Charliebrown Belcher

Never one to tell a short story, here Lisa writes…

Charliebrown Belcher, almost 16 years old, passed away peacefully on his blanket at home at Waitt Funeral Home in Brockton. Born in the Midwest on May 4, 2009, he was sold from a pet store north of Boston at 5 months of age. His original owner named him Obey and she and her young son loved him but could not keep him due to rental restrictions. He was surrendered to a shelter where it is told he cried for two days straight. His first owner’s co-worker Lynn had lost her own dog recently, so she took him in. She renamed him Charlie. When she would go to work four days a week, he again cried all day home alone. Every Wednesday on her day off work she would come to pick up her father in Avon and they would have lunch at Smith’s Restaurant in Holbrook while Charlie stayed in the car. She considered having her father keep Charlie, but he was 84 at the time.

Greg was having lunch at Smith’s on Wednesday February 10, 2010. Maria Smith, the owner, asked Greg if he knew anyone who might want a dog. Greg saw Charlie in the car…he called Lisa at the funeral home…what kind? Piebald Dachshund Red and White. Lisa googled that and said sure, let’s meet him. So Lynn and Lisa spoke and they agreed to all meet on Saturday, February 13 at the funeral home. Lynn arrived a little late because she was washing and drying Charlie’s blankets at home “just in case” he was to stay with Lisa and Greg. She brought his crate and a tug toy and food and his blankets with him.

Lynn said there were 2 requirements…questions which were important for Charlie’s prospective new parents. Number one: do you smoke? Number two: are you crazy? No and No. One more important question…where will Charlie be all day? Of course at work at Waitt Funeral Home with Lisa and Greg. Lisa said yes to Charlie and Greg agreed when Charlie jumped on the couch and gave him a kiss. Renamed Charliebrown, he was now the adopted hairy toddler in the family.

Well, Charlie fit right in. He was with Lisa and Greg at all times. Over the coming weeks, months, and years he became part of the Waitt family team. Many families met Charlie over the years. He was sometimes called down to the conference room to meet and greet people. Some highlights were his sitting behind Lisa in the curved back chair and him hopping lap to lap among family members.

Lisa coined Charliebrown our unregistered nurse and uncertified therapist with a licker license. If you look up Dachshund traits he was the poster child mostly for naughty canine behavior. But since he loved attention, belly rubs, scratches and was so cute with the softest velvet ears he got away with LOTS of misbehaving.

By the way, Charlie sleeping in his crate did not last long. He soon became the permanent bed hogger between Lisa and Greg. Stephanie would take him home for sleepovers and there he too became the boss of all.

Staff and visitors at Waitt would catch Charlie outside doing his “business” and wearing his Patriots hoodie in the cold and his yellow rain slicker when it rained “cats and dogs”. Charlie could traverse puddles up to his chest but could not tolerate the drops of water landing on him! In protest with or without his raincoat he would curl up like a shrimp and not cooperate.

July of 2014 at the age of 5 Charlie had a tragic medical situation develop. At the family cottage he took a leap and ruptured discs in his spine. Ever the classic badger hound, he had disc disease in his spine and ever had one extra vertebra! Charlie immediately underwent back surgery done by Dr. Julie Bennett. Successfully done, Lisa became Charlie’s rehabilitation Mom and Greg enabled her to devote time and energy to his recuperation. Medication, cold packs and a crib were a 24-hour obligation lovingly ministered. Charlie begrudgingly swam in Buzzards Bay with his little flotation device from knee-deep to shore and with a sling Lisa helped him learn to walk again. New safer routines involved no more stairs over the years and a gradual slowing.

Still over the years Charlie was a well-loved spokesmodel and ambassador. Families still asked to see him and even more would ask about how he was doing. Photos and stories kept the updates going. One particular repeat family asked Charlie to escort Mother’s casket to the hearse and he gladly was an honorary pallbearer. You all know who you are! You are lovingly thought of (alive and passed) fans of Charliebrown!

In classic Dachshund fashion Charliebrown was a lifelong food beggar and occasionally would be distracted with a big frozen meat bone so Greg could eat in peace! (Lisa learned to “tune out” the whining and barking). Maybe it is a dogmom way to get through dinner. Of course Charlie could lick the plates after dinner though! He could count to 2 every day after supper and the meatloaf pan was his favorite. Spoiled with a daily Hoodsie ice cream cup, the word HOODSIE could not be spoken in his presence without a demanding yelp. Who says dachshunds aren’t smart…THEY run the house.

One more big change in Charlie’s health came along a few years ago. Charlie became diabetic and needed insulin. Lisa cooked chicken thighs and broccoli and with his special prescription food and insulin daily with gabapentin for his senior aches and pains were the new routine.

Charlie’s super senior everyday life more recently involved boy dog diapers, unknowingly playing hide-and-go-seek and Marco Polo, and restless pacing. In recent days his appetite dwindled and Lisa and Greg knew his time here was growing ever shorter. After a rough Saturday night of February 1st Charlie was held and comforted as best as could be done. Planning on a final vet visit Monday Lisa and Greg knew this was the end of an era of their daily living. While Lisa was with a family downstairs on February 2nd of 2025. Greg said a prayer to God to take Charlie out of his struggle between life here on earth and death to eternal life. Lisa was hoping quietly for the same while she finished arrangements with a family whose loved one missed his past dogs as well.  Charliebrown passed away peacefully with Greg upstairs by his side. Greg prepared Charlie in a little cremation casket covered with his Pound Puppy blanket. In Belcher Chapel that same day close family, friends and staff say goodbye and Godspeed to our beloved Charliebrown Belcher. Groundhog Day seems a fitting time, after all he was bred to burrow and hunt tunneling creatures. What a blessing!

Final thoughts…God is good. God bless all our creatures great and small. Amen.

Charliebrown’s extra food, medicine and supplies will be donated to Paw Affection a Dachshund rescue in Taunton. Also extra items will go the the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts in Brockton. Lisa and Greg thank all the people over the years who loved Charliebrown and asked for and about him and all the veterinarians and support staff who treated him. Among them initially Dr. Bonnie McArthur and in recent years JMPetVet. Peace.

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