Kesha Marilyn’s, now Charlotte, new furever family was excited when they adopted her after Charlotte’s previous owners could no longer provide for Charlotte’s needs. Beginning with a three-hour car ride from Tampa to Jacksonville, Charlotte’s family was understandably nervous about bringing her home, but one-year-old Charlotte made the trip with no problems. In fact, Charlotte was to go on another long trip soon when the family moved to Colorado. From her crate in the back of the SUV, Charlotte mostly slept over the two and a half day journey, but also made sure she saw the sights. Today, however, car rides are short, enjoyable ones to see extended family; Charlotte will pace and whimper with excitement when she senses they are near the destination.
Charlotte is a high-energy Toller Retriever, so her family makes sure she gets plenty of exercise. Chasing tennis balls (or any kind of balls) is a never-ending game for Charlotte. Whether at home sprinting down the hallway to retrieve a ball or at the dog park looking for anyone with a “Chuck-It,” Charlotte is eager for the chase. Other methods of providing Charlotte with ways to expend all of that energy include playing hide-and-seek and throwing another kind of ball: snowballs! 
When the snowball explodes in the air, Charlotte will bury her nose in the snow looking for it. Chasing any type of light is another activity that never gets old. Charlotte is so focused on moving light that she will chase not only on a flashlight beam, but also sunbeams. Additionally, trying to catch car headlights makes for adventurous rides after dark.
To greet her family, Charlotte always grabs a toy and “head-butts” as a greeting, pushing her head into a leg or any other body part, expecting a nice long head scratch. When Charlotte is ready to settle down, she becomes a 55-pound “cuddle-bug,” especially when someone sits on the floor. Squeezing herself in between her family’s legs, Charlotte plops down into any waiting lap. Described as a “quirky” sleeper, Charlotte will often pass out on her back with belly fully exposed or stick her head under the coffee table or the bed. Charlotte also loves to follow her family into the bathroom at night hoping that someone will turn on the faucet so she can have a drink. When her family brushes their teeth or takes a bath, that means prime faucet drinking.
Charlotte had skin allergies when she was first adopted and had to get shots for the first year to alleviate the itching and scratching, but since she has moved to Colorado, the allergies have disappeared. Besides learning to control her barking when someone comes to the door, Charlotte’s behavior issues are under control; in fact, Charlotte recently completed her Canine Good Citizen certification. 
It did take a couple of tries to “harness her boundless energy and channel her intense focus,” but she did it. She is able to sit, stay, and come, but is still working on the difficult “heel.” Charlotte’s family is very proud of her. Her mom and dad fondly describe Charlotte’s impact on their lives: “As a couple without children, her energy and the happiness on her face have brought many bright moments to our lives. She is a very expressive dog, with a tail that wags whenever she sees you and ears that constantly perk up in excitement.”
