Doggie Lovin...

I got home from a day on the road and just like every other day, the second I walk in, a huge grin comes across my face, thanks to this guy.....



Some days, he greets me at the door, tail wagging and he always has something (ie. tennis ball, sock, shoe etc) in his mouth to show me. Other days, he is still snoozin' on my bed (yes, I am a dog owner that lets my dog sleep on the furniture...always have and always will)...and when I enter my bedroom, he has the cutest look of drowsiness and confusion on his face...kind of like, "what are you doing home already (see below)".



I grew up surrounded by animals...dogs, cats, horses etc....and out of them all, the Labs my family have had through the years always hold a very special place in my heart. This breed, and more specifically, Charlie, means so much to me, I incorporated him into my business name...Rustic Retrievals.



I owe this little (ok, not so little) guy a lot....he gets me outside at least 3 times a day, he makes me laugh with his antics and he knows when I need a cuddle (like he is right now beside me on the couch, snoring away). He's my Charlie Bear...and I cannot imagine the last 7 years without him!




As you can see from the pictures above and below, he LOVES his sticks! He really is a true Retriever and we can/have spent hours on end at the beach, in the fields, at the park and in the yard...playing fetch and just enjoying being!


Another thing both my family and I have to be thankful to Charlie for is his son, Chip. I have been thinking about him a lot lately and it always seems like Charlie knows or senses this. He has been extra snuggly lately..almost like he is trying to give me a hug and comfort me. We lost Chip this past summer when my parents lost their home to fire. He was such a special creature and he sure loved his ride on my Dad's 4-wheeler, as evidenced in the picture below. We called it the 'Chip-Mobile'...it let him ride along with my Dad and Charlie when he was a puppy so he could go with them on their longer trips through the bush.


As I'm sitting here writing this, Charlie has placed his paw on my leg. I call this is "Doggie Lovin". Instead of 'shake a paw', I will ask him to 'show me some lovin' and I get one paw, then the other..full of his lovin'.


If you are a fellow dog owner/animal lover.....give your pet an extra treat and some extra attention tonight and always. They bring so much to our lives and we need to be sure to never, ever take them for granted.

RR