Bloggerlife.blog

10/16/2025

Today’s blog

Lynn Murphy Mark

At home with Charlie

Just a few weeks ago, a young dog, still a puppy, really, adopted our kids that live in Los Angeles. He wandered into the gym where Ted was working out, spotted Ted as his “person”, and made his way into Ted’s heart. 

No one knows where he came from, if he had a previous human person/owner, or where he had actually been for the short approximately nine months of his life. Efforts were made to find an owner and no one came forward to claim him. Ted and Sarah had lengthy conversations about adopting him, knowing that such an action would create a different routine than the one they have comfortable made for themselves.

Decision made, they had to get a crate to make a safe place for him, get an assortment of toys, get appropriate blankets for his crate, and get him a collar and leash. Dog was given all the shots, and blood work was done to evaluate his overall health. He was skinny, presumably from living on the streets and eating only God knows what. 

The matter of a name was given serious consideration. Both Ted and Sarah are jazz afficionados and their favorite album features the guitar work of Charlie Byrd, so it seemed right to name their new housemate after Mr. Byrd. Charlie is Dog’s new name, if he ever had one at all. Adoption papers were signed, Charlie was what is politely known as “neutered”. The details of this procedure were unknown to Ted and I believe he was somewhat taken aback when he learned what his fellow male creature went through…

Ted was driving home from work yesterday afternoon so he called to check in while he floated through LA traffic. After determining that the humans in our households are all fine, talk turned to Charlie and the progress he is making. Ted says Charlie is smart, and learns quickly. 

The poor boy had to be taught how to go up and down a staircase. That’s pretty basic, but it was a new experience for him. He is also learning that using the apartment as a privy is not acceptable. Housebreaking is going ok except for one egregious incident when Charlie peed on their bed. That did not go over well with Sarah, who was tired and ready for bed and had to wait for sheets to be washed and dried. That was a big OOPS. It reminded me of once when my adopted dog, RedDog, was tired of waiting for me to come home and proceeded to shred two feather pillows and pee on the bed. It was a small apartment and it looked like it had snowed. Dogs have a way of sending messages when they are displeased.

Charlie has gained 1 ½ pounds now that he is getting the appropriate food for his age. He apparently is the recipient of lots of treats, used as rewards during training sessions. Ted has gone to the University of YouTube to be trained himself. That’s right, training has to happen for people as well. In fact, I believe dogs know what they’re supposed to do, but they amuse themselves watching a person learn how to be a responsible dog companion.

It seems that Charlie, Sarah and Ted have won the new-pet lottery. Charlie is learning that a crate is a safe place, that people can be loving caregivers, and that even though he has to be left alone sometimes, his people always come home to him. That lesson is taking a little longer to sink in but he will eventually appreciate the quiet and peace of his personal comfort hut. He’s never in it more than a couple of hours before one of his people gets home.

Charlie is a happy pup and a new little family is made.