biscuit-colored ears. They won't accept biscuit on a white dog, or any color considered inconsistent, even an odd-colored eye," Ives explains.

Ives rescues any animal a mill will release: Too small. Too large. Undescended testicles. Umbilical hernias. A sparse coat. A short tail.

"How do you pick which ones to save and which ones to pass a death sentence on?" she asks. "They ride quietly in our crowded van. We hold as many in our laps as we can to start the socialization."Mandy was a disposable mill dog. Her twisted back legs were likely injured in a cage jam-packed with puppies. Dogs suffer abscessed feet, hyperflexion, loss of limbs or bones, and deformed or broken legs from trauma inside overcrowded wire encl osures.Mills usually cull puppies with leg defects. Ives acquires many Italian Greyhounds dismissed for luxating patellas. In fact, their wobbly kneecaps arise from insufficient muscle growth. After days of open space and nutritious food, they "run around like lunatics," she says. The "flaw" in older dogs is their inability to produce a viable litter of six or more pups. Mills breed females from six months of age to every heat cycle thereafter. When too worn to turn a profit, dogs as young as two to five years are shot or clubbed in the head. Other throwaways are sold to research laboratories or simply discarded.

Brandylyn, a 17-year-old "chocolate" poodle, was five pounds and pregnant when Ives retrieved her from a mill. Three baths later, Brandylyn emerged as a white dog. "She had been sold, auctioned, and traded so many times, they lost track of her color," Ives says. "Her babies were stillborn."One overbred Yorkshire Terrier arrived with 12 mammary tumors. Ives compares their insides to "cole slaw, filled with adhesions, cysts, and scar tissue. Some are boiling with pyometra (an infection of the female organs) that can fatally rupture.

"While breeders and brokers retain consulting veterinarians, they rarely call upon them. "Their idea of medical intervention is to stick a sick dog in a garage, basement, or barn," Ives claims.Shoddy breeding methods predispose dogs to chronic infirmities such as hip dysplasia, dislocating kneecaps, seizures, eye lesions, liver and heart disease, and autoimmune disorders.

In California, a state financed study revealed almost half of pet store pups were sick or harboring diseases.The Animal, Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) arm of the USDA regulates animal industries. This financially strapped agency employs a relative handful of inspectors to monitor thousands of Class A licensees (breeders), Class B licensees (brokers), Class C licensees (exhibitors), handlers, and biomedical researchers.

Present law categorizes high volume breeders who sell directly to the public as "pet stores, and exempts them from U.S. Animal Welfare Act guidelines. Thus, a breeder who sells animals via a middleman broker, the internet or newspaper ads functions with minimal oversight. Kittens, puppies and other companion animals easily cross state borders with no information about the decrepit surroundings in which they were raised. This loophole undermines a key intent of the AWA and deceives consumers, who are conned into spending huge fees on animals with health complications. When I ask Ives about her role in a system clogged with lax laws, she pauses and then quietly clarifies her mission: "I am their caretaker. I get to touch their lives for a little while and send them bouncing into people's arms. I am upstairs right now, looking over my little dogs in their playhouses, just hanging out the windows. This is grand. I am way too happy.

"Somehow, Ives finds homes for even the most traumatized animals. One family traveled 300 miles to adopt Trina, a blind dog with detached retinas. Mufasa's family adores him, despite undernourishment that left him permanently hairless over most of his body. Tick, an underweight Dachshund who couldn't sustain his own body temperature, is photographed weeks later amid a swirl of shredded paper towels. Once they can wreak puppy havoc, Ives knows they are okay.

In closing I mention to Ives that although I currently have two cats and two dogs, I really want to rescue a beagle. "If I can talk my husband into more animals... Do you get beagles?""Funny you should ask," she drawls. Ives knows I'm already hooked, but offers this advice: "You need to break your husband in gradually."Honey , how do you feel about beagle pups?"

Flawed Dogs
a poem by Berkley Breathed
So in this world of the simple and odd,
the bent and the pain,
the unbalanced body,
the imperfect people and differently pawed,
some live without love...
THAT'S how they're flawed.

