'Charlie' is a four year old tri-semi-fluff rescue that we had just adopted from a family member (a dog lover who saved him from other family members) who was trying to find a home instead of drop him off at a pound.

He had been left outside for almost two years with food and water just sitting outside for insects and whatever to contaminate it. Chris had also said his shelter was a bush cave he had dug out for himself. We were also told that one of the family members did certain things to try and piss him off/scare him involving paint balls and a bike... so needless to say when Chris showed up with Roxi and took a look at him and hung out for a while he called me and said we had to help this dog ("My Hero! siiigghhh" I knew I kept this boy around for something :))

So last Saturday he was brought home and the fun started. Having him checked out he had hookworm and numerous scabs/hair loss over his body including where his collar was left on. The tips of his ears were sunburned, bug eaten and scabbed over. Besides that he was healthy and happly fell asleep between my stretched out legs as we watched a movie petting him. Oh the attention whore he is now.

Roxi at first was very iffy about him. We had learned that he has a slight food aggression towards dogs (we could've stuck out hands up his throat if we wanted to) and was possessive of items so the first two days whenever Roxi tried to go "h....hey... thats mine..." he would snap at her. So it was up to mom and dad to set him straight. We know of course this will take a LONG time to adjust (it will never be 100% gone) but he is already leaving her food bowl alone, not snapping or growling but just turning away from her when he's chewing and licking peanut butter off a spoon along with her. AKA he is very willing to please.

Now it's been a week and we've introduced him to the pack as well during a BBQ at my parents. Roxi, Apex (albino husky) and Codi (HUGE black lab) tried to show him how dogs play :). They were very accepting of him and he was very well behaved considering his first shows of aggressions the first two days he was here. There were no fights over food, no quarrells over attention and the usual fighting/tackling of one another. Some time today or tomorrow we will be introducing him to the boys Sherman and Howie the two boy corgis we hang out with all the time now.

We are adjusting to a new routine now.. as I type this both dogs are snoozing happly after a round of playing (Roxi finally showed him she has teeth and that this is her house) so they know each others limits and stop before it gets too rough. He is more vocal then we are used to though - barking randomly and barking longer then roxi does. they eat across the room from each other and Charlie has learned to stay on his side until Roxi is done (though she went on a hunger strike for those first two days) He does try to sneak every now and then but quickly retreats the moment one of us says his name. It may be never or an extremly long time before we can let them be eating.

He had to get used to a crate again and is baby gated in the kitchen for now till we feel we can trust them alone togeather (I remember reading horror stories of new dogs getting along in the presence of the owners but the moment they leave bloodshed occures) We will start testing them over time in lengths like we did when we were learning to trust Roxi alone.

We of course can't trust him off leash like we do Roxi but we are taking 15 min a night to train him tricks and once a weekend taking him on the long lead like we did Roxi and teaching him callback in the front lawn. He is also learning that we don't give free treats for nothing. Everything is earned by little tricks. Though all he knows now is sit and he doesn't do that 100%. I think in time he'll be more apt to learning tricks from us. It's only been one week and so much has changed for the best. He is a quick learner when it comes to things that are a no-no but slow and stubborn when it comes to tricks lol.

We are currently trying to figure out how to show enough affection towards both pups and having enough playtime for both pups without one trying to shuv the other away lol. They like to weezle in front of one another when I bend down to pet the other... its cute but rather annoying.

Wish us luck :) In a month if something horrible happens and he doesn't fit in there is a wonderful lady in colorado with a corgi pack that wants to take him. But so far he seems to be fitting in quite nicely and I doubt we will be sending him away... I would rather try my hardest first and use up all our knowledge and attempts before sending him somewhere else. A stable life is better for a dog and he is so willing to try and so loving with such a sad story that I can't help but want to try my best. But it's also nice to know we have a backup that would be just as nice for him instead of a pound or kennel.

So just welcoming Charlie to our home and pictures will be coming as we take them :)