Charlis-Dog's Page
Hi! I'm Charlis. You can call me "Charlie" if you like (everyone does) but it's actually pronounced like it's French - "shar-LEE." I'm named after the Charolais cattle breed, since my coloring resembled them when I was a puppy...
Born on September 8, 1998, I was the last pup come forth in a litter of nine. I'm a product of the unscheduled union of Rye, a registered Springer Spaniel and Lucas, a blend of every conceivable working cattle dog known to Man, and some coyote too! Here are my genetic parents...
It was my mother's first litter, and my brothers and sisters didn't fare as well as me. I was the only one to make it! Ever since I was pulled by my paws out of Rye, I've been smothered with human love and affection. My mother would run off when I was a wee-pup, leaving me all alone to become eagle food here at the foot of the mountain. Darrin brought me inside where I would cry until he picked me up and held me. Then I'd BITE 'HIM!!! It always worked. Humans are SUCH suckers! I was sleeping in bed before I was a month old, wearing improvised diapers Reehehehehehe! I'm much bigger now, but still have my bed-rights...
I really love to travel, especially in the campers my papa builds! Say "camper" and I'm there. Just show me the door and I'll jump in to go anywhere. If I'm not in an open vehicle like the old Unimog, I love to stick my head out of the bedroom windows!
I am partial to the beach, though! My favorite place is Fort DeSoto at the mouth of Tampa Bay. They have a dog beach where I don't have to wear a leash, AND a Paw Playground. There, I can fool around with other dogs, and even get a shower after swimming in the Gulf! I'm not completely sure there are mice under the sand, but I'm willing to look!
But even at the beach, say the word "chicken" and you have my full attention...
When I'm in Florida at my human friend Dave's house, I love to try and eat lizards. I rarely get one and Darrin doesn't like me doing it, but I simply can't resist. I KNOW there are some in Dave's tropical garden...
Life isn't all vacation, though. We're usually home in Wyoming where I guard my castle. I can see people come from MILES up here. It is MY castle, you know...
I had a really good friend here in Wyoming too! This was Megs. (Ol' Megs passed away in early June, 2006... May she have many butterflies to chase in Doggy Heaven.) Darrin saved her from the pound in 1992. She was kinda gross and smelly, and didn't hear too well the last few years, but she was my buddy. She loved to go swimming, and was usually wet and muddy...
Believe it or not, Lucas and Rye did their thing again a year after I was born. (This inspired my humans to get her "fixed", whatever that is... They say I'm fixed too! I didn't know I was broken.) This time, Rye had eight more puppies. Most of them looked like Border Collies, but there was another one like me in there. All of my full brothers and sisters found nice homes - some in Wyoming, and some in Maryland. My sister Offie lives in Maryland AND Wyoming, as she travels with Darrin's parents back and forth! Here she is...
And then there's my brother, Clue! Clue also lives in Maryland with his human, Ginger. In July, 2007, I got to visit my brother when Darrin did some business on the east coast. We're not allowed into "Uncle Paul's and Aunt Robin's" House, so Clue and I just stand at the door and keep hoping...
(That's me on the left, Clue on the right...)
We play well together, and here's a little movie of us carrying on...
I can do lots of tricks, and have learned all sorts of things. All the regular stuff is pretty boring and even pointless (do I NEED to roll over before I snack?) but I learned some neat stuff mostly on my own. I know that when my feet are wet, I can't come into the house. Just tell me and I can dry them myself! Here's a little proof...