The Things We Do for Love

Since they've been getting along so well, this weekend when Charlie's friend, Gabbie the Bernese Mountain Dog, came to play, we put out some chews to spice up playtime.

Gabbie, who normally isn't very chew-oriented, immediately siezed a cigar-chew and ran around the yard, with Charlie close on her heels.

From time to time she would drop it, and then it would be Charlie's turn to take the chew and be chased.

But after awhile, things changed. Gabbie got tired and lay down for some serious chewing. Whenever Charlie approached her, she growled at him. And he, gentlemanly, backed off.

Gabbie's usual companion, Cody, rules the chews in her house. And, since Charlie has seemed so dominant when they play, we were all surprised to see him defer to her. Maybe Charlie isn't the absolute ruler we thought? Or maybe it's a case of puppy love...

Pooltime, anyone?

This week brought record heat to Portland. Although just the middle of May, it felt like the "dog days" of summer! So when Gabbie came to play, we broke out the pool.

Charlie and we tried to teach her how to use it. He splashed. And we splashed. And toys were thrown around and in.

But to no avail. Gabbie would watch and sometimes even approach the pool. But she was not at all interested in playing in it. After all, Gabbie surely reasoned, "I'm a Bernese Mountain Dog, not a Bernese Water Dog"!

So back to standard play they went. Running, jumping, chasing, rolling, nipping... And did I mention the baring of teeth? There was much display of showy teeth!

So, again, a good time was had by all!

"What part of stay in the shade, don't they understand"?

New Friends

Charlie has a new best friend - Gabbie, a 4 month old Bernese Mountain Dog puppy.

She and Charlie run and jump and chase and PLAY! Up the terraces, down the terraces, around the yard, and back. Nipping, herding, body slamming - no holds barred. Even sitting on the other's head is fair game!

Gabbie quickly learned to jump the terraces and discovered where the best hiding spots are.

When one is tired, they both lie on the grass and chew on each other until it's time to play chase again. Sometimes they even lie quietly and contentedly, as if posing for a picture. But peace never reigns long!

At the end of playtime, both are exhausted, and Gabbie's fur is wet from head to toe. That Charlie!

To the right is a video of their first play date together (click on the photo to play the movie):

Gabbie's already almost 48 lbs and gaining 10 lbs every 3 weeks, so Charlie had better watch out and be nice. He's going to be the littler dog soon!

Oh, the beauty! Oh the indignity!

This week found Charlie at the Tulip Festival in Woodburn, just south of Portland.

There were fields and fields of beautiful tulips of every color and shape imaginable.

More to Charlie's liking, there were dogs and admiring humans of every variety, as well! Tiny fierce barking dogs who wanted to eat him, big quiet mellow dogs who ignored him. Little children to be petted by, old humans to avoid for fear of knocking them down.

With no etiquette guide to study in advance, Charlie had to just wing it. And he did fine - he was a gentleman to all!

He even suffered through the requisite tulip-head photo session with grace, albeit with edible incentives.

Ummm... Mom...

That sure looks like my dish. But what's it doing in there? And where's the food?!

Hail the conquering hero!

Tuesday brought mega-excitement to Charlie's backyard - - a foreign KITTY! Slinking, slinking across the top terrace and along the back fence was a thin black cat. As it got to the midpoint, Charlie cut loose. Up the fence and over went the cat (barely visible in the picture). Levitating almost. Then, kitty threat neutralized, Charlie raced around the yard in a victory dance!

Happy New Year!

Just a quiet beginning to the New Year... At 8:30, Charlie decided everyone had slept long enough and started his smooshing and snuzzling routine. He had forgotten that Aunt Leslie stayed over, though, and was overjoyed to see her! Oh boyoboyoboyoboy!!!


Happy New Year, Everyone!

Merry Christmas!

Charlie is such a helpful dog! And so smart! Sometimes it's almost scary how perceptive he seems.

After we put the Christmas tree up, of course he was interested. He sniffed all the branches and nosed the ornaments. When his mom watered the tree, it was a perfect opportunity to initiate snuzzling. And then there was Jessie - - - who created a little kitty den under the branches and lay there sooo invitingly. So of course Charlie found the tree, well, fascinating.


Hmmm... this spot here needs another ball!

When he took his ball over to the tree and tried to set it on the branches, we were amused at first. And then astonished when we realized that the tree to him was filled with balls and he was adding more. What a smart helpful guy!

