Charlie and the Dinner Party

After Charlie had been with us for a few months, Jo and I invited some co-workers and their spouses over for dinner. We also asked my brother and sister-in-law to join in. This was a first-time gathering of these folks. In fact, I’d never had them over before (besides family). It was nice.

As with anything new, there are a few worries. Is the food going to be good? Will I say something stupid? And then, there was another unpredictable element… Charlie.

As usual, everyone gathered in the kitchen. Charlie was right under foot. He wandered around checking out the guests pretending not to pay attention to them at all.

So far, so good.

I was so busy trying to finish a dish, I didn’t see him launch into the lap of one of our guests. Dogs have an innate ability to seek out the folks that have really soft hearts. He was on the mark that night. He was sitting there while the guests were smiling at him. I wanted him to get down.He didn't agree. As he was being nudged to get back down he did the snarl/growl combo that can put fear into anyone. Needless to say, she didn’t invite him back up. His bad attitude about being made to leave something he wants to do is one of those little “quirks” we’re working on.

After dinner, the guests retired to the family room with their dessert as it was much cooler in there. JoAnn, my sister-in-law, was helping me clear the dishes away when we heard a squeal from the same guest that Charlie was with earlier. I rushed in to the room only to see everyone staring at Charlie. He had jumped onto the couch beside her and helped himself to her dessert plate! She may have squealed, but I screeched. She was worried that he might get sick and I was worried about his manners – or lack thereof.

One more thing we’ve got to work on...

Table – and couch – manners.

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