Despite being about 100 in dog years, Charley is still keeping up with the Joneses

ABOVE: Charley, the 20-year-old chiweenie. RIGHT: Charley’s owners Jerry and Pam Jones. COURTESY PHOTO

Fourteen years ago, Jerry Jones was working for the Missouri state government in Jefferson City when he received an email that would change his life.

The message, which came from a work colleague who also volunteered at the Humane Society, said that a 6-year-old chiweenie (chihuahua/dachshund mix) dog needed a loving home. Jerry and his wife, Pam, were already partial to the breed, so he forwarded the email to his spouse.

Without hesitation, she replied, “Let’s go get him.”

So, the couple took a drive to the Lake of the Ozarks area to meet the little guy, whose name was Charley.

Now, one of the attractions of weenie dogs is that they’re considered to be cute.

That was not one of Charley’s assets. Instead, he looked like the skeletal dog in the movie “Corpse Bride.”

“I don’t want him — he’s too ugly,” was Pam’s first response when they looked at the pathetic creature.

The dog was severely undernourished — not due to neglect, but because the previous owners didn’t realize that their other dog was eating Charley’s food.

Despite some obvious concerns in that first meeting, Jerry and Pam quickly came around and decided to take Charley home, giving him the affection —and nourishment — he so desperately needed. Before long, Charley was able to put a healthy amount of weight back onto his little frame.

From day one, Charley grew attached to his owners, who moved to Charlotte County about a decade ago.

The dachshund side of Charley’s lineage is known for being burrowers, an instinct the breed has inherited from its hunting ancestry. Digging into soft, cozy spaces (like a bed) provides dachshunds like Charley with a gratifying sense of comfort and security — which is also great news for already affectionate dog owners. And Jerry and Pam recount how Charley also was a zealous hunter in his heyday.

But now he’s 20 years old. That’s young for a human — but, in dog years, Charley is roughly about the same age (according to the American Kennel Club age calculator) as former President Jimmy Carter.

Needless to say, Charley’s once-keen senses have begun to wane. But the vivid memories of his adventures still sit at the forefront of his owners’ minds.

“He used to go outside and hunt geckos,”

Pam said. “He used to be able to leap off the ground. He did catch a gecko once, but he didn’t know what to do with it.”

Despite his earnest attempts (in those days) to be a valiant hunter and hone his predatory skills, Charley was, to be honest, lousy at it. His greatest victory was in amusing his owners. But his comical antics have continued to endear him further to the Joneses. Charley might be not so great as a hunter, but at least he’s become a beloved member of the family.

To date, Charley’s resiliency in his older age has stood the test of time. One of the most telling signs that a dog is aging is that their eyesight, one way or another, begins to weaken or fails altogether. In Charley’s case, his eyes always had an inability to make tears, and his getting older seems to have exacerbated the issue.

Fortunately, it’s a problem that can be managed.

“Over the years, in the morning and evening, we put gel in his eyes to mitigate the issue,” Jerry said.

The dedication of the Joneses to both Charley and their other dachshund seems to epitomize the kind of love that committed owners demonstrate in caring for their aging canine companions.

Even at 20, Charley not only brings joy, but also showcases improbable strength and resilience. Despite his age, he’s still the heart of his family, and he never ceases to charm and engage the people he meets.

His perpetually wagging tail and gentle cuddles remind us that love never gets old — proving that age is just a number when it comes to spreading happiness. ¦

The post Despite being about 100 in dog years, Charley is still keeping up with the Joneses first appeared on Charlotte County Florida Weekly .