Ok. I have about had it with Mr. Charles and his constant complaining that he does not get enough food! Charlie eats in a pen because he and Sofie are both food aggressive and she would kill him. So he has learned that the pen = food (my first mistake).
The dogs eat around 4:30 PM and then usually I go about getting my own meal prepared. Before Charles came to live with us (about 3 1/2 years ago), I gave Louise and Sofie a snack around 8:30 PM in their food toys to keep them busy for 30 minutes.
But Charles, who does not understand any food toy that I have given him (not sure if he is lazy or just plain goofy) has started to demand bark (you little dog people know what I mean) for a 2d supper about 10 minutes after the first. So now the 8:30 snack happens at about 6 PM. (My second mistake).
Charles has decided that anytime I sit down, whether at the kitchen table or in the living room, that must mean it is snack time.
Oh my dog!!! I have created a monster. Hence the picture of the unhappy Charlie who jumps in his pen and pines, mopes, and then YIPS! Hard to ignore, though I do try.
We all have to share everything at the Zoo. Mom does not like possessiveness or growling. Most of the time the little guy takes the toys and lies on them. But sometimes, Miss Louise, in all her patience and general niceness, has had enough and takes back what is hers (she was first dog in this current pack). All in a day’s fun.
Charles is such a silly little man. He has become quite a presence at the Zoo.
Never having had such a small dog before (he is about 15 lbs), I am learning all about demanding balls of fur who think they own you. I won’t say that he totally suffers from Small Dog Syndrome, which is a combination of behaviors from whining and jumping up on people, being a diva, demanding food, but he does take some behaviors to the next level for me. There are things that a small dog does that we would never tolerate in a larger breed, such as the constant food begging. The problem around the Zoo is that Mom (me) is not the only person in the house, which means that the rules are not consistent, especially when it comes to Lil’ man. Everyone thinks he is just so cute, or they want to shut him up, so they slip him food, which only makes it worse.
A good thing with Charles is that he does not want to be carried everywhere like many little dog divas do (thank goodness). He actually is not a lap dog which is why we are his 5th home, because he would bite people. Personally, I think he has arthritis. Previous owners may have picked him up quickly because he is little and people do that and then he would snap at them because it hurts or maybe children played with him to rough, which also hurts.
At the Zoo, we try to respect who they are, not who they are supposed to be. We are still figuring him out, that’s fur sure.
I am starving. How come you get ice cream* and I get bupkis (nothing, nada)? Humans are so unfair when it comes to doling out snacks. They seem to have no trouble making all these scrumptious things and what do we canines get??? Marrow bones and occasional peanut butter. I want more!!!!
Mommy doesn’t eat dairy so it was some kind of Cashew Milk Salted Carmel concoction with Coconut whip on top. I still wanted to try it.
Charles turns 11 years young this week (on July 13). He is such a wild and crazy guy and brings much excitement and joy to the Zoo. Many more years little man!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Mom is making her annual migration to the beach. DogDaz will be vacationing until Monday, August 5. Enjoy your month and please come back to the Zoo. Thank you for your visits and for your continued support of our fur family.
See you soon! – Louise, Sofie Bear, Charles, Noel, Nine, Stella, Mini Cooper & Mom
Hello, Charles here. I had a haircut this week and I am super handsome if I must stay so myself. I thought I would share with you a few things that Mom does to make my grooming experience easy. Of course, Sonya is the best groomer in the world so I never give her trouble.
TOUCH MY PAWS, OFTEN. No dog in his right mind likes his feet touched, so MOM got me used to it but touching my paws often (but not necessarily for a long time). It made it easier for groomers to do my nails.
BRUSH ME, A LOT. Mom brushes her hair every day to keep the knots out and brushes me as much as possible too, to help me stay mat free.
CHECK MY EARS. A lot of stuff sticks in my ears, Mom cleans them for me because I can’t.
CHECK MY NAILS. Since I don’t run in the wild my nails don’t wear down and need clipping.
Grooming me regularly so I stay clean and neat is such a nice thing. Lucky me!
Sofie and Charles agree on one thing when Mom is sitting at the kitchen table, she must be having something to eat, therefore, we must look as pitiful as possible so that she gives us some of it. Sorry but that just doesn’t work, most of the time, but it does, some of the time, so we try it all of the time, because, what do we have but time.