WHAT YOU CAN DO1. Boycott pet stores that buy and sell companion animals. Without pet store sales, mass pet producers would be squeezed out of business. Meet and fall in love with your own puppy mill rescue at Flawdogs! Out-of-state adoptions welcome. View animals online and visit Flawdogs (by appointment): Flawdogs Adoption ph: 636-274-2511; email: gnsives@aol.com web: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/flawdogs.html
http://community.webshots.com/user/flawdogs
P.O. Box 99
Morse Mill, MO 63066

In Missouri, Flawdogs is at the Arnold Petco every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. They are also there on the second and fourth Saturday, each month.

Well, maybe I'm not the mighty hunter after all...

I woke up the other night and there was something in my bed. I didn't like it, so I barked and barked for mom or dad to get up and help me. First dad got up and thought I wanted to go outside, since I was standing by the gate. I went outside to make him happy, but that really wasn't the problem. Then I came back inside and dad put me back in my room and left me alone with that thing in my bed again. I barked and barked again. This time dad thought I wanted some applesauce, so he got up and gave me some. (I must rememeber that if I bark in the middle of the night I might get applesauce...) Anyway, after I ate he left me alone again. I barked and barked. I think dad was trying to ignore me because I had to bark a LONG time before he finally came back. Mom told him to make sure there wasn't a bug in my bed. Well, it wasn't a bug, it was a big old poop!

Dad took it out of my bed, and flushed it down the big water bowl and then I went right back to sleep. Man, what you go through to get people to understand you!

Sunday, June 11, 2006


Here's mom and her birthday cake. I didn't get any of that either. Do you see a pattern here? Posted by Picasa

Here's my dad, Meg and my mom. I guess this graduation thing is a big deal!  Posted by Picasa

Here's my human sister, Meg, she graduated from college this spring. I guess that's kind of like obedience school, only harder. Posted by Picasa

Grandma and Grandpa at their wedding anniversary. I didn't get to go... Posted by Picasa

The Mighty Hunter Returns

Finally, mom got off the computer so I could write! She's sick today. I'm sorry she's sick, but she's such a HOG with the computer... What's a guy to do?

I killed another bird today. YES! I even got to eat most of it before dad found out. Mom is totally grossed out and won't let me near her, but that's okay, she'll forget in a little while and then I'll be back on the bed with her. Our weather has been really hot, but I like it. I sit outside for hours. Mom always has to come look for me, and call me, and she isn't satisfied until I come out of my hiding places (under the hostas) so she knows I haven't gotten out of the gate again. I won't do that again. I got scared kind of bad the first time I did that.

Mom was gone taking care of grandma and grandpa's cat this week. How's that for dog neglect? Leaving me home while she takes care of a stupid CAT! And Mr. Tucker doesn't even like dogs. I wanted to go to grandma's but mom said Mr. Tucker would eat ME! Bet he wouldn't. Silly old cat couldn't hurt a mighty hunter like me! (Note from mom - he took out after my brother in law's Irish Setter, so mighty hunter or not, Charlie stays home when we go to grandma's.) Some bad people got into grandma's and grandpa's house while they were gone, so mom had to take care of Mr. Tucker because my human cousin was afraid to stay there. Maybe if she had a guard DOG instead of a cat that wouldn't have happened. I'm only sayin'.....

I found a new treat this week - bananas! Yum! They're even better than applesauce, but mom doesn't share them as much. She says I can't have a whole one, so I can only have some when she has one. The other kids don't like them much. Good, all the more for me.

