If you are a pet lover, you know that pets become part of the family. One of the first puppies I had as a child was a Jack Russell Terrier named Lily. It was love at first sight when my family first saw Lily’s cute face! When I grew up, I knew I would have a Jack Russell of my own. Well, I start my introductions with Charlie, our Jack Russell, because my heart has been heavy this week with the loss of my family’s first Jack Russell. At 15 years old, Lily lived a wonderful life that ended on January 15th, 2013.
Switching gears to a happier note…
Let me just start by saying…Charlie could have his own blog! He is an endless source of entertainment and activity!
Charlie is 2 years old and has been part of our family since he was about 10 weeks old. After quite a bit of begging (by me) and researching breeders, I convinced Bret that we should get a puppy. At the time, Bret was travelling for work during each week, and I wanted some company with me in Oxford. A few days after New Year’s 2011, Bret and I drove through snow and ice to Arkadelphia, Arkansas to choose our puppy. Charlie looked like an old man in a puppy suit, and I immediately fell in love. He went home with us that night. We haven’t stopped laughing (and wanting to cry, at times) since that night at this little bundle of energy and spunk.
How did Charlie get his name, you ask? Well, while Bret and I were brainstorming name ideas in the car on the way home, Charlie kept nipping at me with his needle-sharp puppy teeth. Bret and I jokingly referred to this video, saying “Charlie bit me! That hurt Charlie!” The name stuck.
We began obedience training early. Some of it stuck, some did not. Charlie is a puppy prodigy, but he is also so smart that he can be very manipulative. We jokingly refer to him as our “Jack Russell terrorist.” We’ve found him snooping around on the kitchen table. I’ve walked outside to find him eating dead fish dropped by birds into our back yard. He has jumped through our fence in order to chase geese and their goslings.
Charlie can run 6+ miles with me and still be ready to play when we get home. He definitely keeps me active! He loves barking and biting at the windshield wipers. He also watches TV and growls at other animals that come across the screen (or at Rice Krispies commercials…yep). He can give a mean “High 5,” spin, play dead, and more. He is a toy destroyer and dog bed “de-fluffer.” Despite all of this activity, he loves to be a cuddlebug, especially on the weekends (yes, in our bed…).
When we moved into our new home last May, our neighbor told us another reason why the name Charlie was so perfect…our Charlie had been sleeping on top of his dog house just like Snoopy. Speaking of pets being family members, Charlie and Lucy (more on her to come) are like “our children” for the time being…in fact, Bret and I refer to ourselves as “mommy” and “daddy” when talking to Charlie! There seems to be no end in sight to Charlie’s “puppy stage,” so I’m sure there will be more funny blog stories to come…
Next introduction: Lucy…
I am so sorry about your beloved Lily….I know she had a wonderful life!!!! I love your blog and look forward to the next update!!!
I am the happy owner of one of your yellow labs pups… Sheila told me I should come and check out your site… I can’t wait to see more photos of her.. other than coloring he seems to resemble her quite a bit!