Twelve-year-old Chuck and 8-year-old Saxon have definitely found their “forever homes” with the Troutwine family.  Philip, Bethany, Hazel, Edith, and Felix of the Eagle Trace neighborhood share how these much-loved pets have contributed to their family.  According to Bethany, “Chuck is part Pit Bull, part Schnauzer, part Spanish Water Dog, we suspect. Saxon is part Pit Bull, part Dachshund, we think.”   Chuck, a female, is 12, and Saxon, a male, is 8.  They were both rescued from the Rescue Farm in Poland, IN.

 

Chuck was our first adopted child; Saxon was adopted after we had a couple human children who needed even more companionship.

 

Chuck is named after the main female character in Pushing Daisies (it’s actually short for Charlotte). Saxon is named after the awesome K-9 in Hot Fuzz.

 

Chuck can swim longer than any other dog we know. She’ll do laps around any Spaniel, Poodle, or Retriever, only getting out to relieve herself and then jump right back in. We’re talking hours and hours a day. Saxon’s special talent is to relieve himself on every single tree, hydrant, bush, and rock on every single walk around the neighborhood.

 

Saxon’s favorite place to sit is on top of Chuck, and somehow, she doesn’t seem to mind a bit. Chuck’s most unique feature is her look; she has hair that gets wavy gray as it grows out, with a white beard, then a dark undercoat that shines with each haircut.

 

Our dogs are so loyal to our family. They sleep in our beds at night and stick right by our sides during the day. They help to protect us, and we keep them safe and healthy. It’s a mutual relationship that never wavers.

 

Do you have any funny or heartwarming stories about your pets you would like to share?

The first time we took Chuck to a dog park with a pond, we didn’t realize how much she loved to swim. Having never owned a dog before, we also didn’t realize it was unusual for her to swim figure eights in the middle of the pond and never get out. We had several dog owners ask us how we got her to swim so well, and we were forced to admit we had no clue it would happen. We were also forced to wait for her to tire — for several hours and on separate banks.

 

Chuck has had numerous different types of footwear, harnesses, and leashes for her swimming hobby. She’s been swimming in rivers, lakes, streams, water parks, and several different pools (not always with our consent). Saxon mainly gets spoiled by all the food that our children have tossed off the table over the years.

 

Our children have gotten practice with being loyal, loving, and caring with our pets. Dog walks are a perfect reason to spend more active and together time — even our 1-year-old son likes to “hold” the dog leash. Their playfulness is contagious, and their trust in us is humbling.

 

And the Troutwines would like to add, “Thanks to everyone who has helped remove Chuck from your pool or neighborhood pond, especially in the middle of winter!”