My back was all healed up, but then it itched me again, so I chewed it open. I don't think it's too bad. Mom thinks it is, so I had to go to the vet - again. I think I should just live there and mom and dad can come visit me. Geez. Dr. Jesske said I look "great". Woo hoo! My mouth is a little worse, I guess I have a fistula, kind of a hole in the bone of my jaw, but they can't fix it. Dr. Jesske said they could, but maybe if I go to sleep I won't wake up again. That wouldn't be too good, so mom said no. Whew! He said they could go to another vet where they have someone watch me when I'm asleep, something like a seezeologist, (note from mom - anesthesiologist) but that would cost a lot of money and even then I might not wake up. I'm not liking that idea too much, so I'm glad mom says no. I'm happy with my soft food and any birds I can find. So I don't think my mouth needs to be fixed - even though the other kids won't drink out of the water bowl after me 'cause there's icky stuff in it. More water for me, the way I see it. Besides, mom fills it up all the time with clean water. They're such BABIES!

Mom is really excited because Dr. Jesske gave her some prednisone for Heidi because she's itching - guess she's 'lergic to something, anyways the prednisone fixed her nose right up. No more scab. She's a pretty good lookin' dog, of course she's my sister though, so I have to say that.

Well, I just heard mom get up so I'm going to go lay in the corner and pretend like I haven't been on the computer. Thanks to all my friends who read this! I love everybody!

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Summer, finally summer!

So, I see my mom's been posting on my blog, huh? Well! She has one of her own, she should leave mine alone! She's right though, I've been having so much fun that I just don't even think about getting on the 'puter and updating this blog. It's so nice out! When I go outside I don't want to come back in, our yard is so big, I just walk and walk and walk, and sometimes I take naps by a tree or in the garden. Mom says the plants are hostas. I don't care what they're called, it's nice and cool under their leaves. A guy could lay out there forever!

We haven't had too much excitement around here. Mom and dad are talking about getting a wood floor in the living room. Mom said she's tired of the way the living room smells. Something about an outhouse? Are all houses outside? I don't get it. But I have a feeling it won't be as much fun to make a mess if there's no carpet! Dad won't have to get that big noisy machine out of the garage either, you know, the one that makes the carpet all wet and icky to lay on. It takes all the good doggie smells away too... Maybe that's what they want!? That's kind of funny.

I've been spending evenings laying in the big bed in Mom and Dad's room. It's very comfortable and I sleep really good there. I wish they would let me sleep there all night, but dad says nothin' doing! I guess I peed in their bed a long time ago and he's not going to give me the chance to do that again. It was so long ago I hardly remember, I think it was right after I came to live here. Geez, I wish they'd give me some credit. I have learned SOMETHING since I've been here. Gosh.

Meghan (my human sister) has been hanging around a lot. I guess she's living back in Nebraska now. She did live in some place called Iowa. I think maybe I was there once in the car, but I'm not sure. Meghan had a thing called a graduation a few weeks ago. She was all done with one college and now she's going to another one. Sounds like a lot of work if you ask me. I guess she doesn't know that if you just look really really cute people will want to take you home and feed you and give you a soft bed. Humans can be so dense at times.

I hear mom, better get off the computer! Later friends!

Chuck

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

A Note from Charlie's Mom

Don't worry! Everything is fine, I'm not posting because Charlie can't get to the computer! LOL Anyway, I just wanted to tell everyone what a great spring Charlie is having - aside from being scared to death by the baby gate.

He's been outside a LOT and he's loving every minute of it! I could cry when I think that up until Grandma got him last year in August (?) that he probably had spent very little time, if at all, out of his cell. Yesterday he was in the backyard for about 3 hours! I kept going out to check on him and he was just wandering around the yard and occasionally napping under the tree. I'll have to get some pictures later today if I have time.

On Friday last week he made his first kill! Granted it was a baby bird, but he hunted it down. While I'm not an advocate of killing baby birds, I have to think that this was the first time he's ever done anything remotely like this - he's really turning into a mighty hunter!

As for his everyday life, his ears are looking great! The sore above his leg on his back is getting better and he seems to have a lot more energy and is more playful than he ever has been. Guess he has spring fever too! He still loves his applesauce and his meals 4 times a day of rabbit and potato with a little extra baked potato thrown in for good measure. No hair is growing back anywhere, but we love him more every day - little half-naked doxie man!