Happy Holidays, everyone! And a big WOOF, WOOF from Charlie!!

Charlie in Wonderland

Today's snow mystified and captivated Charlie. The water at the bottom of his little pool was frozen hard and came out en masse. He pushed it around and played with it...


What the heck... ?

Then sleet, followed by snow, began falling. He ran and dug his nose in. What a great day!


First snow

Charlie's Back in Town

But it's a new town - Charlie's now in Portland Oregon!

This move revealed one of life's little mysteries to Charlie... STAIRS! Because his new home is built into a hillside, Charlie was faced with them everywhere. To get up to the main level in the house, to get up to the backyard, heck - to get up to the most interesting kitty-inhabited levels in the backyard rock garden... all required ascending vertically.

And Charlie proved to be vertically challenged, at first. He did not know how to deal with these stairsteps, and he did not like them one little bit. Initially, nothing would induce him to even try them. He just refused.

But then... an idea... A treat on each stairstep. Hmmm... not so bad. Kind of fun, really. Within a day, Charlie had overcome his thing with the stairs. Soon he was leaping off the highest rock walls and levitating up onto the upper levels of the rock garden. And now an evening's treat is to fetch balls thrown down the stairs!


Stair master

Charlie in Space

Well, maybe it's not really Charlie in this movie. At first I tot dat vas Heidi. Whoever it is, though, it looks like they had a very interesting flight. I just hope the landing was soft!

Happy Days!

What a great spring morning!

Meeting Sammy's Mom

Tonight Charlie got to meet Sammy's mom. She was just as much fun as Charlie hoped she would be.


Hi...


Pet me?



She petted him and slapped his nose and fed him treats. And she even made noises and played with him - it threw him into a barking frenzy, it was soooo fun!

The Vacuum Cleaner

Charlie is not a big fan of the vacuum cleaner. He alternately sniffs it, runs from it, and then works up his courage to attack it!


Checking it out


Working up courage. Scarieeeee....

6 months and 66 pounds

Today Charlie is 6 months old! To mark the occasion, we started at the vet's, also known to Charlie as "You-Know-Who", for a weight check. 66 big pounds!

Then it was party time. Wahooo - doggies, off to PetSmart!! This was Charlie's first time there, and he was blown away. So many people to pet him! So many doggies to sniff! Dry puppy food scattered on the floor where a bag broke - just waiting to be eaten. And the manager assuring him that it was very fresh and all right to eat!! So fun and so distracting that Charlie took the treat given him by the cashier and then dropped it, uneaten, and forgot about it until mom reminded him.

What a tired and happy little dog he is now - crashed out in the hallway with his new chew, dreaming about his first birthday party!


Birthday dreams

Haley just released a new song!

Charlie's new all-time favorite singer/ songwriter is Haley the Fabulous Ball-loving Black Lab. She just released something new, called Take Me Out. Charlie thinks it's awesome!

Nosing Around

Walks with Charlie tend to be slow and nasal, with spurts of activity. We creep from one house to the next, checking every bush... every lamp post... every spot on the sidewalk.


Hmmm... John has new firewood.

At some locations he sniffs every little thing, and it's only with great regret that Charlie consents to move along. Other locations hold no interest and we rush by.


This way, Mom - let's hurry over to the phone pole!

The best scents are clearly those left by others.


Pekes... I knew it!


And a kitty?

Then, as we get towards home, Charlie will take the leash in his mouth and lead us home - the faster, the better!


Heading for home!

The Sincerest Form of Flattery...

Cal's latest post has inspired Charlie to take up the camera yet again.


Charlie? Is that you....


Cheeeeese!

Better... at least he got all his head in this time!

Self portrait

Cal and China had this great idea to take pictures of themselves, and when Charlie heard about it, he had to try it, too! Gotta work on that timer a little...


Self portrait

Fangs for the Memories...

We have quite a collection of little teeth. It's been clear for the last few weeks that something dental's going on. And it was certainly time for it to happen. Big teeth started to erupt alongside little teeth. Chews tinged pink. And Chilly Bone (the sponge-like toy we freeze for Charlie) never had such a workout!

Then suddenly, it seemed, the little teeth were gone. But where? Outside? Down the hatch? The answer lay in front of us - all around the house. Wherever Charlie normally spends time chewing - there were found little teeth. Little canine fangs, little incisors, even little molars. So small - it's hard to believe they were so sharp and effective!

For now they live in a little box. A remembrance of puppy days.


Charlie & Harley compare teeth