CHARLIE'S STORY

THE STORY OF CHARLIE

CHARLIE’S STORY

While picking up Dino and his running mate Sally from Animal Control, I was told of a sweet young male GSD that had just come in named Charlie. Of course we had to wait until the owner was a no show to retrieve him, but after a week or so we went and got him right after he was neutered.

When we first saw Charlie he was really skinny and since someone had partially shaved his beautiful coat looked like a mess. The good part was that he was healthy, flee free and full of life. He had almost no training but seemed to like people and pets. When I brought him out of the shelter we were caught in a torrential rain and lightening storm. The thunder was deafening and it was pouring so hard we had to wait before going the 50 feet to the truck. Charlie and I sat on a bench watching the rain. He was un-phased by the goings on and just wanted to be with me.

With each dog you take in, there are certain things that cause a bond. Besides appearance and temperament there is frequently an intangible that does not have a real name that bonds a pet to his owner or care taker. Charlie had that spark about him and that loving nature that made me a real fan.

I must admit I do get attached to these guys, but I always realize we are merely a stop over point in their lives. My job is to love them and care for them as my own before letting the go to their new owners and new families (most times) never to be seen by me again. It hurts to know that going in, but also to know that they will have a better life because of my efforts. That fact alone makes Diane and I proud to be the facilitators in this revolving door of dogdom.

We quickly integrated Charlie into our family and even Baxter liked him right away. Charlie liked the cats and our other five dogs immediately. It was after a week that he began to squeak toys and play with the gang. After his 8th day here I taught him to swim, albeit he only had one lesion, he is no longer afraid of the pool.

We were extremely fortunate to find Amanda and Patrick who already had another GSD and wanted a playmate for her. They fell in love with Charlie as we did, at first sight. Their kids took to Charlie in a flash and the bond with the family as a whole was immediate and strong. Amanda wrote me this note and I wanted to publish it for all to see. The feeling we get when these adoptions’ go so right is amazing and rewarding.

Dear Diane and Erik,

We cannot thank you enough for Charlie. He is such a good puppy. He and Bella love to play together in the backyard. Boy, are they fast! He is naturally gentle around the children. As I write, the 4 yr old is lying down next to Charlie on the kitchen floor. According to him, Charlie is his "best friend" and he "loves him." And last night Charlie stretched out and fell asleep across Patrick's feet. The last dog to do that was our beloved Caesar.

He and Bella also laid down side by side and took a nap later in the evening.

He is still getting used to our cats. We have 2 small black cats that we rescued from a Publix parking lot. They did not hold their ground when meeting him and took off with him in pursuit. That will pass in time. Our older cat has schooled him already and now their is mutual respect.

He is fitting in just fine and is having a ball exploring his new surroundings.

Charlie is an absolute sweetheart. We are so very fortunate to have him. Thank you again for the privilege of adopting him and thank you for all the work that you do. It is reassuring to know that there are people like you in this world.

We will update you as events warrant and send photos, too.

Sincerely,
Amanda

Well as you can see Charlie won the doggy lottery and is with a great family and will have a great life. I felt a loss when he left but feel a great reward when I hear this from our adopters.

Erik Hoffer