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Fright!

Wow, I got the crap scared out of me tonight. Mom was working and dad aws in bed, it was dark outside and I needed to go out. Dad put down some paper for me in my room, but heck, who wants to go on the paper? I found a towel in the corner of the room and decided to go there. Much nicer - for me anyway. Well, I bumped the gate that's in the doorway and it fell over with a CRASH! It scared me so bad I'm glad I just went to the bathroom or I'm sure I would have had to go again. I scurried right down the hall tothe bedroom 'cause mom's office door was shut. I wanted dad to pick me up, but he was sleeping! What's a scared guy to do!? Luckily mom heard the gate fall, so she came looking for me. I was shaking like crazy. I haven't been this scared since I came to live here.

Mom found me in the bedroom and decided that as long as I was up I better go outside... Ha ha! Beat you to THAT mom! Snicker... Anyway when I came back in, I sure wasn't going anywhere near that gate again, huh uh! NO way! I hid behind the ottoman in the living room. Mom went all over the house looking for me - tee hee, I was hiding good. Finally dad got up and came looking for me too. He found me though. I was too scared to even eat my applesauce in the kitchen, I kept going back behind the ottoman, so dad finally put me in my room. Dad put the gate up again, before he went to bed. I think I'll either stay in bed from now on during the night or else be sure to use my papers if I really have to go. I don't need to be that scared again!

I got to go see Dr. Jesske again on Sunday. The infection in my leg isn't getting any better. It hurts and I lick and lick it until mom got worried again. (Gosh, doesn't she have anything else to do besides take me to the vet? It would be fine with me if we could skip going there for a little while!) Dr. Jesske was pretty nice, but he squeezed my back again and it still hurts. Mom learned that when she tried to put some medicine on it the other night and I snapped at her. I think she's still amazed! I wouldn't have really bit her, but it made her jump! I'm still giggling over that. Anyway, I got another prescription. Mom said something about spending as much on my prescriptions as on hers. Wow, I didn't know she took as much medicine as me. Anyway, I hope it feels better pretty soon. It's kind of hot and itchy sometimes, and I don't like the hot washcloth mom puts on it. It makes me crabby and want to run and hide. What a guy has to go through, let me tell you!

Monday, May 08, 2006

If it's not one end, it's the other.

I had to go to the vet on Saturday and Dr. Jesske wasn't there! It was traumatic, let me tell you! I have a sore on my back, kind of at the top of my back leg. It's been hurting for awhile, but I guess mom thought I had arthritis or something like that. I didn't know what it was, all I knew was that it hurt whenever anybody touched me there. Last week I got a sore there and then the sore got bigger and pretty soon there was another one. Mom freaked out. Told dad maybe I had a "staff" infection or something, so she had to take me to the vet "right away" - like she couldn't wait for Dr. Jesske to work again? Geez.

Anyway, Dr. Matt was nice, but he squeezed my let where it hurt and that hurt really bad, but he said some stuff called pus came out of it, so I have an infection. Again. So now I'm taking medicine for that. Again. Mom says she spends as much money on me as she did Meg and Matt (her human kids). Really, I think she's exaggerating... I have to say it doesn't hurt quite as bad anymore. Mom and dad have been putting ointment on it too, so that helps. I don't feel like biting it anymore, so it must be getting better. I sure do love mom and dad. They had something called an anniversary yesterday, they've been living together and married (what's the difference to a dog?) for 18 years! That's a long, long time. I can't even imagine how long that is. I wish I would have known about this anniversary thing, I would have gotten them a card. Nobody tells you anything when you're a dog! Sheesh!

Sunday, April 30, 2006

I have to complain, but I learned something really nice!

Before I start complaining mom said she found out today when my birthday was! Grandma Judy e-mailed this morning and my birthday is July 5. Isn't that great? I'll be 8 years old this year! Now mom can bake me a potato cake or something to celebrate.

