By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy Amy Chouinard

At 8 weeks old, Charlie found his home with the Chouinard family. Charlie was named with the help of son Jackson’s classmates during school carpool. As pages of names were considered, Charlie was the group’s favorite. Today, when Charlie hears his name, he wags his tail and puts back his ears as if he is saying “that’s me.”

Charlie, a miniature schnauzer, is 100% pure fun, rich in character and full of life. His life’s purpose is to provide companionship and a good laugh on the daily to Bob, Amy and Jackson Chouinard. Charlie is the part of the family, and they are blessed to have him by their sides.

Born in Delta, Colorado, Charlie joined the Chouinard family at 8 months old weighing a mere 3 pounds. This little ball of fluff is unique for his breed with his brown “liver” color. His father was the same color, while his mother was pure white. Little Charlie, now 5 years old and weighing a healthy 16 pounds, has grown way beyond his expected weight of 8 to 10 pounds. His diet includes his favorite foods – blueberries, apples, carrots, oatmeal and chicken.

Although Charlie may look serious with his stern brows and beard, he is loyal, loving and has a sense of humor. His favorite joke to play on the Chouinards is stealing socks from drawers, sandwiches out of backpacks, or even dinner off the table. As Charlie stealthily carries the item in his mouth, he slowly walks past his family members in anticipation of their reaction, ready to outrun his opponents when he’s discovered. His playful spirit makes his family laugh, and when they laugh, Charlie smiles as well.

The smallest of the three schnauzer breeds, miniature schnauzers are a long-lived and low-shedding companion. The breed is considered bright, friendly and trainable. Initially bred to be farm dogs, miniature schnauzers are tough and fearless and yet do not show signs of aggression.

Charlie is a great lounger and enjoys hanging out and listening to rock and hip-hop music with the Chouinard’s 13-year-old son, Jackson.

Charlie is a perfect example of the breed. He is very smart and far from aggressive. He follows many common verbal and hand signals. He can ring an electric doorbell to request to go in or outside, but his most unique trick is to sneeze on command. Charlie enjoys seeing other dogs and introduces himself as the alpha no matter the size of the dog. He shows a little more enthusiasm when meeting another schnauzer, as if he knows they are related in some way.

Miniature schnauzers are sturdy little dogs that enjoy vigorous play. Charlie loves a good walk, enjoys playing thinking games with boxes and treats, revels in catching a ball or Frisbee, and he fills hours outside managing the yard by chasing birds, squirrels and deer. When he has spurts of energy, Charlie runs in really wide fast circles in the yard to get all of his energy out.

Charlie loves attention from everyone, but as a smaller dog, he can get lost in the chatter of a loud room. When he wants to emphasize his presence, he will let out a high pitch squeal to let the room know he’s there.

Charlie’s portable size, handsome looks and outgoing personality have made him the perfect companion for the Chouinard family.