It's that time of year

Poor Charlie. He feels the heat more than the other boys. He prefers the temperature to be about 32 degrees. He'll sit out in the backyard all day if I let him. Snow or no snow, just enjoying the temperature. It's been in the 80's here this week, and muggy. We finally had central air installed (for Charlie) on Tuesday. We've been in this house for 5 1/2 years. We had the furnace part installed when we got the new furnace, but did not install the compressor until this week. Charlie is in heaven! He has camped out by "his" register and of course is not sharing. Doesn't he look happy?

Charlie got combed out today as well, halfway at any rate. He gets combed regularly, but there is one day every year where the ,majority of his hair decides to come out. Today was that day. I got his back and sides done today and he lost patience. I can't blame him, we were working at it for almost 2 hours. I wouldn't like someone pulling my hair for that long. I could have shaved the 3 little dogs and still not gotten this much hair. You can see Petey trying to sneak through. That hair is packed in that grocery bag.

Combing Charlie always reminds me of my maternal grandmother. We had a white dog with longer hair growing up (Angel). Grandma Mikki was a weaver and she was always asking for Angel's fur to weave into something. Angel was not as big as Charlie is and didn't have as much hair. I don't think Gram ever got enough to do anything with. I think of them both as I work on Charlie. He surely would have enough to give to make something out of.

Bailey is coming along. He is learning his manners fairly quickly. His biggest problem is remembering he cannot do whatever he likes at our house. Mostly he likes to pester Charlie. So, Bailey knows how to sit and lay down. He's learned to do his business outside most of the time. I was holding him in my lap last night. He was almost sleeping. Next thing I know, my shorts are getting wet! Seems Bailey got a little too relaxed. I was laughing so hard, I couldn't yell at him. He surely didn't mean to do that.

The other little boys have accepted him. They have been chasing each other around the yard. I think Bailey has found his place in our little pack.

Here's Boo helping me pack for my sister's wedding and Petey looking as cute as ever.

His name is Bailey!

If there was ever any doubt before, I'm sure about it now. I must be crazy.Honey and I have decided to adopt another dog. This time an 8 month old puppy. His name was Morgan, but we have changed it to Bailey. He is a rescue dog. He was not abused, but was certainly neglected. He is a Shih Tzu who came to us by way of Honey's sister. Here is his before picture. We went to the vet and got his shots and then on to the groomer. What a difference a haircut can make. He weighed in at 10.5 pounds at the vet and 9 pounds after his cut. Amazing!

So much to learn. He was litter box trained, but not house broken. He also had no manners, none of the things you would expect from an 8 month old. No sit, stay, or down. No leash training, just a lot of energy. Soooo, we have been working on Bailey's manners. He is doing great by the way. He has that willingness to please that I must say Charlie (my Pyrenees) never really had. Bailey is almost potty trained now, although he still occasionally forgets he's not allowed to mark in the house. That is becoming less and less often. He can sit and lay down. He will wait at a door when you open it and he's starting to get along with the other boys. Initially he did not care to run with the pack, that is also changing.

He's the sweetest little thing when he's not getting into trouble (like any puppy). I'm so excited and have such high hopes for him.