Now, about the complaining. We have lots of trees in our yard. LOTS of trees. Most are cottonwood trees and they have these things that fall out of the tree and they are sticky. Really, really sticky. They stick to me everywhere! They even stick to my feet and get in between my toes. I really don't like that. I have to chew and chew to get them off my feet and that's hard for me because I only have 4 teeth! The other day mom must have seen how much they were starting to hurt because she decided to get them off my feet. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but I don't like anybody to touch my feet. Ever. For ANY reason. Just leave my feet alone! Well, mom picked me up and put me on her lap and then TOUCHED MY FEET! Yikes! I screamed and cried and wailed. But she didn't put me down. You know what she did? She gave me a big hug and told me she loved me and she would never hurt me. Never hurt me! Can you believe that? I mean, she hasn't hurt me or anything since I've been here, but I really just thought it was a matter of time before she and dad or somebody got really mad at me and hit me or threw a shoe at me or something. But they never have. And now she told me she never would! Can you imagine that? Wow. After that I thought I'd put her to the test, I just sat in her lap and let her try to get those old nasty things off my feet, and you know what? She didn't hurt me? It was a little uncomfortable, but it didn't hurt. All that screaming I did for nothing. I feel kind of silly now...

It's been raining a lot. Every day for 3 days it's been raining. I don't like the rain much, but I figured out that I can go potty in mom's and dad's flower garden. All I have to do is jump from the back stairs across a little space and right into the garden. It doesn't rain over there so I don't get wet. So far so good because she hasn't planted the flowers yet, but I don't know how happy she'll be later this summer. I've had to wear my T-shirt because it's been cool too. You know how I feel about that!

You know what I really like? Dad washes my bed every week. I have a fresh clean bed all the time! It's so nice. Grandma Judy's was nice like that too, but I thought when I came home with mom and dad that they would just leave my room alone and pretty soon it would smell like my old home, pretty bad. That hasn't really happened though. I love dad, he does all kind of good things for me. Mom says she just amazed because every time she tells me to go find dad I do. I go right to him. He usually holds me for a long time on his lap when I do find him and that makes me happy. I love being held.

Yesterday mom was sitting on the sofa with all the other kids laying on her and she was reading a book when I decided I wanted to sit on her lap. She told me no! Can you imagine that? She told he she couldn't pick me up, so I should go lay down in my bed. I couldn't believe it! When she told me no again I started to go to my room, but then I remembered mom had bought me a new squeaky toy last week and it still squeaks so I went to my toy corner close to mom and just squeaked and squeaked and squeaked my toy. Finally mom put the other dogs on the floor and came over and picked me up. If I had known it was that easy to get picked up I would have done it sooner!

Later,
Chuck

Friday, April 28, 2006

My ears are better!

Mom got some little steroid pills to give me last week. She thinks she's being sneaky by giving them to me in a piece of my food, but I know they're there! I just go ahead and eat them anyway because I know she'll just grind them up and that makes my food taste nasty. I think the medicine might be working, that makes me want to take it too! Yesterday mom was playing with my ears (I don't like that at all - I growled a little but mom just held me tighter and told me she wasn't going to hurt me.) She got a great big piece of scab off my ear - whew, what a relief! I don't have to shake my head so much now since those things are gone. They were really annoying me, but I couldn't get them to come off. I'm sorry I growled at mom now, she sure made me feel better.

Ruger got in the garbage today. Really, it was Ruger. Unfortunately, when dad came home for lunch I was the one who got caught! Dad even yelled at me! Can you believe that? Dad never yells at me, but he sure did today. Maybe it was because I, er, um, I mean Ruger tore the garbage bag open and spread all those goodies all over the deck. Well, they were goodies to us anyway. I can't figure out why they throw such tempting morsels away. Who can figure what humans think? Anyway, I tried to let dad know that Ruger is the one who did it, but I don't think he believed me. Well, maybe he did because Ruger and I both had to stay in the little room this afternoon. It was worth it though - there was hamburger in the trash! Yum!

