Charlie: Uncrated

[charliebbarkin]

I have started leaving Charlie out more often now, he is three and a half. He seems to have really settled down a lot...maybe it's the extreme change in temperature over here on the East Coast mellowing him out. Or maybe having a puppy around is wearing him out, he does have an awful lot of grey coming in around his muzzle.

A few days ago my husband and I were joking about how we don't actually need to turn on the alarm system because any robber will be met with a huge black barking banshee dog with his little barking banshee sidekick in the other room. Then we get home and Burton is in his crate, not a peep...and Charlie is no where to be found. The dude doesn't even get off his butt to greet us at the door. It has been like this every time. We leave, come home, Burton is quiet in his crate and Charlie is sleeping in the chair or couch.

Today I wet to the grocery store. It was raining and I left kind of early so I hadn't walked the dogs yet and figured I would be ambushed by Charlie when I walked in the door. I left the grocery bags on the porch expecting Charlie to come barreling into me, open the door...nothing. No barking. No whining. No greeting. I take some groceries into the kitchen, nothing. Not even any ''hey let me outta here''s from Burton. Check Charlie's favorite chair, the couch, his dog bed...go upstairs check the beds....can't find him. That's weird...

I go to let Burton out of his crate and there is Charlie, sleeping in his crate next to Burton. Go figure.

First off, who replaced my dogs? And second, why do they bark at any knock at the door while I am home but I barge into the house when no one is home and they do nothing?

[EmmaJo11]

I wish emma would calm down enough for this. She screeches no matter who is coming in the house!

[dxboon]

First off, good boys, Charlie and Burton! That's great that Charlie is trustworthy, and not a destructicon! If you want some extra amusement in your life, try spying on them using something like the Presence by People Power app which can be set to be motion-activated. I often set up my ipad to spy on my guys (they are both left loose in the house together when I'm gone). Basically, I've learned that when I'm out their main activities involve deciding where to sleep (Dog beds? Hardwood floors? Inside one of the two open crates?). There is the occasional foray to the water dish, some antler chewing, and then Raj likes to look out the window occasionally (Reign never looks outside, but will be the first to bark like Cujo if he hears any little thing!), but basically it's snore, snuggle, repeat. When I come home mid-day, and in the evening, they both grab antlers/toys and shove them at me, as if to say, "Look, we've been so busy gathering these things for you! LOOOOOOK!!!!" :-)

[Georgie]

Isn't this the stage that causes labs to have the reputation of being snoozy and lazy (often by non-lab peoples) At just over 2 years I've noticed my lab change gear a little - a little more lounging around and snoring in her favourite spot on the couch. I still get a little greet when I come home, but nothing like the rockstar reception when she was younger.

[POPTOP]

Good job Charlie and Burton. Don't know now they know but our two do not bark when DH comes home but anyone else, they sure let me know.

Trying to get in is a chore, paws in the way and wanting to inspect every bag before they are even in the kitchen.

[voodoo]

you made me jealous

[ZRabbits]

Good Job Charlie and Burton!

Always made me wonder how Jake knew it was me, until my husband said he "knows" the sound of the car. Could never surprise him at all. lol

KAZ

[barry581]

Sophie is still crated, but at 2 and a half, she barely raises her head when I come in. Now Bruce is sitting up, body wagging, ready to go!!!

Seriously, I can't wait til I don't need to crate them!

[janedoe]

That's too funny. For the longest time, the only ones of ours we could trust out of the crate were Franny and Zooey. We would come in and find them in their crates beside Argos and Nikki. They're good kids.

[ls2erin]

Good job, boys! I can't wait to ditch the crate too! Not being able to find Charlie reminded me of the time I couldn't find Pixie after work. She was never crated, but always greeted me at the door. I couldn't find her one day and thought it was pretty odd. Went upstairs and found her sleeping in my bed, with her head on my pillow!