Haircuts and Humiliation. . .

If you have read many of my posts you have seen a picture or two of our dog, Charly. I have to admit that in the year since we adopted him I have not been his biggest fan. I was conned into purchasing him by a weepy seven year old and her smitten father. Not to mention the pressure I was getting from the neighbor girl (who wanted to buy his sister) and her smitten father. And I cannot deny that at eight weeks old, he was certainly darling. . .

But somehow promises to play and care for him and clean up his poop have long since been forgotten and I am left with a third child, essentially. Four, actually, if you count the big one. And even though I clean up after my girls constantly, I think the dog makes just as many messes with his toys . . .









And he chews everything in sight--still, even though he is now one and no longer a puppy. . .










And I feel a little bad about the fact that since I am the only one who scolds him he generally assumes that if I call him he is in trouble. Mind you, I have never beaten my dog, and I am generally very nice to him. I even take him on walks and give him treats when he is good and play games with him when the children--the same children that promised to love and care for him and clean up his poop--neglect him. But still, if I approach him suddenly, or not suddenly for that matter, he tends to lay on his back and wet himself. It's disgraceful really, and yet another thing I must clean up.

But all those things aside, I harbor no ill will toward this dog of ours. As part of our family he deserves our loyalty and love. Which is why I must say that no one, not even Charly on his worst day, deserves to be left looking like this for a week . . .
And I have to say this picture does not really capture the caught-in-lawnmower appearance of the haircut gone awry that Charly is currently sporting! This is not the first time we have cut Charly's hair ourselves--I say we but this time it was Rob. I claim no part in this! And what makes it truly awful is not how short he cut him, but he did not finish. . .and then went out of town for the week! Even Charly knows that something is not right. He keeps bending over and licking his tail and his naked little back! Rob will be home today, so hopefully next time Charly is caught on camera he will be sporting a more fashionable do, and not this stricken expression that so clearly states "How could you?"