It rained the other day and I didn't want to go all the way outside to go potty so I went on the back porch, I think dad was upset about that too. What's a dog supposed to do when it rains? I'd like to see HIM go outside to go to the bathroom and stand in the rain. Geez. Buttercup still goes outside into the yard, silly girl. Dad had to go carry her in when he went back to work, she growled at him because she didn't want to come in, but dad just laughed and picked her up! Haha! She wanted to stay outside and bark at the squirrels, but she was outside for a long time anyway. Mom tried her off with a towel when she got in the house - boy was she mad. Buttercup doesn't like mom or anybody to use a towel to dry her off. Good thing she doesn't have to take as many baths as I do. While mom was drying her off she kept showing her teeth. Mom said, "Look at her smile!" I don't think she was smiling, but I wasn't going to tell mom that! Mom made me wear that new shirt she bought me the other day. I showed her, I got out of it right away. She put it back on, I took it off, she put it back on, I took it off. When dad got home I left it on though. I thought maybe he wouldn't believe mom when she told him I kept taking it off. That was a pretty funny joke to play on mom! Well, I better get off the computer. I hear thunder outside. Night everybody!

Sunday, April 23, 2006

A long weekend...

Mom and dad were busy all day Friday and Saturday so we spent a lot of time in our little room. That is SO boring. Heidi always tries to steal my bed and Buttercup and Ruger want the blankets. I've started letting them know they're not going to push ME around! No sir. They are NOT going to get under the blanket if I'm laying on it. They can lay on the bare floor and see how they like it. I think mom felt guilty for being gone so long on Friday so she bought a new toy for us. She says it's for all of us, but it squeaks, so it's mine. Only mine. I've got it in my toy corner and nobody better even think about taking it. Dad got the carpet all wet with the noisy machine on Friday night so he put my toys up in the chair. I can't jump up on the chair, it's too big, so I was pretty mad at dad. I went to my bed and wouldn't come out later to go outside. I showed them though, I left a big mess in the bathroom overnight. I bet they don't don't hide my toys anymore.

We had a lot of company Saturday but there weren't many kids, so I was happy about that. I didn't feel like I had to go and hide. The only one I have to hide from is the one they call "Gabe." He doesn't stand up yet and crawls all over like me. He didn't used to be very fast, but he's faster than me now, so I sat in mom's lap when they were here. Even Ruger hides under the couch when Gabe is around. He's a nice kid, but he's kind of loud and scary to me.

Either mom or dad was home with us all day today - that was much better. Just the way I like it. Mom got some steroid pills from Dr. Jesske for my ears. They were all swollen again. They're doing a bit better I think. I wish I could get the scabs off, but no matter how hard I shake my head they're still there. Dad keeps putting this stuff on them, but they still stay there. I feel like they're always going to be stuck to my ears. It's better than bleeding, I guess.

It so warm and the grass is so much fun to lay in. Mom got me another T-shirt. Bother! The only thing I really don't like is dad has these 2 really big, really noisy toys. The first one is red and he rides on it all over the yard and it sprays grass on me and the other dogs. I don't like it. When I see him open the big garage I go hide. The other one blows loud air and the leaves and grass blow all over. I HATE that one. I don't want to even be outside when he gets that out. What kind of fun can they possibly be? I know they're toys, that's what mom calls them - Dad's toys. I just don't understand.

Friday, April 14, 2006


Here is Heidi and me in my bed. She got in first, thinking I wouldn't get in because there wasn't enough room. Hey, it's MY bed, sister! Posted by Picasa

Here's my brother Ruger, doesn't he sit funny? Posted by Picasa

Here I am in all my glory! Am I handsome or what? No... "What" is not the correct answer!  Posted by Picasa

Here I am sitting on dad's lap after lunch. He didn't give me any of his, either!  Posted by Picasa

Friday, April 07, 2006

I've Been a Busy Boy

The weather has turned nice! I'm so glad, I can lay out on the porch and enjoy the sun, it feels so good. Now mom is worried though that I might get sunburned so she's going to make me wear my T-shirt when I go outside. I can't win. A sweater in the winter and a T-shirt in the summer. Can't she figure out dogs just like to ge NAKED?!?! None of the other dogs have to wear ths stuff in the summer. It's not fair!

