The Charlie Chronicles

The day we met Charlie it was warm and hazy. He was tiny, oddly cute, and different than any other dog I’ve had before. I never had a small dog, my last angel was a big goofy Golden Retriever named Biscuit, but for some reason it seemed just right. At first he was hesitant to be around people after his abandonment, on the side of the road that he had to endure. Saving him wasn't a question, but loving him was definitely the answer. After a few weeks of petting, treats, lots of love and encouragement he started to sit by us and give us the sweetest little kisses. He knew he was home and we were his family. I know he loves us with all his little heart. My cute little dachshund mix, how could anyone leave him all alone? Well, now he'll never have to think about that again. All the love, kisses (most of them in the air, he’s quirky like that), howls and walks we take, will forever put a smile on my face. He knows everything we say, he's so intuitive that way. He can also be a little trouble maker, it's part of his charm. For example, if we turn our backs for one second, he is sashaying up on the kitchen table. It’s hard not to laugh, he’s most definitely a foodie who likes to feel tall. We’ve gotten to learn he is a big, big fan of laying on top of a million soft blankets; I like to call him my little prince & the pea. My family and I have been proud supporters of the ASPCA for a long time and will always continue to be. I believe in their message of rescuing animals and the support of “No Pet Store Pups”. Many people don't know that the animals they purchase from puppy stores come from puppy mills. It’s heartbreaking to see what these mills do to these animals, it's inhumane and downright unacceptable. “Adopt don’t shop” is the motto. Charlie Brown (his nickname) is such a happy boy with his long golden body, little teeth, cute little paws and his curly cue wagging tail. He also loves to sing very loudly, I really can't keep a straight face when he does it. I love him with all my heart, I thank my lucky stars that we decided to rescue this baby dog.

We've had Charlie Brown for the last 5 years now, he’s made us so happy that we decided that we were finally ready to see if any other dog needed a home and lots and lots of love. After visiting a few rescue sites we got in contact with the rescue agency to see if they had another young dachshund running around. One day at work my mother received a call and to our surprise they just rescued a little dog from Georgia. They said he just turned 4, he also happened to be a dachshund mix and to top it all off, his name was Charlie. If that's not meant to be then I don't know what is! They sent us a picture of him with his one ear up and the other ear down, instantly we knew we had to go pick him up! The day we brought him home he couldn't stop kissing everybody and running all around tapping his little feet all over the wooden floors exploring his new home. His little, very quick taps will forever hold a special place in my heart; I knew right then I would love him forevermore. His unique personality shined so bright. He was the cutest, most loving, has to be on top of you at all times, in the nook, sweet heart baby dog. Just like Charlie Brown, he loves laying on blankets, he must be snuggled at all times! Every morning he flies like a rocket into my bed, kisses me like there's no tomorrow then tunnels under my covers and licks my legs. I am most definitely not a morning person but with him I can't help but smile and secretly wait till he’s awake. Sometimes I’ll wake up to see his little head popping out of the covers laying so sweetly on my pillow. It’s things like that, that make him and our relationship so special. Charlie #2 can be quite the little rascal as well, he can get in and out of any place you could imagine! No one knows how he does it! We even gave him the nickname Houdini; I guess a magician never reveals his secrets!

Having two Charlies, two brothers from another mother, is a hilarious thing in itself. Try calling one of them without the other one running over! There's definitely not a dull moment in this house! I like to say that we “came to their rescue” and they came to ours. I don't know what my family or I would do without them. The walks we take together is something that will always make my heart so happy and full. It’s a race whenever I walk them, Charlie #2 always has to run in front of Charlie Brown, and he always has to pee wherever Charlie Brown pees; it's really hard to contain my laughter. They're both just so sweet and quirky, I like to call them my Boyz In Motion (If you've ever seen That's So Raven, then you'll get the reference!) Oh boy but singing to them is a completely different story. To be honest one of the only songs they really go nuts for is “Lover” by the one and only Taylor Swift. They go absolutely bonkers for that tune. It’s one of the cutest and funniest things I’ve ever seen, you should see how they bark and howl! They’re a part of the family and make our hearts so, so full. I could never imagine not having them in my life or anywhere else for that matter. I thank my lucky stars everyday for deciding to adopt instead of shop. This particular challenge piqued my interest and has inspired me to write a children's book about them. I want everyone to see how wonderful, loving, silly, and fulfilling adopting dogs/animals really is. You save them, and they save you. Oh so many adventures we’ve had it's almost impossible to count. The Charlie Chronicles...who knows what other antics they'll get themselves into next! Say I do to rescue! See you next time my furry friends!