Mango Minster 2011 "Cracker Dog" Entry

For those of you unfamiliar with it, Mango Minster is a yearly dog competition like no other. Initiated as a response to Westminster, Mango Minster pits dog against dog, kitteh against kitteh in fierce competition. This year's categories comprise Shameless Dogs and Doggie Divas, Good Old Boys and Gals, Bad Sports, Kittehs, and Cracker Dogs. Charlie, while not a terrier, is entering in the Cracker Dog category.

From the very start, it was clear that Charlie was not going to be the mellow, soft-mouthed, eager-to-please dog that the movies have taught us to expect of a golden retriever. It was clear that he was going to be a serious "cracker dog."

He had so much energy that he just couldn't control himself.

He pushed one boundary after another. No person, no cat...

...no dog, no bed...

...not even his own tail was safe from his attention and his sharp little puppy teeth.

As he grew older, he learned to zoom.
Anytime...
anyplace...
indoors... outdoors... doesn't matter. The dog must zoom!



Of course, there are also the goofy Charlie-isms. He squints for people he loves:

He eats anything and everything:

He goes nuts when friends arrive:



He has serious histrionics when I leave the house without him:



And the singing... dear lord, the singing. He demands to sing. After. Every. Meal.



Now, at 6, he has mellowed a bit --- I can honestly say that it's been a year since I saw Charlie chase his tail. But the dog's still crackers. And I confess - I'm crackers about him!