All the other dogs had to go see the vet the other day. They ALL had to get shots too -- HAHA! Ruger and Buttercup had to have their bottoms cleaned out too - Ruger is still complaining about that. I guess he doesn't like that very much. I can't say that I blame him though. They didn't even get to see Dr. Jesske. He's my favorite. Heidi and Ruger told me Dr. Kroeger and Dr. Sternberg are good doctors too, but I've got my favorite and it's not them. Maybe someday I'll get to meet them too.

All my dry dog food is finally gone. Now I get canned food all the time yum! Mom says it better be good 'cause for what it costs we're all going to be eating it pretty soon. I hope she's not serious. They don't share their food with me, I shouldn't have to share my food with them!

Last night we had to spend some time in the "tornado room." I don't know what it is, but I can tell you the floor in that room is cold! Dad put us down there because mom was home and he thought he might have to go out and be a storm spotter. I barked and barked. That was NOT a warm place to me. Luckily mom got home and we didn't have to stay down there. And those awful sirens didn't go off either. Man, I don't like those things!

My ears are kind of hot and fat again. Dad has been putting some kind of medicine on them, so the scabs are almost all gone, but now they're fat again. Maybe I'll have to get another shot. I'm starting to not like shots very much. Well, I hear mom in the other room so I better go before she catches me in here. Bye for now!

Saturday, March 25, 2006


Here's me taking a nap. Mom says I'm about the sorriest-looking loveable thing she's ever seen. Is that a compliment?  Posted by Picasa

Here's mom's friend, Dorothy, with Heidi and Ruger. No room for another dog?  Posted by Picasa

Here's a closeup of the end of my right ear. At least it's not all swollen and hot like it was last week. I hope they feel better pretty soon.  Posted by Picasa

Here I am - my ears aren't swollen anymore, but they still hurt a little. I don't want to put my sweater back on, that's for sure.  Posted by Picasa

Here's dad with the snow he took off of Buttercupt before mom blew the hot air machine on her.  Posted by Picasa

Here's Buttercup getting mad because Mom wouldn't let her in until she took a picture. Haha! Mom always lets me in right away... Posted by Picasa

This is Buttercup after being in the snow. She could hardly walk, it was so funny! Posted by Picasa

We had snow and company!

We had lots of snow this week. I don't like the snow. Mom made me wear a sweater or my T-shirt all the time - that makes me so MAD! I tried to get them off, but mom always caught me. She was right about one thing, it was warmer outside, but I don't like to wear them! The snow was pretty deep so dad shoveled a place for me on the deck to go potty. The other dogs liked to go way out in the snow. Mom said Buttercup looked like the abominable snowdog (whatever that is) - but it must be funny because she laughed about it. Buttercup did NOT like the little machine that blows hot air! Mom had to use it to melt the snow on her legs, but Buttercup was really mad, she kept trying to bite the hot hair. Mom didn't think that was funny but I did! Woof! Then after mom would get her all dried off she would go outside and they would have to do the same thing all over. Silly dog, what was she thinking? I've spent a lot of time downstairs by the woodstove, it's nice and warm down there. I don't even like to come upstairs at night to go to bed. Dad says we're out of firewood, so we're going to have to let the fire go out. Darn! I think he better just go cut more. Doesn't firewood come from trees? We have trees in our yard....

I've been so busy this week sitting on laps and being spoiled. Mom's friend was here from Ohio and she really loved me too! I learned something new this week too, I've decided that if the other dogs can all howl together I probably should to, so I do now! Mom calls it caterwauling, whatever that means, but I have a good time doing it!

