Martial Tai Chi™

Martial Training Association

Charlie's Log

Welcome

Hello Charlie fans - welcome to my special page. Here you can see stuff what is important for dogs to know about, like biscuits and that. Please e-mail me with any comments or suggestions about me and my special page. Thanks!

Here is a picture of me:

Charlie's log

I have been asked to say a few words about my friends the animals. Animals are my friends, so I don't eat them. I've been offered meat once or twice, but to be honest I prefer a nice organic courgette (that's a zucchini to our American or Italian friends).

I don't think much of red lentils, and I'm not a fan of spices or other seasonings. Rice pudding is my very favourite though, made with soya milk and a small pinch of cinnamon.

I also like carrots, peppers, potatoes, tofu, TVP and beans, as well as my special vegan dog foods, Yarrah biscuits and Happidog. Well actually I spit out the maize flakes, but who doesn't?! Even mice, guinea pigs and squirrels don't eat those! Maybe they could be used to build tiny dry stone walls in Mouse villages.

I have to admit I have chased the occasional animal* in my time, but only by invitation - they started running and it would have been impolite not to join in when invited to play so nicely. Rest assured, the one time I chased a rabbit and it ran out of puff, I just stopped when it did and waited for it to catch its breath. Before the game could resume, Joanna seemed to want to say something to me quite urgently, so I went back to see what she wanted - I didn't quite catch the words though. Maybe next time, she could put her thoughts in a nice letter. Everyone likes to get a nice letter.

Anyway, as chasing does seem to upset Joanna and Julie a bit, I just sit and watch animals these days, somewhat like in my picture, but watching animals at the same time.

The vet has described me as being very healthy and "well-muscled." I'm certainly athletic and can jump very high when the mood takes me, for example to jump over a wall or to chase a stick. This is apparently allowed as sticks are not animals. Must be the lack of fur, which I guess makes them insects? Mind you - I don't think I'm meant to chase those either, so maybe not. In any case, while chasing is allowed, I'm not allowed to eat sticks, so maybe they are animals, after all!

Love,
Charlie T Dog. (T stands for Tiberius, like Captain Kirk)

*This is nothing like an occasional table, despite also having 4 legs.

Update - July '08

Last year we went on holiday to the seaside. I like the seaside - well, seasides are made especially for dogs, in fact. That is why you will see so many dogs running around and having a good time when you visit the seaside. One of the nicest things about the seaside is that you can run around in any direction, except into the sea. Some dogs don't seem to mind getting wet, but I think they must be getting confused and thinking they're silly old cats or something because dogs don't like the water. I've heard that silly old cats don't mind the water and they also like listening to opera music, which dogs can't stand! Elvis and Ella Fitzgerald are what dogs like best. Silly old cats also eat fish so maybe that's why they don't mind the sea. I went in the sea twice a few years ago - in Italy and in Greece. I didn't mind the sea there because it was much warmer - a bit like soup, but cooler. I chased a bit of seaweed and accidentally bit Joanna's finger. It went septic which just goes to show that you can't be too careful around seaweed. Pavements are less good than the seaside for running around on, because they seem to made with just two directions in mind - there and back again. That's not so good for dogs because dogs like to run around in circles and every which way. Anyway, a month or two after our holiday we moved to the seaside, which is good for me because I'm a dog. Dog's like the seaside. We're also close to a forest which is good for dogs too, but I like the seaside best.

Love,
Charlie

Charlie's Log Nov 2008

'lo. As the year draws in, I want to tell you about something very close to my heart. Yesterday I had to have an operation on my paw because I think I banged my dew claw when I was jumping over a stile the day before yesterday and it cracked and was very painful so I went to the vet and she clipped off the damaged bit with a nurse. Then they bandaged my paw up with a blue crepe bandage and some plasters. When I got home, Joanna made me a little boot out of something called a rubblesack and we went for a walk around a lake where there are ducks and geese and there were also jays and robins and chaffinches and those little ones with funny haircuts and a nuthatch called Andrew. We did some dashing about and some very important stick destruction, because life cannot stand still for poorly paws. I saw quite a few dogs as well and they all had people with them who seemed to be quite interested in my paw, though not interested enough to smell it. We rode to work in the van which was good because I have my own seat and I went into the class as well so everyone could admire my paw. No one wrote their name on it though, which I'm glad about because it is still quite sore. The manager took a photo of me to send to his wife and Joanna and Julie took some pictures too. My bandage is off now and my paw smelled quite funny when it first came off, but it tasted OK.

My paw yesterday:

Love,
Charlie