The scabs are back on my ears, but they're not hot or fat right now, so I'm pretty happy about that. Ruger had to go to the vet on Friday and have his "glands" cleaned out. I'm not sure what all that entails (pardon the pun), but I'm sure glad it was him and not me. I don't know why he had to go, but I know mom was pretty mad at him last week for dragging his bottom on the carpet. I would never do that - at least not of someone else was in the room to see me! He had to get his rabies shot too. He was really mad at mom when he came home and hid under the sofa all day! He didn't come out until dinner, and he only came out then because dad was going to feed him. I don't think he's mad anymore because he was laying on the sofa with her today when I wanted to get on the sofa! Maybe I liked it better when he was hiding UNDER the sofa instead of laying down with mom.

I was a little sad this week that we had to spend so much time in our room. Mom and her friend were gone all the time, but when they came home they gave us treats so we didn't feel too bad about the whole thing. Hmmm, now that I think about it maybe it was okay they were gone all the time. I got a LOT of potato this week. Yum.

Well, I hear mom coming so I better go for now! I love you all!

Charlie

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Good News

My ears are feeling better today! They aren't so hot and swollen. Mom says she's "cautiously optimistic" whatever that means, but they sure feel better to me.

It's gotten really windy outside today. I'm almost afraid to go outside. Mom says she'll have to tie a string around me and then I'll end up as a furry kite. I don't think that's funny, mom. It's really cold too, well, not as cold as it was a few months ago, but cold enough that I'd rather go to the bathroom in the house. Mom and dad are catching on to me now though, they pick me up and take me out when I first get up so I don't have a chance to make it to the living room. Darn it.

I think Heidi needs to get her own bed. I'm so mad at her. Last night mom and dad went out for awhile and when they put all the other kids in my room Heidi got in my bed and wouldn't get out - even when I growled at her. She's a bed hog for sure. I taught her a lesson though, I got on HER bed and wouldn't get off, even when mom and dad came home. I'll teach her.

Mom has been looking all over the house for that new kong toy she bought us the other day. I hid it from her. The only problem is, I can't find it either. I hope somebody finds it Kate told mom about some other good things to put in it and she wants to try some, but it's lost. I bet one of the other guys found it and are hiding it from me and mom. I guess she'll just have to buy another one.

Well, it's lunch time so I better go eat. I weighed 11 pounds at the doctor's office yesterday. I sure do like to eat!

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Visit to Dr. Jesske

Well, I went to the doctor today and saw Dr. Jesske. I put a picture of him here too, 'cause I really love him. He's so nice to me. I did get a shot (ouch), but I'm okay now. I had to have one of my toenails taken off too, that hurt, but only for a minute. Mom and Dr. J are worried about my ears, so I got a shot for them again and some new medicine to take at home. I hope this medicine helps, my ears are really sore all the time.

Yesterday was a great day for me. Not for mom though. She had the flu, so I got to lay in bed with her all afternoon. Dad came home for lunch and after I had my lunch he put me in bed with mom. I hardly ever get to do that 'cause once I peed on her bed. She was pretty mad. She got over being mad, but she hasn't let me back on the bed since then! So yesterday was my lucky day!

This is me with my favorite vet, Dr. Jay Jesske!He takes such good care of me. I love him and all the great people at American Animal Hospital! Posted by Picasa

Monday, March 13, 2006

Checking in

I've been so tired lately I just haven't felt like getting on the computer. I've been sleeping and sleeping. I must have mom worried, I heard her on the phone tonight making an appointment with Dr. Jesske. I'm just so tired I don't even really want to do anything, even my toys are pretty boring. My ears are hurting pretty bad right now too. Dad came home for lunch today and since it was so cold he thought he'd put my t-shirt on me while I was in the house. It hurt pretty bad and I screamed pretty loud to have that put over my head. I wish they wouldn't do that, but aftewards dad cuddles me for a long time in a fuzzy blanket so I get nice and warm, so I forgive him. I'll let you guys know tomorrow what Dr. J says. I think mom is worried about me, she was crying last night. I tried to let her know I really don't feel that bad. I don't think she believes me though.

Here's me again wishing they'd just be quiet! What's a guy got to do to get some rest around here? Holy buckets! Posted by Picasa